“Do you know what a foreign accent is? It’s a sign of bravery.” – Amy Chua
The quote by Amy Chua above stopped me in my tracks when I first heard it. How wonderful and true it is. You are brave, for learning English and then for speaking it. Far braver than those who never learn and never try.
“Anyone who can only think of one way to spell a word obviously lacks imagination.” ― Mark Twain
This quote, from one of the USA’s most famous writers, reminds me that we should not judge someone because of their spelling mistakes. Even as an English person I find English spelling weird and frustrating!
“I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.” ― Mark Twain
Remember, education doesn’t just happen in the classroom, and sometimes a break is good for everyone. Seek out lots of different ways to enjoy and use the language. And if your children are annoyed with their English lessons – you can have a break, change teachers, find some other way to enjoy learning instead.
“The English language is nobody’s special property. It is the property of the imagination: it is the property of the language itself.” – Derek Walcott
How do you feel about English, is it your language? Are you still a ‘learner’ or a ‘user’? You might feel that your English is ‘broken’ and that you must speak ‘perfectly’ but this isn’t true. English is a global language and its purpose is communication, it’s a tool not something that has to be perfect.
“The English language is a work in progress. Have fun with it.” ― Jonathan Culver
It changes all the time, and from country to country, even city to city and person to person. You can make your own version!
“There is no such thing as an ugly accent, like there’s no such thing as an ugly flower.” — David Crystal
David Crystal has written over 100 books on language so if anyone is an authority on this subject it is him!
And finally, there are lots of traditional sayings or proverbs from around the world about learning languages. Maybe you have similar sayings in your culture?
“You live a new life for every new language you speak. If you only know one, you live only once.” Czech Proverb
“To learn a language is to have one more window from which to look at the world.”Chinese Proverb
“A new language is a new life.” Persian Proverb
