The Challenges of Learning a New Language
It’s the year 2020, and the world is expanding, both in terms of technological advances and digitization. As this technological revolution breaks down the barriers between countries, their residents are jumping on the bandwagon to stay afloat in this revolution.
Many of Them Opt for Learning a New Language.
If you are among those who are struggling to learn a new language, chances are that you are facing the same hesitation every newbie faces. And you are not wrong to worry about it. Learning a new language presents a host of challenges for the people.
So even if you are looking for a Japanese-speaking tutor or seeking to hire a Chinese translation service to translate your content, you have to embrace the changes that would come from learning a new language. Here’s a look at some of these challenges.
1. Fear of Learning a New Language
Not all people face this fear problem, but the ones who do have to get over a lot of hurdles. The greatest fear that they go through is the metaphorical “falling on the face”—the fear of failing. When a person chooses to learn a new language, he has to leave his comfort zone first. This involves carefully scrutinizing the language to learn and take stock of the subtle differences between them, as well as to accept that these differences make the languages unique and distinct from each other.
This acceptance will remove any hesitation a person may have about the new language, as well as prepare him mentally to embark on the journey to speak a new language.
Although it may sound easier than it seems, many people fear the new change because they are unsure about the new language’s features—how it sounds, how it is written, how it is different, etc. Don’t get into the details before you even start. Prepare yourself mentally and start searching for opportunities which would take you to the new language.
2. Lack of Time
Now, this is something that no one can do much about. Many people postpone or leave the idea of learning a new language simply because they do not have enough time to do so. However, learning a new language has more pros than anyone could ever guess at the start.
Taking out a little time from the everyday routine to learn the words of the new language is sure to benefit a person more in the long run. Keeping in consideration the age of technology and the internet, squeezing out time while on the go is even easier these days.
Start by making a change to your priorities of the day. If you have work to do, choose a time of the day most suitable for you to learn a new language. Remember, you are never too far away from your computer or smartphone to start practicing regularly.
3. Lack of Opportunity
So what exactly is stopping you from learning a new language? Is it the lack of institutes that teaches new languages or the absence of a partner or friend to assist you in doing so? If it’s the former, you need to take a look around you carefully. With the uninterrupted access to the internet these days, as well as the dozens of apps offering new language learning services, you can always get your hands on the new language without the need to go to a physical institute.
If it’s the latter, however, understand that you have to start somewhere. Get a friend to accompany you to the language learning institute or simply choose a time that is suitable for both of you to sit down and help each other. Moreover, download an app, set up podcasts or lessons or find forums where you can easily get some knowledge about the new language.
Remember again—you are only a few clicks away on your smartphone or computer from opening up a whole new world of opportunities—be it choosing to learn Arabic or looking for a reliable Chinese translation service to help you in translating your content.
4. Hesitation in Changing your Old Ways
This point is similar to overcoming the fear of learning a new language. Many of the people have that hesitation so ingrained in them that they are afraid to let their old ways go. This may be because they are so used to their old ways that getting out of their comfort zone is difficult for them. These old ways may also refer to the way a person’s native language is. For example, the writing script of English is different from that of Arabic and Urdu. Some languages, such as Chinese are written from top to bottom.
Some languages have different sentence structures, while other languages have gender aspects to inanimate objects. Accepting the differences between languages is the key to learning a new language. Rather than resisting the change, just accept the differences and kick-start the journey to learning a new language.
5. Listening to the Inner Voice
Many individuals have this inner voice that says to them “don’t try it, you might fail”. This inner voice contradicts the belief that a person can step outside his comfort zone. In the case of learning a new language, the inner voice stopping a person might sound something like “what if the new language is too hard to learn?” Try suppressing that voice whenever it rears its head.
When learning a new language, it is important to keep in mind that every language will come with its own set of challenges that must be dealt with. Overcoming that inner voice that says “you can’t do it” will not only make the path clearer for you, it will also make you tough enough to take on the challenge of learning a new language.
The Last Word
Learning a new language may come with its own set of hurdles and challenges but remember, nothing is impossible in this world, and especially in the world we live in today—with the internet and smartphones. The pros of learning a new language far outweigh the cons of doing so as it would open avenues of opportunities for you that you might not have anticipated when the idea had popped up in your head.