04 May 2010

Toastmasters: Learning Another Language

I filled in for an absent speaker and gave my 3rd speech. The goal of project 3 is to "get to the point." Essentially, the objective is to have a purpose such as to inform, to persuade, to entertain, or to inspire. 

Here is my speech, with some comments by my fellow Toastmasters to follow. Please also note that in today's vote for best speech, I won against our club's president. How exciting!

Learn Another Language

日本語分かりますか。Parlez-vous français? Sprechen Sie Deutsch? ¿Habla usted español? Speaking more than my native English has changed the way I see and think about, well, everything. Learning a second, third, or even fourth language gives new perspective on life, especially in terms of language as it is its own limiting paradigm. Everyone should learn at least one other language.

There are many benefits to learning another language. In the U.S., I feel that it is important to empathize with immigrants. It can be a difficult process learning English for non-native speakers as would be for us to learn something even as similar as Spanish. In some locations, there are many chances to speak to others in their native tongue. It puts you closer to the pulse of how America was founded—by immigrants. It also puts you in the shoes of understanding how difficult it can be to make yourself understood by others, especially in another language.

You will also get a better understanding of English if you choose to pursue another language. In particular, if you choose a European language, you would understand your own English better in terms of vocabulary and grammar. English is comprised of 30% of words that come from French, but has its grammatical roots in German.  If you understand one romantic language, it is easy to pick up on other romantic languages. Romantic meaning that it is a Latin based language. It is much easier to understand the etymology of words if you have a good Latin base, therefore increasing your own English lexicon.

Learning Spanish as an American will allow you to speak with a whole other subculture of those living here. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, by 2050 the population of the U.S. will be about 24% Hispanic. The implication being that the U.S. may shift from an English-dominant nation to one of Spanish. Spanish also has the 2nd most amount of native speakers. Mandarin Chinese is 1st and English ranks 3rd. Imagine being able to speak and connect with so many other people.

Another benefit to learning a foreign language is it also allows you to see the world with another pair of cultural goggles. European languages are fun in that they are more akin to English in general, but Asian languages are more interesting in that they do not use the same alphabet. Japanese has 2 syllabaries and another system based on Chinese characters, also known as kanji.

Through kanji, the etymology of each word becomes quite clear. When translating from English into Japanese, the feeling of each word seems to change shape and the overall meaning also fluctuates. For example, in English, we often say “I miss you.” To me, the feeling is that part of me or my heart or even my soul seems to be missing. But, it Japanese, no such sentiment exists. In Japanese, 会いたい、literally means “I want to see you.” To me, this is not the same feeling as “I miss you.” Another case in point is the Japanese term frequently used, 頑張って。If you were to analyze the 2 characters that comprise the word, you would find the first character means “stubborn” or “obstinate.” The second kanji means to “stretch” or “spread.” Together the word “頑張って” means “good luck” or “I’ll try my best.” It seems to have more depth in Japanese than in English. If you take all of these little differences or nuances and add them together, it becomes more obvious how the Japanese culture and our culture was shaped. Language is a paradigm into which we are born. It defines our reality. By learning another language, you learn another perspective that would not be possible otherwise.

I think it’s important to learn another tongue. It will allow you to empathize with other people from different cultures more readily. Additionally, you can gain further insight into your own English language. And perhaps most importantly, you will realize how trapped you become by language. You will be able to embrace life in a whole new way by learning a different cultural understanding by using another language. Please consider the benefits of learning another language by signing up for a class, talking to a Spanish-speaking neighbor, or even by traveling to another non-English speaking country. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised when you do.

Comments by fellow Toastmasters:
  • "Great topic....You are a great speaker."
  • "Very enjoyable speech. Your topic was relevant to (the) audience especially as the world is today. Your speech was very well organized and I especially liked your opening--you definitely grabbed my attention....My one suggestion would be to add more vocal variety to your speeches. You are not monotone, but let your voice tell the story too."
  • "...Encouraging and motivating."
  • "Great opening...."
  • "Great information! Good motivation to follow up on those languages I have touched in the past. Good eye contact and vocal variety. Looking forward to more!"
Essentially, it went well. As my evaluator mentioned, I need to memorize my speeches better and use less notes. If I can do that, I won't be glued to the lectern as I am now. (I already knew this about myself. I've always had difficulty with memorizing speeches in English, and for some reason I find it easier to do in other languages. It's just something to work on.)

3 down, 7 speeches to go to earn my "Competent Communicator" award. 


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