Learn a Language!

There are few things more challenging or rewarding than learning a language. For the past ten years, I have been trying to learn Swedish. My progress has been intermittent at best, but I am now dedicated to a few short lessons every day. I began when my son spent six months studying in Lund, Southern Sweden. I imagined long visits and extended stays, but as often happens in life, things didn’t go to plan. In the end, I only got to spend 48 hours there!

So my studies trailed off, but my intention to master the language and eventually spend some time there never did. My love of all things Scandinavian, like all good obsessions, started young. When I was six or seven, my family was due to travel to Denmark for a farm holiday. I was ecstatic and convinced (don’t ask me why) that this was the location of Enid Blyton’s Faraway Tree . For some reason involving travel supplements I didn’t understand, the holiday was cancelled and I was heart-broken. I consoled myself with Moomins and Mrs Pepperpot and found, as I grew older, that my love for this region had not abated. If anything it had grown: I loved Scandinavian design, thrillers and their eminently sensible way of life.

Language reveals who we are

I think that we all have countries other than our own for which we have an affinity or at least a passionate curiosity. Learning the languages of these countries will not only give us the ability to converse with the natives, but to access the intricacies of their literature and culture. Reading texts in the original, as all bilingual speakers will tell you, is infinitely richer than reading in translation. Why? Because words, phrases and idioms resonate far beyond their meaning. They express something about the very essence of the country.

My husband’s old boss (who was Swedish) puzzled over why we had so many words for the same thing in English. ‘Take the word road,’ he said. ‘Swedish has three words; you have dozens.’ So what does this tell us? I think that it shows the pragmatism of Swedes, a, ‘Call a spade a spade’ approach . And what it reveals about the English is our preoccupation with precision, the right naming of things, the tremendous possibilities of language. We have the largest vocabulary in the world and a very long list of words for road, all subtly different from one another. See how many you can come up with.

The family tree of language

English is fascinating because it is derived from and related to so many other languages. At root, an Indo-European language with a strong Germanic base, it is seasoned with French, Latin and any number of other borrowings. When learning another language, these relationships become more apparent. We see that our ‘foreign’ neighbours are not so foreign. Since I have a Scottish background, there are even more Swedish words that seem familiar: hus , grat and barn are very similar in pronunciation to the Scottish, hoos (house), greet (cry) and bairn (child). I love these connections, because they highlight my history. It is woven into our words.

Brain training through language learning

Though I doubt I shall be getting to Sweden any time soon, I am diligently following my course. This time I chose Duo-Lingo, as it allows you to review your learning constantly, and I, for one, need endless reminding. My goal is to be fluent enough that I can read Pippi Longstocking in the original and to spend a month in one of the many little lake-side holiday cabins one summer.

Yet, I have a more important reason for following this rather whimsical path. Learning a complex language such as Swedish is seriously challenging for my brain. With a neurological condition like MS, the brain is constantly being assaulted and sadly, mine has plenty of legions. But I am a great believer in neuroplasticity – the idea that, with work, we can reroute the brain and keep it functioning.

If nothing else, I am also getting older and ageing affects the functioning of the brain just as it stiffens our joints and depletes our energy. The good news is that just as keeping fit and healthy diminishes the effects of ageing on the body, mind training can do the same for the brain. The bad news is that the ‘no pain, no gain’ rule applies. Just as a five-minute walk each day won’t give you a significant physical benefit, nor will a desultory look at the crossword. We really need to stretch and challenge the brain to reap the rewards. This is where language learning comes into its own. Language learning is difficult. It requires masses of concentration, learning new words and untangling the complexities of a foreign grammar for a start. And it is these strenuous mental gymnastics that force the brain to create new neural pathways and ‘keep fit’.

Research consistently shows that, ‘Learning a second language benefits cognitive abilities like intelligence and memory, while lowering risks of brain aging, dementia, and Alzheimer’s’ https://bebrainfit.com/benefits-learning-second-language/ All of these are surely great objectives.

Now is always the best time to begin

So, if you have been meaning to learn a new language, now would be a great time to start. Being stuck at home is not even an obstacle, since there are endless options available online from Podcasts to interactive lessons and, when normal life resumes, community colleges and private tutors offer a variety of courses. There really is something for everyone – even Star Trek fans. They can learn Klingon.