Hello Language Learners!

This month, let’s take a look at appreciating our native language(s). This topic might seem a bit counter-intuitive since I’m always talking about how great it is to learn a new language. However, as important as it is to learn a new language, it is also important to take some time to appreciate your native language. Every language has its complexities, its beauties, its annoyances, its idioms which don’t make sense to non-native speakers…and it is powerful to step back and observe these things in your native language. Often, we get so focused on what we want to have or what we don’t have, that we forget to appreciate what we do have. And we forget to be grateful that we already speak at least one language, and it’s a language that many people probably wish to speak. So, to remind ourselves about the beauty that can be found in our native language (for the sake of this post, I will be assuming that the majority of people who are reading this are native English speakers like me), let’s take a quick dive into all the things that are great, funny, annoying, and downright weird about English.

1. Most people who can’t speak English wish they could. I’ve written before about the “English privilege” that we as English speakers experience. The universal language of travel and business is English, so we are privileged in the fact that we can travel almost anywhere and know that someone will be able to understand us.
   
   
2. English is quite simple. Now, some people might not agree with me, including lots of native English speakers. But seriously, English is so much simpler than other languages. We have no accents on any of our words. Our verb tenses are pretty straightforward: for example, no subjunctive tense! We only have one “you”, which means there is no need to remember formal verb conjugations. Our verbs are simpler than other languages; for example, in French, there are many actions that have their own verb, whereas, in English, we just put a couple of words together to create the same sense. Therefore, there are fewer words to remember altogether which is undoubtedly simpler.
   
   
3. I would be remiss if I neglected to mention the annoyingly difficult parts of English, much of which is ludicrous. Let’s take English spelling and pronunciation, which can truly be nonsensical. For example, “though, through, cough, rough, tough, enough,” all have the same ending but don’t rhyme. Not to mention words like “leak, leek, real, reel, meal,” which all have the same vowel sound but are spelled differently, leading many of us to ask…why?
   
   Another thing that is difficult is that many native speakers use a lot of slang. I often have the impression when I come back to the US after having been gone for quite a while, that there are so many new words to learn that were created just during the time I was away. However, this is true in every language.
   
   
4. We have some great idioms and sayings in English. For example, I love the saying, “when pigs fly,” as in, “I will go skydiving with you when pigs fly.” What a beautifully colorful way to say, “that will never happen!” What about, “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink,” or “if you don’t put him in his place, he’s going to get a big head,”. These references to how you can’t make someone take your advice, and to how someone is becoming arrogant or egotistic are so common, I hear them several times a week if not daily.
   
   What’s your favorite saying or what’s the saying you use most often? I bet if you take a second and think about it, you’ll find that it’s quite funny–which is what makes it wonderful.
   
   
5. Finally, think about the ease of expression you have in English (or in your native language if it’s not English). Once, a French teacher told me that in every language you speak, you have a slightly different personality. This is due to how each language is structured, the vocabulary that exists, and the culture that formed the language. It is also due to the fact that with every new language you learn, you have to learn how to present yourself and your personality from scratch. With every language, you’ll learn this differently, and at different speeds. How you learn, where you learn, and the words and structures you learn to present yourself with all impact how you will show your personality in another language.
   
   That being said, there is a certain ease of expression that comes with your native language. By all means, focus your attention on learning another language. This is such an important thing to do in our very global, international world. But take a moment to appreciate the ease and fluency you have in your native language right now, because it is truly a gift to be able to speak, read, and write even in one language.

As part of challenging your language skills, spend some time thinking about how you present yourself in whichever foreign language you might be learning right now. No matter your level, even if you can just present your name, age, and where you live, it is an interesting exercise to compare how you express yourself in two different languages. For example, I know that in French, I do not make as many jokes as I do in English, which is at least partially due to the fact that the languages are not the same and so neither are the jokes. Once you find differences in your language personalities, try and see if you can bring more of your personality from your native language into your adopted one. This is a great exercise to get more comfortable speaking whatever language you’re learning.

Happy language learning!

Shannon