A Language Journey: Three Personal Lessons

Multilingualism is a skill that it is greatly valued nowadays in the workforce, especially because of the high degree of interconnectivity between states and individuals from different parts of the world. Business, education, medicine, and other sectors of human life are more global than they were at any point in human history. Therefore, the ability to speak many languages is considered an asset because a person who is able to speak multiple languages can create multiple bridges that connect individuals, businesses, organizations, cultures, experiences, and so on.

I do not intend to analyze the economic benefits of speaking more than one language, but to present some thoughts on the effects of multilingualism on an individual. I am interested in this subject because, as a citizen of Moldova, my native language is Romanian, but growing up I learned Russian as well (it is very common for people from post-Soviet countries to know Russian). From second grade till my Senior year in High School I studied English, and in my Freshman year in College I started learning Spanish. Multilingualism impacted my life in diverse ways from an early age, and I would like to share three main language lessons I discovered over the years.

1.     Each new language that you speak, develops a personality within you.

As an international student in the United States, I noticed, especially after the first couple of months, that when I speak English, I feel as if I am a different person compared to when I speak my native language. This observation can be supported with the Slovak proverb: the number of languages you know is the number of times you are human. New language presupposes a different perspective and a new way of thinking about the world. A foreign language is a world in itself because it encompasses culture, history, and the traditions of many generations. Therefore, speaking foreign languages means re-discovering and re-analyzing oneself through the lenses of new words, cultures, and histories. It is a growing experience that leaves its marks on the learner’s personality.

2.     Paradoxically, knowing more languages does not necessarily mean that you can express your thoughts more clearly.

Generally, people believe that by speaking many languages a person enriches her vocabulary, which is a critical element for effective communication. While this is definitely true, sometimes I find myself being unable to pick or find the best words to express my thoughts in a foreign language. With this inability to eloquently express ideas comes a sense of anxiety and frustration. While I want to add value to a conversation with my remarks, I am limited either by lack of words or inability of finding those words in a specific foreign language. Many of my multilingual friends agree that such experiences are very frustrating because people perceive one another through communication; and if this tool is not properly used, there is a great chance of misperception. I connect this language lesson to the Ludwig Wittgenstein’s language quote, The limits of my language means the limits of my world. However, it is important to emphasize that even if a language can be the limits of one’s world, it can also be the door to new worlds (as explained in the lesson #1).

3.     By learning a new language, you re-learn your native language.

I agree with the quote of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe which states that “Those who know nothing of foreign languages know nothing of their own.” I did not realize this until I started to learn Spanish in 2013. Studying Spanish grammar made me realize that I did not entirely understand the grammar of my native language, which I learned throughout my studies in Moldova. Why didn’t I realize this when I first studied a foreign language, Russian or English? I believe that I did not make significant connections between my native language and Russian or English because I was only about eight years old. However, when I started learning Spanish at the age of nineteen, I was more aware of the importance of grammar, and I could see differences and similarities between the syntaxes and semantics of various languages. I found myself many times asking “Do I have such structure/expression/ word in my language?” To illustrate this, in Romanian and Spanish, all objects have gender, which does not apply to English. For instance, the word “heart” is masculine in Spanish, “el corazón,” but in Romanian it is feminine, “inim?.” Even if I realize this difference, most of the times when I speak in Spanish I tend to say “la corazón” (which is incorrect) because I am used to the idea of “heart” being feminine. This type of language differences sparks many other questions that are meant to help re-understand one’s own language. Therefore, a foreign language can be a tool to analyzing one’s native language.

I would strongly encourage anyone to learn a new language, it is an adventurous journey that transforms the learner and the learner’s views of the world. Learning foreign languages brings countless benefits, and obstacles as well. But the foreign language tools for exploring our own and new cultures, histories, traditions, may lead to a greater understanding of the world through breaking the cover of indifference.