Language is a process of free creation; its laws and principles are fixed, but the manner in which the principles of generation are used is free and infinitely varied. Even the interpretation and use of words involves a process of free creation.
ATTRIBUTION:
Noam Chomsky (b. 1928), U.S. linguist, political analyst. Lecture, January 1970, delivered at Loyola University, Chicago. “Language and Freedom,” published in For Reasons of State (1973).
Most people think I’m either insane or brave to live in a country where I do not speak the language. With no time for classes or crash courses, I’ve settled into this country with beginner’s level Spanish (one clarification: Chileans do not speak Spanish. Chileanos speak…Chilean. The Spanish I learned 10 years ago…doesn’t apply).
I’ve learned that speaking another language involves an extremely important skill: confidence. Unfortunately, mine (I’m not alone on this sentiment) is shot the minute a Chilean person begins to speak. Depending on the topic of conversation and situation, my comprehension varies greatly. Once I don’t understand, my confidence to pull words covered in cobwebs buried deep within my brain – vanishes. Entonces (So)…practicing and learning for fluency are a bit more difficult than originally anticipated.
Noam Chomsky (b. 1928), U.S. linguist, political analyst. Lecture, January 1970, delivered at Loyola University, Chicago. “Language and Freedom,” published in For Reasons of State (1973).
Most people think I’m either insane or brave to live in a country where I do not speak the language. With no time for classes or crash courses, I’ve settled into this country with beginner’s level Spanish (one clarification: Chileans do not speak Spanish. Chileanos speak…Chilean. The Spanish I learned 10 years ago…doesn’t apply).
I’ve learned that speaking another language involves an extremely important skill: confidence. Unfortunately, mine (I’m not alone on this sentiment) is shot the minute a Chilean person begins to speak. Depending on the topic of conversation and situation, my comprehension varies greatly. Once I don’t understand, my confidence to pull words covered in cobwebs buried deep within my brain – vanishes. Entonces (So)…practicing and learning for fluency are a bit more difficult than originally anticipated.Taking all of the positives and negatives – I don't think I'm crazy or brave. While I certainly do not have an advantage, I am not hindered. There are actually quite a few perks. Because I have difficulty mustering the energy to learn, I can more easily relate to my students’ frustrations and rudimentary grasp of completely foreign words. More importantly - my students and I both gain problem-solving skills on a daily basis. Unknown words elude us everyday – yet with each of these words we flex our creativity by enlisting charades, drawings, and the ability to describe a word with other words (not as easy as it sounds). Defining an English word in English (and vice versa) has forced me to contemplate my own language and think outside the box. For this – I consider myself not crazy, not brave…but oddly lucky. Fortunate to have the opportunity for such a mental exercise and new perspective.
My conversations in English with other volunteers often turn to collocations and idioms. We all marvel at how often we say things that make no sense at all. A blanket of fog – river bank/bank account – a blessing in disguise – chip on your shoulder – up against – piece of cake – a drop in the bucket, etc. It’s particularly interesting for me because I’ve studied English, yet have not spent time focusing on the language, pronunciation, and use. Last weekend, John, Chris, and I contemplated the use of the preposition “to” with certain verbs. You listen to music – you speak to someone. But why?
While I do want to master the Spanish language and learn more from the people who live here…I also relish the moments of difficult conversations where I need to push myself to language limits to express my ideas. I’m becoming more aware of universal body language. It dawned on me this week that I now focus on someone’s body language first – then their words. I’m not sure how to apply these news skills to my American life…but I’m happy to add to my reservoir of random knowledge!
My conversations in English with other volunteers often turn to collocations and idioms. We all marvel at how often we say things that make no sense at all. A blanket of fog – river bank/bank account – a blessing in disguise – chip on your shoulder – up against – piece of cake – a drop in the bucket, etc. It’s particularly interesting for me because I’ve studied English, yet have not spent time focusing on the language, pronunciation, and use. Last weekend, John, Chris, and I contemplated the use of the preposition “to” with certain verbs. You listen to music – you speak to someone. But why?
While I do want to master the Spanish language and learn more from the people who live here…I also relish the moments of difficult conversations where I need to push myself to language limits to express my ideas. I’m becoming more aware of universal body language. It dawned on me this week that I now focus on someone’s body language first – then their words. I’m not sure how to apply these news skills to my American life…but I’m happy to add to my reservoir of random knowledge!
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