We’re asking students, recent grads, teachers, and counselors five questions on how languages play a role in shaping personal and professional success…
Meet Jaivi—a high school junior from Virginia who is learning Hindi, Mandarin Chinese & French.
1. Tell us a little about your earliest experiences with languages with family. What are some other ways that you use Hindi and celebrate Indian culture?
My first language was English, but I gradually picked up Hindi because my parents would talk in both Hindi and English in our household. I found myself able to understand and speak the language through being exposed to it constantly. My grandparents and other relatives also gave us lots of books from India, and my mother would spend hours reading them to me again and again, helping me recognize the letters in the Hindi alphabet and pointing out common words that I knew. I often speak in Hindi to communicate with my parents and extended family.
To celebrate Indian culture, my family and I celebrate Hindu festivals such as Diwali, the festival of lights, and Holi, the festival of colors. I also enjoy wearing traditional Indian clothes!
(University of Buffalo)
2. You’ve studied Mandarin Chinese since you were 5 years old! What would you say has been the most surprising (or rewarding!) part of learning this language so far?
I would say the most surprising but rewarding part of learning Mandarin has been learning about how people actually speak it in real life, like what words to emphasize and common sentence structures. It’s really interesting to learn to speak more like an actual native speaker, and very rewarding too!
One of my biggest worries in learning a language is that I’m not able to speak using the actual vocabulary and common phrases that people use when speaking the language because I learned it in an academic setting. However, as I’m focusing more on improving my speaking and listening skills in Mandarin, I’ve become more confident and comfortable in learning new phrases and speaking the language.
3. What are some other ways you use languages outside of the classroom—any tips for fellow learners?
I often watch videos or shows in the different languages I am learning, and sometimes listen to music in these languages too. Also, I am able to read short stories or comics in the languages I am learning.
I believe interacting with languages outside the classroom, especially through media in that language, is critical for increasing proficiency in that language.
Listening to music or watching shows and videos helps improve your listening comprehension by helping you become more accustomed to hearing the language how it’s commonly spoken, and can improve your vocabulary, especially by helping teach you slang, idioms, and other phrases that people commonly use. Reading stories and comics written in that language can also teach you slang and other colloquial phrases.
It’s super easy to connect with my interests while consuming different media, which motivates me to practice my listening and reading. For example, I’ve started reading fanfiction in French, which is an easy and fun way for me to practice my reading in French.
4. What’s next on your language journey? How will you use your languages in the future?
Right now, I am focusing on learning how to write and read in Hindi, and also studying so I can pass the next HSK exam for Mandarin Chinese. I am also continuing to learn French through my school.
In the future, I hope to use my language knowledge to study abroad in China or France, or any French-speaking countries. In general, I would really love to meet others and be able to communicate with them in the languages I know, whether online or in person.
5. Why is it important for young people to learn about languages and cultures?
I think it is important because it provides a lot of valuable learning opportunities and it’s also really fun! Learning another language is often very challenging since there are many different aspects to it—you have to learn to read, write, speak, and listen with a completely new set of rules, pronunciations, and even different alphabets!
Learning another language requires a lot of motivation and discipline, teaching important life skills that are valuable at any age.
Learning another language also opens doors to new music, books, shows, food, and other aspects of culture, and it’s important to broaden your horizons and experience cultures different from your own.
BONUS QUESTION – Complete this thought: “Learning another language means…”
Learning another language means opening another door, not just to more knowledge, but to more culture, food, and community with people from all over the world!
Check out our Connect with Languages or Language Programs & Funding pages to explore language scholarships, university programs, testimonials, and more! And, as always, visit @LangConnectsFdn on social media to share your story with us.