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So… I understand at least three languages at a functional level, but I’ve always found it strange to label myself as “bilingual” or “multilingual.” because yeah MOST people are navigating complex language throughout their day - doing it in French + English + Afrikaans doesn’t make me special or different.
To me, the idea of even “mastering” a language is a lie. Even your mother tongue slips, evolves, or reshapes itself depending on who you’re talking to, what you’re reading, or how long you’ve been away. Fluency is fluid!!!!
Most of us already live in multilingual mindsets. Maybe not in terms of grammar and vocab, but in how we shift between registers, tones, and modes of speaking e.g. job interview voice vs texting your friends. It’s all language. It’s all translation.
To me, multilingualism is just about being open: to shifting, to listening, to learning different ways of speaking and being. people who say to me “wow its so impressive that you can speak French!!!” are more just prisoners of their own perception that monolingualism vs bilingualism is a thing that is real (I dont think it is…).
4h ago
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Knowing another language is awesome. It gives you a slice of omnipotence. Once you become fluent in a language, there’s no translation time in your mind- you don’t have to hear the word and go “oh this means this”. The word just is- you hear it and it instantly registers. It’s kind of like being able to be in two places at once in your head.
Dec 11, 2023
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The most attractive thing anyone could ever be imo
Mar 30, 2025
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Classically people will say this is good for you, and the truth is that’s because it is!!!
It takes time to truly “enter” a new language, but once you get there, it will open your brain up to whole new structures of thinking. I have been learning German for the last year and today I had an actually mind blowing experience in class. It was very emotional! Awe inducing…
Not to mention that memorizing new words and grammar structures will make you feel soooo smart. Also practicing something daily and noticing yourself getting better is amazing!
And then, in the end, you’ll be able to talk to more people on this earth? What a gift.
Feb 6, 2024
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May 29, 2025
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just cracked my knuckles, dusted off my keyboard and now i’m ready to curate with my own unique collection of experiences and worldviews
May 17, 2025
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I love basing my friendships around things I like to do, and having an allocated person to do that with, also having a process / routine that this thing happens around. Like a tiny religious procession of two.
E.g. : one friend is my coffee and a walk friend, another is a person I only exclusively hang out with to eat tacos once a month, a third friend to only go to cinema screenings with, another friend will join me for exercise classes and we usually get dinner afterwards.
I like this approach to friendship in general because it’s less pressure to have to come up with new things to do, and if you stagger time well then you always have things to do and people to see.
Aug 20, 2024