Why output trumps input in language learning

OK, so I don't really think that output trumps input, but I thought I'd lead off with a contrarian title vis-à-vis Steve Kaufmann's post entitled Why input trumps output in language learning. Some amount of input necessarily needs to come before you can produce any output, but saying one trumps the other is like saying reading blogs trumps writing blogs; sure, you can learn a lot by reading blogs, but you'll only be getting your message out there once you start writing one. (And, incidentally, in either case, you'll be getting exposure to a language.)

The reason I went with a contrarian title was because, when I read Steve's post, I thought that most of his arguments for input learning could easily be changed to serve as arguments for getting into output sooner rather than later. Below I've edited Steve's post to show how easily those arguments can be turned in the other direction. I've tried to edit as little as possible. Some of the changes work better than others, and some even work surprisingly well, but they all go to my main point here, which is that early output is a good thing.

Read more... I've used red to mark text I deleted from Steve's post, while blue marks the text I added:

Some arguments in favor of output input. I am sure there are many more.

• We need to start speaking understand before we can speak well.
• I would rather communicate with people early understand well and stumble when I speak than communicate with people later and stumble less the reverse.
• If we can never pratice producing intelligible phrases and do not understand the answers, our conversations will not last long.
• Passive vocabulary is powerful, necessary, and always much larger than our active vocabulary of the words we like to use, so we need to start working on active vocabulary early and frequently.
• The more we can write and speak understand, and the more words we can use actively have, even passively, the more interesting our interaction with the language and the more words we can acquire.
• If we can actively use understand most of the words in a text or conversation, it is easier to pick up the words and phrases we do not yet know than if we merely understood everything passively.
• The ability to use active acquisition of passive vocabulary through output input, is like putting the pieces of the jig-saw together. Gradually the picture of what we're trying to express becomes clearer.
• Output Input is easy to arrange. We can speak listen and write read anywhere and anytime.

See here for some ways that the internet makes output possible from anywhere, which of course includes Steve's own LingQ.

• Output Input is interesting, if we choose content that is meaningful to us.
• If we develop the habit of producing output input learning, we become independent.
• Being able to produce output Input learning makes it easy to practice review our languages, and maintain them.
• Through producing output input learning, especially on topics we like writing and speaking about with authentic content, we learn not only the language, but many more things.
• At any time in our output producing input learning activities, we can decide to listen speak or read write, to practice what we can produce have learned.
• Of course we need to speak read a lot in order to speak well, but. Our progress in speaking will be smoother if we invest time in output input, and continue doing so.
• Our interaction with any language, including our own, is mostly as listeners and readers, so we need to make extra efforts to practice producing output.
• If we are good speakers listeners and writers readers, our output input skills will have a sound base.

One of my goals in any language learning project is to have little difficulty in conveying complex ideas to native speakers read a full length book in that language. Getting there is a powerful moment of achievement, an Everest.

I could go on....