Learning a Foreign Language - Losing Your Sense of Embarrassment

A  well known Talmudic saying states that a person that is easily ashamed cannot learn or become wise. The rationale behind this statement lies in the fact that for the majority of individuals who do not instantaneously pick up new material or new less, we must ask questions even repeatedly at times before we can truly learn and grasp a new topic or subject. The ability to do so is may be a source of major or minor embarrassment at times because we often assume that we are the only ones that do not understand. Whether this is true or not it must be conquered in order for us to succeed.

This can be particularly true in the area of learning foreign languages. The thought of pronouncing something incorrectly, using the wrong vocabulary, or simply freezing in the midst of a casual conversation can be quite devastating for someone. Yet the process of interaction with other people, asking them to correct your accent or pronunciation is necessary to perfecting your language skills. To the contrary, especially if you are in a foreign country, people's appreciation for the fact that you are doing your best to learn their language can usually be viewed as quite admirable.  They already know that French, German, Chinese or whatever language you are learning is not your first language, and hence understand that every conversation is an exercise of sorts for you.

That's not to say that a few giggles or signs of bewilderment may not follow. Using the wrong vocabulary term and pronouncing something incorrectly can yield completely different connotations which might render your sentence humorous. First example, in French, the word for fish is poisons where as the French word for poison is in fact poison! It doesn't take too much imagination to understand why asking your waiter for poison might render a strange look or a laugh! Yet a little embarrassment can go a long way in helping you build your confidence and language mastery.

Whatever the case, generating a few laughs is worth it if it improves your language skills. Once you've achieved a sufficient level of vocabulary and basis conversational skills, watching movies or reading easy to read books may help you refine your foundation and give you greater confidence in facing conversations with other people. Studying a new language can be difficult process, but don't be ashamed to break the ice.

Jacob Lumbroso is a world traveler and an enthusiast for foreign languages, history, and foreign cultures. He also is a music fanatic and has a website where he provides information on Musical Instrument Accessories [http://musicalinstrumentaccessoriesshop.com/] and Children Musical Instruments [http://musicalinstrumentaccessoriesshop.com/children-musical-instruments/].