When a new language finally clicks

Children pick up languages with such ease while the rest of us struggle to learn languages in adulthood. We take great pains to pronounce letter combos in different ways, write special symbols and characters, memorize new grammar structure, train our ear and brain to decipher new languages, and generally decode the new language. 

Our reasons for pursuing a new language may vary (e.g., access to more jobs, ability to communicate with someone in particular, convenience when traveling abroad, a reason to meet new people), but one thing we all share is the desire to reach that point when another language makes sense without effort.

That crucial point might be when you realize you’re reading without looking up every second word. Or, maybe it’s the first time you listen to someone and realize that you understood every spoken word without consciously translating what was said. And the sweetest one of all is when you get up the courage to use your new language in a conversation with someone other than your instructor.

Realizing that you get a new language and appreciating the moment when it clicks…well that spells 


After mastering the alphabet and numbers in my sign language evening classes, we moved away from fingerspelling and over to American Sign Language gestures for everyday words. For today's Random Rambling I leave you with a link to a two-second video clip of someone demonstrating the single sign for

      AWESOME!

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