They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, and when it comes to learning a language as an adult, that saying often feels all too real.
I have an affinity for learning languages. At least, I like to think so. Throughout my life, I’ve completed my education in French Immersion starting from the ripe old age of 6, not only managing to be competently fluent, but pretty darn close to bi-lingual. The French may disagree, however, as they say, “je me’en fiche.” At the age of 15, I was conversational in German. At 17, I had a basic understanding of Spanish. I’m not bragging about it, but you get the point. I love languages.
But I’ll be honest, I haven’t actively tried to learn a new language in a while.
Now here I am at the age of 40, married to a woman from South Africa, and father to our 8-month-old child who is being exposed to two separate languages from birth – one of which I DO NOT SPEAK. English? Not a problem. Afrikaans on the other hand? I don’t have a clue. So, I figure only two possible outcomes are being presented to me. The first scenario is that I go on with my life knowing that my son and wife can communicate in another language while I live in ignorance. The second is that I get up off my ass and start learning quick before he finds out I don’t understand what he is saying…
*dramatic pause*
Can you guess which option I chose?
Needless to say, I quickly downloaded a language app on my phone and started learning. No son of mine will mock me in a language I can’t speak! Not today, Satan!
Anyway, I’ve been working on these lessons for about three weeks. If you want a good lesson in humility, try being married to somebody as you struggle to learn their language from scratch. I quickly found that learning a language is not as easy as it used to be. Just last week, I was proudly showing my wife a few of the sentences and words that I had learned. and after one case, she giggled and said, “That’s some of the worst pronunciation I’ve ever heard.”
Talk about being deflated! It’s a good thing I have a sense of humour. But after she corrected me, I had to agree with her. I butchered it!
As adults, our tongues are used to the familiar contours of our native language. But when we try to tackle a new language with its unfamiliar sounds and pronunciation rules, chaos ensues. Suddenly, those simple phrases turn into a tongue-twisting marathon, leaving us stumbling over syllables and sounding like we just took a swig of linguistic mouthwash. Suddenly I’m being forced into situations where Gs sound like I’m trying clear my throat while Rs want me to rrrrrrrrrrooolll up the rrrrrrrrrriim! This is unnatural! Who knew that mastering a language could require such tongue acrobatics? Was it always like this?
And let’s talk about sentence structure and grammar! Native speakers make language grammar seem like a breeze, effortlessly conjugating verbs and constructing grammatically correct sentences. But as adults learn a new language, the grammar rules become a labyrinth of confusion. Suddenly, you find yourself grappling with gendered nouns, complex verb tenses, and adjective agreements that feel like a never-ending mental gymnastics routine. It’s a grammatical rollercoaster that leaves you questioning your sanity.
There’s also the small problem of the accent—a badge of honour or a source of endless amusement, depending on how you look at it. As adults, we may struggle to shed our native accents when speaking a new language, resulting in some hilarious pronunciation mishaps. You might think you’re ordering a simple “glass of water,” but to the locals, it sounds like you’re asking for a “blessing from their daughters.” Embrace the laughter and keep practicing—that’s the only way to master that elusive accent. That’s what I tell myself anyway…
*sigh*
The truth is, it’s not easy. Not like it used to be. There are moments when I feel like I’m trying to climb a mountain without end. And dealing with that realization alone has been more of a struggle for me than learning the language itself. Regardless, I’m committed to carrying on, knowing full well that my wife will help me along the way. Even if I make her laugh from time to time. But then again, what kind of husband would I be if I didn’t make her laugh once in a while?
It’s clear that I have a lot more to learn. So for now, I will simply say…
Totsiens!
The CJBuzz 