For someone who is interested in learning a foreign language, finding the right resources can be a daunting task. As a foreign language learner we want our skills in that language to be as good as possible. We don’t just want to memorize stuff and write exams, on the contrary we want to be able to think,understand, communicate and share our ideas in that language to the people who speak that language. It’s not entirely about learning a new script and words, it’s about learning and understanding a foreign culture. It’s about understanding the people, their philosophies, their food, their music and so on.
Learning a foreign language is more to do with immersing ourselves in the culture of people who speak that language rather than just learning a new script.
That is why ‘travel’ becomes an essential practice while you start your journey of learning a foreign language. In this article, we will try to understand this in more detail and find various ways in which travelling can help you a foreign language(*specifically Japanese but it is applicable to other languages as well) more efficiently and more easily. So, continue reading the next sections!
Living the language and Not Just Studying from Textbooks
As a Japanese language learner we usually start our journey by studying from textbooks. Learning hiragana, katakana and some kanji then sentence structure and then filling practice books, doing listening and speaking exercises and so on. Although doing that is absolutely essential to build a solid foundation, doing that after reaching a point all this starts to seem not so fruitful.
By only focusing on the books we forget that the language we are learning is a living experience and not just a concept or an idea written on the white sheet of paper. In such a case, when we finally get to travel to Japan(* or any place rich in that culture), we realize how the things that we were memorizing all this time are suddenly coming to life.
The arigatou sounds so much more authentic now, that itadakimas suddenly feels much more filled with gratitude. Finally getting to say konnichiwa feels so much more helpful to build connections. The street signs, the train announcements and even casual conversations are now making us realize the actual importance and depth of the language we were studying theoretically.
Cultural Context: The Hidden Dimension of Japanese
While learning Japanese, you may have come across the concept of keigo. It is the level of politeness used in different settings and with different people in Japanese language. We can learn as much as we want from textbooks, but actually visiting Japan and experiencing the conversations happen in real time helps one understand the nuances much better.
By visiting Japan, you will observe how staff talk with customers, how friends talk to each other in an izakayas, and the way announcements happen on train stations. This will help you immerse much better in the culture and understand language.
Regional Flavors of Japanese
Japanese that we learn from books is the standard form based on Tokyo dialect. When we travel Japan, we come to know that the Japanese language is rich in linguistic variations as well. For example, you may hear people say “ookini” in Osak. This expression is more commonly used there to say thank you instead of “arigatou”.
These encounters of various linguistic variations while travelling to Japan will definitely help you appreciate and understand the language and its living and dynamic nature.
Necessity: The Ultimate Teacher
When you travel to a foreign country it becomes you may find ways to communicate in most scenarios but not always. Sometimes, you gotta try to speak in their language,use any words you know, create a broken sentence structure to forward your message.
Not everyone will understand English in Japan, and when a necessity arises you may be forced to use your Japanese skills to communicate with the locals.
This will help you not only brush up your skills and build confidence, but it will also help you remember the grammar and words for a very long time. And ofcourse not to mention, build connections with other people.
Cultural Literacy Beyond Words
In Japanese culture, there is a concept of “reading the air”. It involves focusing on other people’s body language, and usage of specific words and phrases etc. This is a very important skill to develop while learning Japanese. Learning Japanese or any other language is not just about learning what is being said but also about what is not being said. Understanding various mannerisms, way of speaking, pitch and tone of voice to be used etc. can help you navigate the country much more efficiently and you will be back with a whole lot of wonderful memories to forward to.
