There is an analogy that is special to me. It is the analogy of learning to speak English in learning swimming. When we are learning how to swim, we not only listen to an instructor but also jump into a pool. Thinking about how to swim only doesn't help you improve your swimming skills. When I heard about this figurative analogy, I was stunned because I have never thought like that. But it is right.
Studying grammar and memorizing words are important parts of learning a foreign language, but speaking is another story. It resembles exercise. As you get used to a type of exercise through practice, your lips need to move even though it would be awkward to say another language the first time. The more you try to move your lips, the more you feel comfortable. I am not an authority in linguistics, but I know the feeling when I am noticing the change in my body.
