Languages. A complex, swirling world with multiple connections sprawling out. Being able to speak and understand multiple of them hasn’t been something I’ve written about, or even really considered a skill until quite recently.
I’ve grown up across countries and continents so speaking multiple languages and constantly switching between (at least two) has been my norm. Russian is my mother tongue, which was followed by French and English. I learned French before I learned English, due to my mother’s foresight that I would end up “learning English later”. And due to dating a French partner for a few years I now happen to speak semi-fluent French.
I am writing this as I sit in the Nice airport. I am about to visit my parents and I am enjoying being able to hear and speak French again. Until around February of 2024, I didn’t consider my language skills as an asset. When I started learning yet another language (ahem German), I realized that I could pick them up with relative ease. I have also recently been inspired to re-visit my Spanish, but that is a lower priority at the moment.
I currently chase that duo lingo streak daily for my German, read the occasional article on French Quora and try to pick up a Пелевин book from time to time.
I find it interesting that different communities place different values on language ability. I think the different connections that my brain makes while thinking in the various languages are fascinating.
How do you keep up and maintain the languages that you speak? What role do languages play in your life? Let me know by replying to this email (or if you have my contact info DM me).
P.S. I feel imposter syndrome and self-conscious every time I press “post” that’s the nice part about this blog, is that I will keep writing until eventually, it takes shape.
Chinese Mandarin was my mother tongue, but as I got older, I read more English books and found it easier to comprehend my favorite topics in English. Weird. Haha. I mostly use English in my job. But recently, I’ve also realized that my Mandarin skills, which I mostly ignored, are very helpful to my career and even side hustles. So, I am relearning Mandarin while also continuing to improve my English. And AI has been a valuable friend 😄