Hey there! This is TOP episode 92. Two Languages, Two Personalities?
My name’s Ola and I am an English teacher. My goal is to help you start speaking English with confidence and get rid of speaking barriers. I believe it is achievable for you and it’s time you started speaking English fearlessly! Go to my website for full transcripts and worksheets to each episode. Happy learning!
Welcome to today’s episode. Firstly, I’d like to quote Nelson Mandela’s words: “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his mother language that goes to his heart.” “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his mother language that goes to his heart.” Language is not just words. It’s identity. Did you know that no culture can sustain its existence without a language?
Today we are going to dive into this fascinating topic and I will share with you my personal point of view. Do I have a different personality when speaking English? Ask yourself. I know the answer for myself.
Learning another language opens up new windows of opportunities and helps us understand life better. We gain more perspectives. A new language gives us a new worldview and makes us more aware of the cultures, lifestyles, customs and beliefs of other people.
Some time ago I read an interesting article on psychologytoday.com where I found what three bilingual people said about their personality or rather personalities. I’ll read what they said:
“When I’m around Anglo-Americans, I find myself awkward and unable to choose my words quickly enough … When I’m amongst Latinos/Spanish-speakers, I don’t feel shy at all. I’m witty, friendly, and … I become very outgoing.”
The second person said: “In English, my speech is very polite, with a relaxed tone, always saying ”please’’ and ”excuse me.” When I speak Greek, I start talking more rapidly, with a tone of anxiety and in a kind of rude way…”
And the third bilingual person: “I find when I’m speaking Russian I feel like a much more gentle, ‘softer’ person. In English, I feel more ‘harsh,’ ‘businesslike.’’
Many bilingual or multilingual people experience “feeling different” or “acting different” across the languages they can speak, including being funnier, being more goal-oriented, having a different tone of voice or different body language and so on.
And I thought I’ll tell you what it looks like from my perspective. There are two aspects I’d like to share. The first is my work. Teaching English to individual learners during my 1:1 classes. Recently one student told me that there was some family gathering planned for the weekend. He didn’t feel like going but he mentioned it was his dad’s family. And I asked him this question: ‘Is your father pushing you to go to that meeting?’ Let me tell you this: in Polish I would never ever ever ask such a direct and personal question. In English it sounds fine, doesn’t it? And this is my life. In Polish I am much much less direct, open, straightforward. In English it seems a lot easier to be open.
I am thankful for this skill and this new personality. Well, the word ‘personality’ isn’t a perfect choice, but let’s simplify this problem. This foreign language allows me to be less introvertive, more open. Sometimes during lessons we talk about psychology, personality types and every time I say I’m much closer to an introvert than to an extrovert on the spectrum I see big eyes. People assume I’m an extrovert, open and talkative. And I am, but mainly in English.
The second thing I’d like to tell you is my family life. When I talk with my son who is currently five in English it’s just, I don’t know how to describe it, but let’s just say it’s a different energy between us. Whether we cook, play, eat, learn or read, everything changes. Recently I pretended that something happened, something clicked in my brain and I can’t speak any Polish and I said to him: Honey, I think I won’t be able to speak Polish ever again. He started crying. I know, I’m cruel. But I was curious and it was for a good cause. In the name of science. Well, he basically hated that idea, he was worried and disturbed. Because when you speak a foreign language you become someone else to some extent.
This all may sound as a form of schizophrenia, but the research shows that it’s not the case. Bilinguals or people speaking foreing language or languages fluently change their behavioural, cognitive and emotional response according to the cultural norms primed by the language they’re using in a specific moment.
I find this amazing. I would never start this podcast in Polish. So if you maybe think that you are shy, quiet, and you will never break this chain and this blokade well, open for this possibility. Start speaking English and watch what happens. Something will happen.. You will feel different, and at the beginning it is weird to hear your voice in a foreign language. But with time and practice you will discover a new personality so to speak. I have one proverb for you, the Czech proverb which says, “Learn a new language and get a new soul.”
If any examples from your life popped in your head please share them with me in the comments section. I’m curious to learn about your experience with double personality. To feel this, to even notice you need to be fluent, you need to be able to verbalise your thoughts. This is when the magic happens. It clearly does not apply only to bilinguals but of course, it’s easier to do research in a specific group I suppose. Nevertheless, you’ve probably already experienced this surprising, weird phenomenon of feeling like having different personalities when speaking different languages. Please let me know about your insights.
Well, time to get you activated. Now, let’s begin the practical part in which you are going to repeat the sentences out loud. Shall we?
Did you know that no culture can sustain its existence without a language?
Do I have a different personality when speaking English?
Learning another language opens up new windows of opportunities and helps us understand life better.
I find myself awkward and unable to choose my words quickly enough.
When I speak Greek, I start talking more rapidly, with a tone of anxiety.
I find when I’m speaking Russian I feel like a much more gentle, ‘softer’ person. In English, I feel more ‘harsh,’ ‘businesslike.’
He didn’t feel like going.
In Polish I am much much less direct, open, straightforward.
I am thankful for this skill and this new personality.
Because when you speak a foreign language you become someone else to some extent.
This all may sound as a form of schizophrenia, but the research shows that it’s not the case.
Start speaking English and watch what happens.
You need to be able to verbalise your thoughts.
That’s all I have today, I hope you liked it! Go to your inbox and download the worksheet to practice even more and be even more active in your learning process. Good luck! A, and if you are not a member and don’t have any email from me all you need to do is to become a member. It’s free and it’s easy. Go to teacherola.com/92 and download the worksheet, that’s it.
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Thank you so much for listening and I’ll see you next Wednesday! We’re going to learn some vocabulary. We’ll talk about the difference between the words economic and economical. Be here next week! Happy learning. Take care! Stay fearless and say it out loud! Bye!