Reading, math, science, and social studies – these are the pillars of education. However, language learning cannot be dismissed as an important buttress for enriching a student’s education. Learning another language not only widens one’s worldview, but it also improves a student’s cognitive and problem solving skills.
In particular, Mandarin Chinese is known as being notoriously difficult, especially for native English speakers. For sophomore Muhammad Alsouri, learning Chinese not only proves to be a challenge, but also a personally enriching endeavor.
“I like the language barrier,” Alsouri said. “Before I even learned [Chinese], I used to think Chinese sounded the same. But after learning it, it’s not really like that. You just gotta pay attention and it’s very different.”
As a polyglot experienced with Arabic, English, Spanish, French, and Chinese, Alsouri elaborates on how this diverse skill set may come in handy in the future.
“I think I [will] have more opportunities,” Alsouri said. “If I ever decide to go on a vacation [to] visit China, I’ll be able to get my way around [and] be able to talk to natives.”
With the world more interconnected than ever before, language bridges gaps in communication. For junior Keely Howard, it’s an added benefit to her customer service job.
“I’ve had to use it multiple times to communicate with people that don’t speak English,” Howard said.
By immersing themselves in the culture – participating in cultural clubs, eating traditional food, and initiating conversations with native speakers of Chinese – students foster transcultural connections.
“It’s interesting to see how [the language] works,” Howard said. “I have learned a lot about the cultural background. Just all the traditional stuff is really interesting.”
Junior Jenny Lam, who has a Vietnamese-American background, provides a unique perspective on learning Chinese.
“Since I grew up with Vietnamese, I think it’s easier for me to speak, because Vietnamese does borrow some words from Chinese,” junior Jenny Lam said. “I think some parts are a lot easier than English. There’s no filler words, so I think that’s a bit more simple.”
Whatever the reason may be, learning a challenging language like Chinese can only be persevered through grit and passion.
“Don’t give up and don’t listen to people saying ‘Oh, it’s too hard,’ because if you have a passion for it, you can learn it, and you will learn it, and you’ll enjoy it,” freshman Anagha Krisgnavajhala said.
