The Linguist

Chartered Institute of Linguists SUMMER 2025 The Linguist 29 SECTION HEADER REVIEWS format. Users earn XP (experience points), maintain daily streaks and unlock new units as they progress. They can compete in leagues with names like Bronze, Silver, Gold, Sapphire, Ruby and Emerald. The app is structured in themed levels, covering CEFR levels from beginner to C2. One of Duolingo's strongest advantages is how engaging and motivating it is. The app makes language learning feel like a game, which encourages consistency and habit formation. It is especially well-suited for casual learners or those starting a new language from scratch. With its extensive language selection, it also gives learners access to less commonly taught languages, for example Finnish, Esperanto, Scottish Gaelic and Zulu. It stands out for its accessible, gamified approach and generous free version. Few apps offer such a broad selection of languages and full access without a subscription. Memrise Memrise was founded in 2010 by Ed Cooke, a Grand Master of Memory, Ben Whately and Greg Detre, a cognitive neuroscientist. The London-based platform focuses on vocabulary acquisition using visual memory aids (mnemonics) and spaced repetition (an evidence-based learning method proven to increase memorisation rate). It incorporates video clips of native speakers using everyday language in real contexts, conversation practice with AI, sentence builder exercises, pronunciation practice, grammar lessons, verb conjugation drills, role-play sessions, and cultural and language tips. In addition to its official language offerings, Memrise historically hosted a vast library of community-created courses – custom lessons made by users that could be shared publicly. These courses covered both well-known and s: language learning popular platforms to see which one comes out on top lesser-studied languages, including endangered, classical and even constructed languages. Notably, these courses became instrumental in language revitalisation efforts by indigenous and minority language communities. Although Memrise announced in 2024 that these community courses would be migrated to a separate platform (community-courses.memrise.com), they remain an important part of the company's legacy and impact. Memrise offers learners the ability to hear natural speech in varied accents through short, real-life video clips. This makes it particularly effective for developing listening skills and memorising everyday phrases. It also employs proven memory techniques, which are helpful for retaining new words and phrases quickly. Unlike other apps that rely heavily on translation or computer-generated audio, Memrise uses native speakers to expose learners to how the language actually sounds in casual use. It is particularly beneficial for auditory and visual learners who want exposure to conversational language. Babbel The Berlin-based company was founded in 2007 by Thomas Holl, Toine Diepstraten, Lorenz Heine and Markus Witte. They were initially building an online music platform when a casual conversation about learning Spanish gave them the idea to build an online language learning tool. The Babbel app offers a structured experience with an emphasis on real-life conversation skills. Its curriculum is backed by research, and lessons are designed by linguists and follow a logical progression. Learners can refine their pronunciation skills, reading and writing, and do revision sessions (known as 'Review'). Lessons are structured in levels following the CEFR framework from A1 to B2, making it a great option for those working towards proficiency. The main advantage of Babbel lies in its depth and structure. It provides thorough grammar explanations and useful everyday dialogue from the start. The lessons are practical and focused on helping learners apply language skills in real-world scenarios, such as ordering drinks or attending a job interview. For some languages (including Spanish, German and Italian), Babbel also offers live online group and private language classes, which give the opportunity to practise the language in a classroom setting. Babbel differs from more playful apps like Duolingo by offering a traditional lesson structure. It is well-suited to learners who are serious about making long-term progress and want to understand the grammatical foundation of the language they are learning. Which app to choose? The three platforms reflect different approaches to digital language learning: engagement and accessibility from Duolingo, authenticity and mnemonic depth from Memrise, and structured progression with linguistic rigour from Babbel. Each app can support language learners on their journey in different ways, helping them to create learning habits and acquire vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation and listening skills. As a language learner and teacher, I think that apps work best when combined with practice either in live language classes or in real-life settings. I am now trialling other leading platforms, so watch this space for my next review. Anna Rioland MCIL CL is a localisation expert and foreign languages tutor at City Lit with a passion for languages and technology.

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