I learned a really wonderful word today, which is 语感 yŭgăn. It means "an instinctive understanding of a language." This word describes the biggest challenge that any person faces when studying a foreign language. I remember that when I first moved to Bologna, my roommate Paola told me that I had to "listen to the musicality of the language." When I'd ask why I couldn't word something a certain way, she'd reply "it doesn't sound right." As frustrating as this is, there's no avoiding it. You have to live and breathe a language before you claim any ownership over it.
Today in my writing workshop, my teacher said "语言是一种感觉，是一种习惯" (language is a type of feeling, is a type of practice/custom). With just twelve characters, she summed up my motivations for moving half-way across the world. What I'm realizing now is that 14 months isn't going to cut it. This is, quite frankly, a lifelong struggle. Although perhaps my multi-lingual friends out there could shed some light on the subject?
For all of you studying foreign languages, I wish you the best of luck. And with that, time to start my 800-character essay on Chinese opera. But for fun-sies, I'll first attach some "Chinglish" photos from a Thai restaurant I recently went to in Hangzhou. They are fun examples of "yŭgăn-fail."
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| I had an order of the "messy tasty." It wasn't half-bad, either. |
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| Next time, I'm *definitely* ordering this. What could possibly be better than "sexy curry?" |
Aww paola! I'm glad you're living Chinese. I loved those pictures from your previous entry and I hope you tried that sexy curry. Love from PRAGUE!
ReplyDeleteI love this post! Its so true, although more than a life-long "struggle" I would call it a life-long relationship. As in both ways. this might not be the best of metaphors, but I think of a learning a language kinda like developing a muscle: if you want to keep it, you have to work out, constantly and forever. And of course, as you very well know, to fully understand a language, i guess you have to live and breathe it, and understand the people the shaped it and speak it.
ReplyDeletelove your blog nicole, and i miss you and i promise a juicy email soon! (so much art nerdiness to dish!)