Bilingual Post: A Polyglot

Je veux practiquer mon français, 日本語を使いたい, ik leer Nederlands, io uso Duolingo per studiare la lingua di Italiano, und Ich habe Deutsch in der High School gelernt.

C'est mon introduction sur l'application du Tandem où on parlent dans différentes langues. Maintenant je prends trois cours de langues étrangères. Ce n'est pas difficile. Mais c'est déroutant. Je mélange le néerlandais et le français souvent.

時々日本語で感慨ます。でも最近はフランス語で感がいます。中学から学びますので、日本語が好きです。いつか良好の時に日本語を使いたい。

Io imparo la lingua di Italiano con Duolingo. Non parlo bene ma io capisco quando Lei parla in italiano. Sono triste perché smetto di prendere l'Italiano per imparare l'olandese.

Maar dat is het leven. Ik moet aanpassen. Voor Nederlands, ik begrijp een beetje. Ik kan zeggen: "Ik ben Griselda een Ik spreek Indonesisch, Nederlands, Frans, Italiaans, Engels, Japans."

Und Deutsch... Ich vergesse alles. Mein Deutsch ist eine Katastrophe! Aber Ich verstehe ein bisschen, wenn ich Deutsch lessen.

A Polyglot

A polyglot is a person who knows and is able to use several languages according to Google and in Indonesia polyglots master 5-11 languages on average. That sounds impossible! I never thought of myself as a polyglot nor I wanted to try to become one. But lately, I realized that I may well be on that path!

I'm thinking of taking another language (maybe Chinese Mandarin or Portugese), but I'm still not sure. My friends said I already take a lot of languages and they are right. Still, I'm excited to learn another foreign language.

Why Though?

I'd be lying if I say that I plan it. Initially, I learn English back when I was a child through bedtime stories. Then, I know German because it's a mandatory foreign language in my high school. I love Japanese culture so much that I grew up understanding the language. Then, I took French in 2018 because I thought I was going to Canada for an MBA program. At the same time, I used Duolingo to learn Italian to understand what the Vatican Pope is saying. Last but not least, I started taking Dutch in May 2019 because of my personal interest. By the time I realize it, I've learned 6 foreign languages (though at the basic level only).

Is Learning Languages Hard?

It certainly is, if you're not persistent enough. I found that learning new languages is hard at first, due to the steep learning curve. We need to get used to a new grammar, new vocabularies, new culture, and so forth. But after about a year, it's easier for you to understand the language even if your skill is still conversational.

Any Tips For Becoming a Polyglot?

• Be persistent. Practice and learn regularly either in a formal course or with free resources, like Duolingo.
  
• Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Though it's my personality, I like to raise my hand in class and try speaking in foreign languages. I think it's crucial to know that the more you try the better you'll become.
• Think of it as an investment. You'll spend time and money for this (using internet costs money too!) But remember that learning a new language improves your memory, polishes your CV/resume, and introduces you to a new culture.