Overcoming the “Learning A New Language Barrier”
“You aren’t from here, are you?” - is a question that myself and other expats tend to be asked on a regular basis, whether it be from the observation of differences in our outward appearance and style of dress compared to the local population, or in my case in response to hearing which normally triggers that inquiry: my accent.
I only need to utter a few words before it becomes blatantly obvious to any native German speaker that I am not an actual German but rather a native English speaker, and an American English speaker at that. Living in a foreign country always poses challenges, but finding oneself in a foreign country which speaks a different language than your own native language is indeed at times a very daunting task. Regardless of how much one knows of the language beforehand, moments of confusion are bound to be experienced, and when one knows little to none at all of the new language, it makes it all that much harder in successfully adjusting to one’s new environment.
Over 5 years ago I moved to the German speaking world knowing only the common German words that also happened to be borrowed in the English language, like kindergarten, sauerkraut and Oktoberfest. It became very obvious to me within the first moments of arriving in my new home that these few words and the previous weeks I spent listening to German language CDs were not going to get me so far in being able to communicate with the locals, and I became very anxious to not only learn, but also master German. This initial enthusiasm helped me pick up the basics of the language very quickly. However, learning a new language comes in waves of highs and lows accompanied by quite a bit of frustration and road blocks along the way.
Enthusiasm Is Nothing without Perseverance
As a native English speaker, we certainly have it easier when initially arriving in a foreign country as most people in this day and age can speak some degree, if not nearly flawless English. However this advantage can then become a hindrance when trying to learn the native language of the new country. I have found that many people are very anxious to improve their own English skills with a native English speaker and try always to speak with me in English, or upon situations when someone hears me struggling to explain something in German they assume switching to English would just be easier. Though I know the switching to English is well intentioned, and at times it is indeed easier to then just lapse into English, I would encourage persisting on in the new language unless otherwise needed. You can’t control what the other person is speaking to you (unless of course you politely ask them to switch!), but you can choose regardless to speak back to them in the language you are trying to learn, and persist with it.
Actually persistence is really the main key to not only successfully learn but to also get on the correct path of mastering a language. Persist in reading the language, persist in hearing the language and most of all, persist in using and speaking the language no matter which level you are. It’s always a bit nerve-racking in the beginning to try to speak a new language but it’s one of the most critical steps in actively being able to use a language. Most people are very friendly and will be happy to hear you trying to speak their language, so don’t be embarrassed about making mistakes. Go out there and use it! Join a club, make some friends, find a language partner, or even better, a romantic partner (certainly one of the best forms of motivation to learn a language!) with whom you can practice. And even when your initial fast language acquisition curve starts to taper off and plateau, don’t despair! Stay positive and keep on persisting. By putting in the continued effort you will be amazed when, out of nowhere, one day you notice how you understand pretty much everything everyone is saying around you and you too can now use the new language rather freely.
A Rewarding Challenge
Half a decade later, I can comfortably say that I am rather fluent in German. I can say almost anything I want to rather freely, and I have built many friendships based solely through communicating in German - I no longer have to rely on primarily doing hand gestures to get across what I want to say, which is quite the accomplishment! German has even become one of my primary working languages. It certainly was a long road to reach this point, however I feel very proud for working through my frustrations and persisting despite the challenges learning German provides. Every now and then I still find myself in situations where I struggle to form what I want to say, or I may be put in the dreaded group settings with people who use heavy dialect and I have no clue what anyone is saying, or I may even completely blank out on knowing the correct word to use and have people looking at me perplexed at what I am trying to say, but these moments happen less and less. Even though my accent may be something I always have, and I may secretly scowl on the inside when people point it out, I embrace and appreciate that many people regard it is “cute” and “endearing” and I appreciate even more how far I have come - and that should bring a genuine smile to anyone’s face who has overcome such barriers.
Gabrielle Byko is an international communication professional who has a passion for world travel and experiencing international culture exchange in all of its forms. Gabrielle is our Local Reporter in Regensburg.
