cultural weightlessness

http://www.lingq.com/

Steve talks about the importance of cultural weightlessness in language learning, in other words the ability to step out of one's own culture and project oneself into the culture of the language one is studying.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• language learning
• LingQ
• Steve Kaufmann
• culture
• cultural ego
• cultural weightlessness
• learning
• languages
• online

[lingosteve]

Thanks zhangfeijp,

I might bet back to the 5,000 years of history. I thought youtube was blocked in  China.

[acromel]

Agreed. The more different that the target language is from one's native tongue the more important it is. I suspect that this may be what is described as `thinking in the language', where one no longer translates from one's native tongue - that's always messy. This is especially true where the target language's culture is so different - and, of course, language and culture are so entwined.

I always cringe when I hear native English speakers mangle a foreign word! Interesting, as ever, Steve.

[acromel]

That's a really good idea.

It seems that the simplicity and elegance of hangul (compared to Japanese kanji and kana at least) is made up for by tricky honourifics - not easy to speak/pronounce either.

[YouStoleMyTube]

Don't feel I belong to any culture whatsoever so I've never come across this problem :P

[YouStoleMyTube]

@mcjon77 I do something like that in French. When I want to speak French well I pretend I'm an angry baker hitting others with Fresh baguettes.

[mcjon77]

VERY VERY TRUE! Personally, I have found that the difference in my Spanish is dramatic when I am imagining myself as a Latino compared to when I find myself thinking as an American "trying" to speak Spanish. Whenever I find my Spanish skills dropping during a conversation I just step a little more into my Latino Persona and my abilities automatically improve.

[AMansGottaHaveACode]

i think this is great advice. i often find people are afraid to pronounce a language properly even if they know how, because it involves complete abandonment of your traditional pronounciation habits. This involves relaxation and a fair bit of "role play" so to speak, at least at first. For me, it helps to imagine myself as an almost stereotype of that nationality/linguistic group, at least at first, to get the habit of speaking in completely different sounds. Im still a beginner, but still...

[kokorodokoro]

I completely agree. When speaking Japanese (or even English) I've found myself acting rather differently than in my mother tongue. The way I express myself is changed, certain emotions get more emphasized, and so on. It just happens, and I've observed it in a lot of other people as well, but never thought about exactly why. Probably the reason is the very thing you're talking about. Also I've never felt that lodged in Swedish culture in particular, so I think you're right.

Väl talat!

[xnightxamex]

i definitely agree. even less extreme than thinking of yourself as a member of the culture, you have to at least be accepting and openminded. ive seen kids who dont do this and they cant learn basic things in another language, because they assume it must be like their culture and cant come out of that shell. maybe that doesnt make any sense but i get what youre saying, its so true.

[zhangfeijp]

yes it is actually :-(

but there are ways to bypass the problem, although it's quite "Mafan" and slow...

(sorry, "Mafan" is a great word, I had to use it ;)

[zhangfeijp]

I'm a French Canadian studying Chinese in China... It's been 2 years now, and I've always been bothered by this 5000 years of history as an argument for anything, but I didn't know why.

Now I understand thx to your video! You've made good points. To quote adelski68, "reinforces my own beliefs".

This cultural weightlessness concept is brilliant !

Keep on with the videos Steve, they're great.

[adelski68]

Kind of reinforces my own beliefs.

Thank You