To me, understanding the language is not really a matter of learning rules, per se, but, as noted several times, a process more akin to osmosis. The underlying process in many ways deals more with the subconscious, and it largely exists to assists more so than dictate pre-visualization.
I react viscerally, and often times, it has to be quick, particularly with street photography, whereby the various moving elements (including myself, as I am usually still walking while clicking the shutter) come together visually for only a second or so. As such, any cognitive factor is best served when it becomes second nature.
What I react to now, however natural it might seem, has changed in relation to what caught my attention when I first started; certainly, I view light in a different way, whether with camera in hand or not. Some of this change can likely be attributed to examining the works of others, which, if nothing else, can also serve as a quick jolt of inspiration.
Again, this is not a simple matter of outright copying or memorizing a list of edicts. Besides, even if I didn't analyze anyone's works, I would still be looking at it intently for no other reason than that I derive great pleasure from viewing other folks' photos, not unlike my enjoyment of reading books, watching movies, or listening to music. And since I find enjoyment at looking beyond the surface, I don't necessarily consider the process a purely pedagogical approach, however informative it might hopefully be.
And absolutely, I do all of this at my own pace, and I do it on my own---like I noted before, I am in this for the enjoyment, and I've always been somewhat resistant to structured education, as helpful as it can be.
The bottom-line is that while I am not out to enforce a method, I would not want to aver that reviewing others' work is automatically detrimental to developing a personal or unique style, on the contrary.
