As an English native-speaker, I often question whether it’s worth learning a foreign language, but recently I’ve found motivation by taking informal Czech classes with teachers on Italki. These classes are unique because I’d never usually talk with a stranger for an hour — and even if I did, I’d likely be self-conscious without the ‘language practice’ buffer.
These conversations have reminded me that learning a foreign language needn’t always be an embarrassing slog. It depends how you frame it. You can either feel awkward at being unable to express yourself properly, or realise that you now have a license to talk about anything.
Take this exchange from a recent class:
“Do you like to eat rice?”
“Yes, I like to eat to rice.”
“Is it your favourite food?”
“No, I like to eat ice cream.”
Such innocent conversations are usually confined to kindergartens. As adults we tend to avoid them because we’re trying to look clever. Without the smokescreen of sophisticated language the conversations become far more ‘real’, and a lot of our ‘clever opinions’ reveal themselves to be basic.
Speaking in a foreign language is much like having an alter ego. You can either despise the new awkward version of yourself or enjoy playing a different character. I tend to be more open when practicing a foreign language, and while some discussions remain at rice and ice cream, we often ponder bigger questions like “What are the most important things in life?” I’m unlikely to have these kinds of conversations in English because they’d feel contrived and cringeworthy, especially if my conversation partner was from my own culture – with all its unspoken rules of etiquette and behaviour.
Another nice side effect of these conversations is that I tend to be less judgmental. I’m so focused on speaking and understanding that I lack the resources to start judging the other person. Plus, I’m so grateful for their patience that judging them is the last thing on my mind.
In summary, maybe we should stop treating learning a foreign language as an arduous and humiliating process, and start seeing it as a once-in-a-lifetime chance to take a holiday from ourselves. It’s a rare freedom to not have to appear ‘grown-up’, smart, or eloquent.