Growing up speaking Cantonese, I was suddenly surrounded by English speakers when I started school. The experience, especially for the younger version of myself, was baffling, isolating and terrifying, to say the least. But as I started conversing with my peers, I learned more and more. I found myself learning about language, knowledge which I applied as I learned other languages as I grew older. But I also found myself learning about life.
Learning English as a child, studying Spanish as a high-schooler, all the while continuing to practice my Chinese, there were 6 important life lessons that I learned.
1. Cultural awareness
Each culture is full of its own mannerisms and colloquialisms. Something you take offense to can be a way for someone else to express friendship. Learning a language means also studying the culture- and learning more about different cultures has helped me gain a better sense of appreciation not only for that culture, but for my own culture as well.
2. Practice makes … permanent
The key to learning any language is: practice, practice, practice! Read books in that language, watch TV shows in that language, listen to music in that language! Whenever you get the opportunity, converse with people in that language. Memorizing vocabulary words is so different from actually putting words together to convey a message. So practice! It’s the surest way for you to learn a language. And even after you’ve gotten used to the language, you still have to keep practicing to make sure you don’t lose the knowledge. After all, practice doesn’t really make perfect- it just makes your skills a little more permanent.
3. Don’t get caught up in the details
While having a conversation with someone in a language you are new to, you’re bound to hear some unfamiliar words, and you’re surely going to have questions about their grammar use. But not understanding one part of their sentence doesn’t mean losing the entire meaning of their message! Use context clues, ask them to elaborate- just don’t get so caught up in the details that you lose track of the message.
4. Don’t do anything halfway
If you’re going to do something, commit yourself to it 100% and do it to the max. Set yourself to learning a new language and completely immerse yourself into the whole experience of it. That means learning more than just a weekly lesson of vocab and grammar. It means cultural immersion, listening to the language and reading it wherever you can. Fully devote yourself to this, and you’ll be rewarded.
5. Don’t be afraid to ask for help
Language is such a complex subject with so many rules that at some point, you’re going to have questions. Whether it’s irregular verbs, grammar or sentence structure, do not be afraid to reach out to others for help! Chances are, people will be so overjoyed at your dedication to their language that they won’t mind helping you at all.
6. If you’ve got it, flaunt it
Don’t be ashamed to flaunt your language skills! Don’t hold back on speaking your new language just because you’re unsure about something. Embrace the experience of learning a new language and thrust yourself wholeheartedly into it.
Each of these language-learning tips have some place in the real world as well. Learning languages has helped prepare me for college, make friends and learn about life.
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