My Spanish teacher used an analogy one time about how you have a file cabinet in your brain for language. She said that rather than having multiple files for multiple languages that you should think about it as having one large file that contains all your languages and to not try and think about translating a phrase or sentence from language to another. If you are trying to speak Spanish it is a lot more beneficial to fill in words that you don't know with words you do in English/other languages. She referred to this as "Spanglish" and this is a word that has stuck with me ever since.

This made me think about how in different languages they have different phrases/words for the sounds that animals make, something that I find really interesting. For example, if I was trying to communicate this way with someone from a Spanish speaking country and I said "bark" trying to explain that I'm looking for a dog, they might be confused because they would say "guau" which means bark/woof. It's just really interesting to me how the sounds that animals make, which is generally universal, are different across languages.

I have and currently struggle with this scenario when it comes to language learning. When I was in Spanish classes and was actively using and practicing everyday I didn't have to think about simple conjugations or when I would use formal/informal language for example. But now since speaking and learning the language is out of my routine I struggle to answer even very basic questions in Spanish. This was very apparent to me when we had to say to people during class in another language. Someone asked me a few very basic questions in Spanish and I had to really stop and think about my answers that I otherwise would have been able to answer immediately if Spanish was still apart of my daily routine.

I thought that this was a really great analogy. I have never really thought of my brain as a separate entity when "training it," I have never really been conscious of it. If I'm working my body out by doing something like a chest exercise I think about it as training my chest like in the ringmaster example. Training my brain in this same way isn't something I have thought about but this has given me a new perspective and will help me when I'm studying or in any way I'm actively using my brain.

This idea really sticks out to me in regards to learning language. I am stuck in the mindset of "school" and that if I'm not learning a language fast enough or if I'm not pronouncing things right then I will receive a poor grade and my GPA will be negatively impacted. I need to reevaluate my mindset towards language so that I am ok with making mistakes and allowing myself to not be "perfect."

I think it really is a shame that English has become such a global language. However at the same time, it is also really convenient for someone like myself who only speaks English. I have heard that learning other languages opens up parts of your brain and allows you to start thinking differently about problems in your everyday life. I wonder what our world would be like if everyone in the US had to immerse themselves in another language during school. I know we all had to take at least 2-3 years of another language but that is not necessarily the same as immersing yourself in another culture.

This has been a really intriguing topic for me. I hadn't thought about the difference between language and communication much at all before this course. I find it really interesting how there are universal ways to communicate that transcend language barriers. This makes me think about how when some performers, such as mimes, are able to convey emotion and meaning without speaking a single word. I am excited to explore more ways that language and communication complement each other.

This opening really resonated with me. I have always been hesitant to jump in and try to learn new language or to attempt to pronounce new phrases when they are taught to me for the first time. I fear that I will mispronounce something but this new perspective makes me feel more comfortable with the idea that I am just learning and I shouldn't have the expectation that I will be perfect from the start.