Why Do I need to go to Sunday School?

I read somewhere that learning a foreign language is in fact adopting a new way of thinking. That is a gem of saying, a marvelous expression that might hold the key to many issues associated with language learning.

Through the years, I have heard from quite a few beginners of English express their frustration in figuring out why it’s so difficult to commit a new word to memory. Even after having accumulated a number of English words, they still couldn't speak to or even

understand a native speaker. In some cases, during a conversation with a native English speaker, it is hard for a student to complete a sentence without stumbling, even when that particular sentence has been studied many times from a book or tape. The situation can become embarrassing because some fundamental or laughable mistakes often occur, an experience that makes many scratching their heads, “how could I be that retarded?” This confusion or frustration is part of the process of adopting a new way of thinking.

Those who aspire to learn a foreign language often must fight through the quagmire of native thinking. For example, until a Chinese native speaker can think in English, his or her speech will be delayed because he or she must translate from Chinese to English in the head. This begs the question: how does a Chinese speaker learn to think in English?

Maybe I am ignorant, for I do not find any theory or set ways to deal with such a difficult transition. Everyone fights his or her own battles. Here, intuitively I venture to suggest that, when you say “good morning” to another person, try not to translate it into Zao Shang Hao or Zao An in your head. Good morning should remain good morning. In Chinese, Zao Shang Hao may mean, ah, you are up early, how hard-working (a Chinese virtue) you are! Chinese people do respect those who get up early, for it’s a sign of being industrious. So on and so forth.

But in English good morning may mean “this is such a nice morning” to a stranger and “nice to see you again (from last night)” to a close friend or family member. Individualism is expressed and respected everywhere in the West. So, in English, everyone respects the next person with space and privacy, that’s also embedded in daily greetings.

If you understand those nuances, you know that "good morning" is not exactly Zao Shang Hao. With that in mind, you can go on to say “have a nice day.” Again, don’t translate it into Chinese in your head.

Another way to acclimate yourself to English thinking is to read a lot of masterpieces in English, good short stories, novels and essays. Yes, writings in special fields by native speakers are good materials, too.

First of all, you need to figure out what every new word means. If you can, try, at least try, to rely on English-English dictionary. Only when the confusion or foreignness becomes too unbearable, you can check the English-Chinese dictionary. The whole idea is try to detach from Chinese as much as you can. When the new words are out of the way, consciously concentrate on how words are used in each sentence. Yes, in many cases there are only one word or phrase that functions the best in the context. If you feel that many words can’t be used in one situation, you still haven’t distinguished the small differences between a word and its many synonyms. Synonyms aren’t exactly the same. If one can think along with the author, one can see how images and logic and even emotions provoked along the way are arranged and utilized in the overall writing. This could be the gist of thinking in English.

I heard about some theories in linguistics speculating that the Chinese way of expression can often be described as a large circle (the Mongolian military maneuver) that gradually works its way to a center, if there is a certral point at all.

In contrast, English expression coms out on more or less in a linear way. When I was in English writing class, professors insisted that we state the point (or thesis statement) upfront, at the end of the first paragraph, then use the rest of the paper to prove the point. It took me some time to get used to it because I was brought up in the tradition of bringing up the point, or the punch line, at the end of writing or speech. For a Chinese person aspiring to learn English, this transition from circular expression to linear reasoning may take time. While there are quite a few people who would never make such a transition or leap of faith, clearly it’s something to be aware of.

Finally, we ought to bear in mind that language represents a cultural system. Learning a language is to embracing a new culture. A culture is obviously something more than just means for daily communication. There is knowledge, for example, rooted or planted in a language. Many words are actually concepts of the cultural system. Once the accumulation of words and knowledge of a particular language is sufficient enough, it might become easier to think in a new language. This is a long-drawn-out process which could last as long as a lifetime.