Written by: Tessa Fackrell | Summer 2022
French Language and Culture in Quebec
Learning a second language in a class setting, and speaking said language to a native speaker are completely different experiences. In class, mistakes are common and forgettable. You’re in class to learn, so why would you stress about using la instead of le.
In theory, that principle should work when speaking abroad; it’s easy to tell you’re a foreigner because of anything from your accent to your clothes, most people can guess that you’re learning. So why is it that speaking the language you’re practicing is such a scary hurdle? Simple tasks like ordering coffee, or checking out at the grocery store seem daunting. Walking back and forth in front of a market for half an hour trying to find the nerve to potentially butcher the employee’s language is a struggle all on it’s own.
This was on of my biggest anxieties when I was abroad and practicing French in Québec city this summer. Instead of letting you wander back and forth in front of the market trying to memorize a script of exactly what to say, below are five ways I eventually made myself more comfortable speaking in French.
How to Speak a Language Abroad:
- Acceptance – Were skipping to the last step of the grieving process for our opening tip because the first thing that helped me was understanding that I was going to mess up the article, or the tense, or the pronunciation of whatever I was trying to say. Instead of being embarrassed about this, I took on the mindset that I would probably never see this waiter again, so the fact that I asked for grilled leaves wasn’t such a big problem for me in the long run, and he’ll leave with a funny story so both of us come away winners.
- Practice – I was lucky enough to stay with a host family who let me stumble through sentences and would graciously help me sort out the more blaring errors. If you don’t have a host family, find a bilingual friend who’s willing to sit through some incoherent sentences for the sake of learning.
- Patience – Being frustrated at yourself for not learning fast enough simply will not help you, unfortunately. You are learning a new language with intricacies that take native speakers years to learn, be patient with yourself.
- Laugh at your mess ups – When you do make a mistake, it will probably be small. But if you’re like me and you use the word that you think means silly but it actually means ugly, and you use it in a classroom setting (confidently), you’re going to either dwell on it for your trip, or laugh about it and move on. If the worst thing that happens on your trip is a miscommunication, it’s been an incredible trip.
- Enjoy the moment – Trying to soak up all that you can about a new language and culture while worrying about not embarrassing yourself is impossible. We’re humans and our brains only have so much room, don’t waste it on trying to be perfect. The other side to that is don’t waste your time learning the language worrying about what’s going to happen when you get home. If you spend more time worrying about how much you’re learning, you won’t have anything to practice and build on when you get back.
All of this is to say that you can walk into that store and order that croissant, I believe in you! Even if you mess up you can just explore a different bakery next time! Be a sponge, soak up everything you can with your experience, and take it with you as you continue to learn and grow.