Language learning is culture learning: Curiosity didn’t kill the cat!
Language learning is culture learning: Curiosity didn’t kill the cat! Heading link
Have you ever heard the phrase, “Curiosity killed the cat?” It means that cats are too curious to be safe. They wonder about everything and sometimes it can hurt them. Do you think it’s the same for language learning? I don’t! One of the best ways to maintain your motivation in learning language is to stay curious.
What does it mean to be curious (adj.)? What is curiosity (n.)? It means that, instead of drawing a conclusion or judging something or someone quickly, we just ask more questions. We think – Hm, maybe I don’t understand everything I think I do.
When we live in our own language and culture, we learn that certain phrases, motions, gestures mean something. In a new language and culture, we have to re-learn all of these things. Instead of thinking that you already know what everything means, ask questions! It’s not rude, and many people are happy to answer you. Americans especially love to talk about their own culture. Just start your question with “Can I ask you about….”
Some things you can ask about (and most people are happy to talk about):
- Holidays, even if you think you already know what the tradition is. The answers may surprise you!
- How they greet different types of people. Is it Hello, Hi, Hey, ‘sup, or just a head nod?
- The way they think of friendship. For them, what’s a friend, bestie, BFF, frenemy, buddy?