I discovered this pleasing quote… thanks to Marion Charreau and her wonderful exploration of the French language through amazing visual maps in her book Le Français Vu Du Ciel – (French Seen From Above) – and I can only agree with her, and him (Norbert, our quoted).
Language is so intimately entwined with the culture and very identity of a people that starting to learn one is inevitably a rich experience involving far more than just words… if you want to make the most of it, that is.
To teach a language
is to propose a journey.
To learn one is to set off.[symple_spacing size=”10″] ~ Norbert Kalfon (🐦 Tweet Me!)
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I’ve been involved in English teaching here in France for many years now, and it’s never been less than fascinating.
Analysing tenses and mastering idiomatic structures is part of it, of course, but the real joy is the human side. It works both ways for me. I get to share stories of my Scottish roots whilst learning about the differences between the different parts of my adopted homeland here in France.
Paradoxically, one of the great unifying themes I’ve noticed is discussing differences. After all, we all have them! In comparing ways we do things in our different countries we can appreciate how other people live, learn from them, and often realise we’re not actually that different from each other when all is said and done.
Another interesting thing about learning a language is that it’s based on words, either spoken or written, heard or read, and those words have to be communicating something.
Sometimes they are simply communicating rules about the language being learnt, but that generally happens only in the language classroom and isn’t what language is really about.
Language is really about exchanging important information which can change our lives. It’s about sharing opinions and feelings which are important to us on a very personal level. And it’s about establishing or solidifying relationships which will stay with us until the end.
So if teaching a language is to suggest an exciting voyage, and learning one is deciding to set sail, then mastering one, to some extent, is kind of like arriving at a welcoming and somehow familiar port; a ‘home from home’ as we say in English. Sometimes never to return. So choose your foreign tongue carefully, you never know where it may lead you!
~ Sab Will
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Notes on ‘SCRIBBLISMS Bon Voyage’
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Scribblisms is where we have fun sharing and thinking about some great learning quotes from down the years. Feel free to join in the discussion – the more the merrier.
Rainbow English School is a non-profit educational organisation based in France. We aim to improve the level of English and the effectiveness of teaching in general. We work with teachers and educational organisations to help them adapt and personalise their teaching methods.
Our method and approach is based on the latest scientific research into how we best memorise, recall and usefully apply k
nowledge. We provide innovative tools and techniques which people can immediately use in their current learning or teaching situation. And we have fun doing it!
© 2016 Rainbow English School / Sab Will