Sunday 16 October 2016

Get used to it!

The phrase 'get used to it' has generally negative connotations. They are usually unpleasant things that you are obliged to get used to: heat, cold, hunger, discomfort, pain, disability, poverty, bereavement to name a few.

So how could I express 'getting used to a language' in a better light?




Maybe . . . You grow into a language. You fit yourself to it. It moulds itself to you. You become familiar with it. You learn to appreciate it. You get good at it.

This is an important psychological shift to make. If you harbor any negativity toward a language (or its people, or its culture) then you face an uphill road.

Speaking in specifics, you need to be able to . . .

  • enjoy its sounds (and not to flinch)
  • write its letters lovingly
  • scan a page of text without tensing up
  • remain comfortable in a sub 100% understanding environment
  • listen relaxedly to hearing it spoken at normal speed
  • get used to NOT studying (probably the most difficult item on this list) 

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