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Abstract

The term good language learner is used by researchers interested in language learning strategies. The aim of studying the behaviour of such individuals is to dissect the individual and social qualities and situations which lead to successful language acquisition, with the motivation of possibly transferring useful strategies to other learners. In this article, good language learner refers to people who over several decades have studied many languages and are eager and able to describe their ways and paths of learning. The material was collected via a popular magazine which published a request to send in language learning tricks and stories. The most extensive stories are analysed here from four angles: 1. What is their understanding of language and language acquisition? 2. What learner types can be distinguished? 3. How do these learners create a foreign language environment for themselves, regardless of their external circumstances? 4. What types of actual tricks or strategies have they discovered?