This post is part of the “mind your language” series in celebration of International Mother Language Day on February 21.
I have always been fascinated with words. At school, my favorite subject was English. When I went off to college, journalism was a reasonable choice because it connected my affinities for language and social impact. Playing word games with journalist friends was a favorite pasttime.
It was not until I moved to the Netherlands though that I realized that I am also a quick study at learning new languages. Within two years of living in the Netherlands, I earned my diploma for the highest form of Dutch-as-second-language state exams. I learned most of my Dutch through self-study and the highest level for a foreigner at the Delft University. The Dutch would say that I have a taalknobbel. One manager who interviewed me for a job once asked me if I have a chip in my brain.
Did you know that your language changes your world?
- https://www.ted.com/talks/lydia_machova_the_secrets_of_learning_a_new_language
- https://www.ted.com/talks/lera_boroditsky_how_language_shapes_the_way_we_think
- https://www.ted.com/talks/steven_pinker_on_language_and_thought
- https://www.ted.com/talks/patricia_ryan_ideas_in_all_languages_not_just_english
- https://www.ted.com/talks/suzanne_talhouk_don_t_kill_your_language/transcript
