Timbre

Timbre is a self-hostable language learning platform that adapts to the user using “Fluent Forever” principles.

Why this project?

Language learning apps often overlook the way to brain actually learns languages. It teaches you grammar and vocabulary like a teacher or a school would, by providing a word and it’s translation.

This is often not the most effective way to learn a language as a word can have some nuances in the language you are trying to learn and you are forming links between words intead of the actual thing the word is referencing.

The book suggests using spaced repetition softwares to help you learn vocabulary by using images to form the link between words and images/concepts instead of just learning to translate the words. This way your brain form links between words and concepts instead of between words and its translation.

Another problem is the learning of pronunciation. It is ofter overlooked in apps but is one of the most important thing to get right in a language. The book suggests to learn how to pronunce each sounds BEFORE even attempting to learn words.

Features

• Spaced repetition is the backbone of the whole software
• Users can create cards easily via image search integration
• Uses forvo to provide pronunciation of words
• Self-hosted and private