As a life-long language learner, I often always struggle to find the right word in the right language. And I always often end up using the wrong word anyway.
One time, a friend in the thick of language school told me that she had burst into laughter when a non-native English speaker used the word “elephant” to describe an “eggplant” dish. Although she was embarrassed by her own uncontrollable giggles, she knew that it was coming from a sense of relief that other people make mistakes too.
I can understand.
Heavily accented English. Mispronounced vocabulary. Misused idioms. Misspellings. I can smile… because when I do, I am smiling at my own mistakes too.
Like my language school director once told me on a particularly bad language day: “You’re a victim of the Tower of Babel!”
I’m glad I’m not the only one.
My Thoughts From Afar | 