Hello! ¡Hola! Bonjour!
Here at LingualMuse, we've been particularly inspired by this quote from Janet Mock: “I believe that telling our stories, first to ourselves and then to one another and the world, is a revolutionary act. It is an act that can be met with hostility, exclusion, and violence. It can also lead to love, understanding, transcendence, and community.”
We couldn't agree more! In these times (and all the times), communication is the most powerful tool we have to positively impact the world around us. It is through communication that we connect with our community, and together we build a larger, stronger community that ultimately includes us all. It is also through communication that we counter the hostility so often seen in our evolving world. Through communication, we grow to understand each other's commonalities and differences, and to appreciate one another for who we truly are.
True communication, of course, is a combination of self expression and active listening. When we are able to hear and be heard, to understand and be understood – that is when we can begin to come together and grow together.
In a new-to-you language, as well as in your native tongue, self expression begins with an understanding of the patterns that are that language's backbone. What's the basic structure of a phrase, a sentence, a paragraph? What are the stress patterns of the words and phrases? Each language has a unique sound and a unique attitude, and an understanding of these is monumental in expressing your thoughts. To build this out, of course, we must collect a variety of vocabulary for different contexts, and grow confidence in using it.
We also encourage you to really listen to the stories and perspectives of others. In a new-to-you language, one key to this is to listen for the words and phrases that are familiar, and the ones for which you detect particular emphasis. To fill the gaps, use context, but be wary of inventing new information! When in doubt, ask for repetition or clarification (and if it's an audio or video file, replay, replay, replay)!
LingualMuse Language Coaches can help in all of these aspects, and more! We create a safe, encouraging environment in which you are free to be yourself and express yourself, and hone your listening skills so you can encourage others to do the same.
Speaking of... For a limited time only, you can save 40% on our Introductory Program – that's just $59.40 – with code SUMMER40.
And one more thing – both communication and community come from the latin word communis, meaning to make common or to share. Just another way in which language learning can serve us in our daily lives! 😉