The greatest thinkers in history have been listening their entire life to learn what is required to become an expert in their area of expertise. Speaking is easy, but it takes a lot more patience to listen, don’t just listen but truly listen what is being said and what is meant with it.
When someone gives a lecture about something they are not learning but they are teaching. They have been learning a certai subject for many years and been talking (listening) to the experts in that field. So that on their turn they can do the research to expand on what has been done and understood earlier. The biggest changes in history of knowledge have arisen from someone not willing to accept what is being known but challenges the thoughts and comes up with new ones. Some of these theories like the theory of relativity were not understood by many people in their time and are still to this day a challenge for most people. The only way to learn about important knowledge that isn’t widespread is to keep your ears open and absorb all the information that comes your way. Obviously you have to think about what you absorb and filter the information that is not important or maybe even completely wrong.
Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you’d have preferred to talk. – Doug Larson
Talking means we consider what we know and talk about it. So talking in your mother tongue to others will rarely improve your wisdom. It can improve your ability to communicate or to give a presentation, however you will not learn new things. Trying to fill your moment with others by talking yourself is the easy way out. Because you know that whatever you are speaking about is comfortable for you. Challenge yourself by motivating others around you to talk about something they like to do. Maybe they will talk about playing chess, reading books, going fishing or something completely different. You will not be able to add a lot to the conversation, but you are learning something new.
After hearing someone talk about a new subject you have an opportunity to get to know more about it. The first thing you can do is ask them questions to expand more on it. You will have their opinion on the topic and receive some extra information. At the same time the person talking about their passion will feel understood finally having someone that they are able to share the information with. You would be surprised how many people you think you know but have something going in their life that you know nothing about. When someone joined a basketball team most people will hear about it. But when instead they join a chess club or went to multiple cooking classes you will never hear about it. Unless you allow them to expand on a topic of their choice.