No one ever warns you that once you go from knowing one language to two, you will never view your native language the same way again. You’ve also dashed your chances of ever speaking it perfectly. There will forevermore be interference between your first and second languages because now you rely on both languages as frameworks to process and express your thoughts.
That is the disadvantage of learning a new language, but the advantages far outweigh it. Having multiple frameworks is a huge advantage. That’s why I consider Spanish less as my “second” language and more as my backup language.
I’m not the smoothest conversationalist in the world; I’m tartamuda—prone to verbal glitches. The glitches are worse when I find the word I need in the wrong language, the language I’m not currently speaking. But the cool thing is, learning a new language has helped me immensely in expressing myself. If I can’t quite figure out how to express a thought in my current language, I can switch to the backup language’s framework. Then, once I’ve figured it out in the backup language, I can switch back and explain it in the current language.
Becoming bilingual didn’t solve everything. The glitching itself still lasts just as long (not to mention my monolingual interlocutors getting confused), but I have a much better chance of capturing runaway thoughts and expressing them. It’s an unexpected benefit for which I’m very grateful.
A word spoken at the right time is like gold apples in a silver basket. Proverbs 25:11
Headline image by luckybeanz on Unsplash
So true and so beautifully written. And I love the proverb!
Thank you, Uly!
I really enjoyed reading this post. JG, you sure love Spanish.
Uly, what have you done!? I can't stop using these expressions 😆.
I love it! You use them perfectly. It makes me feel like my videos are working!))) Thank you!
You're not wrong, Simo. But I personally think that if I had been led to a different language, I would love it just as much. It's the all the mental puzzles and benefits that I truly love, which can transfer to pretty much any language.
I really enjoyed your post, @JGComm. Here is a riddle in Spanish: "Si me nombras, desaparezco. ¿Qué soy?" It's a classic, can you solve it?
@CocoPop No, no, I thank you 🧡🔥.
@JGComm Let me rephrase then 😉: You sure love learning languages.
@druida Is it ándale?
Edit: I've just realised it can't be ándale. Never mind 😅.
It's the silence ( el silencio ), Simo.
In the words of my favourite Formula One driver, Charles Leclerc, I'm stupid. I am stupid.