This is a perfect explanation of why depending on AI to translate everything for you is a terrible idea. I have cross checked Google's translations many times and its almost always so wrong that it ends up making things worse. A sterile translation from AI will never understand language and nuances the way humans do.
i literally cannot imagine my life without learning languages. it has brought me closer to people, it opened my curiosity as you say beyond understanding, and mere deciphering of different writing systems and being able to read them brings so much joy to me.
for some people learning is a tedious chore and thus they need a reason to continue to learn, for me, its mostly fun
Plus language teaches us HOW to think. Like a river carving a landscape as it pours through, the experience, the struggle itself is the transformation. You cant just skip to the end of your study, speak fluently and enjoy the same fruits of your newfound skills: analysis, empathy, taxonomy and muuuch more.
If you're interested particularly in learning French (following this article) I could help! I produce a bilingual podcast called WalkiTalki. Audio only, short interviews (whole or in fragments) and vocabulary quizzes - see my Substack for more info. Et bon courage !
Definitely! I’ve lived in multiple countries, and I’ve found that the only way to truly integrate and get familiar with a culture is to speak the language of the people who live there.
There’s a saying that polyglots have slightly different personalities in different languages. I don’t know how universally true that is, but I do think your native language reveals a part of you that no other language quite can.
As much as I love English and even think in English sometimes, my native language will always feel closest to my heart.
Writing from the inside of this one. Russian is what I think in, English is what I publish in, German is what I’m still failing at in the bakery.
The bit about picking and choosing from each culture is true, but gentler than the reality. You don’t select — you get moved, and then you spend years finding out which parts of you made it across.
What I’d add to the AI argument: my essays get thought through in Russian and written in English, and something always shifts in the gap. Russian lets a thought stay unresolved. English asks me to commit before I’m ready. A machine can carry words across; it can’t tell you the thought itself changes shape when it moves.
I also started learning german last year but due to poor time management and lack of interest I didn't take it seriously. After reading this article my interest is back now I'll continue that journey and learn German completely...🙌
As someone who speaks almost five languages (as I am still studying arab), I totally agree with you on this. There is a sort of magic and intimacy in connecting with the other in a foreign language. The most beautiful thing is that you can still remain yourself through your accent. When I studied abroad in France, my friends and boyfriend loved my latinamerican accent making them curious about my country and my culture. They liked it so much they decided to make a year abroad in latinamerica and learn spanish. Beautiful article guys!
Spot on. Fully agree as a multilingual (born bilingual) translator. Languages is the best investment I have ever made. It has given me real access to the world and other ways of thinking. It has also enabled me to become many people in one. Language and cultural absorbtion is the best personal development school there is.
I think this article is very important, it covers well the vital role of languages. As a linguist and language learner myself, I see the value on really knowing another language. I speak Russian and English, and I'm learning Irish now. Learning a language is not only about being able to converse with people, it sharpens your analytical skills (you analyze the structures and patterns in different languages, you compare and contrast them), it expands your mindset, it allows you to live in different worlds simultaneously. And most of all, in the Machine Age it connects you to your humanity.
A language invented by a human to connect with another being wasn’t for the purpose of communication alone . It was to share a thought , a feeling or an emotion .
All these certainly can’t be done via AI . It gives a few random choices and one chooses the one that seems to fit best .
It only gives an idea not the depth of a sentiment.
This is a perfect explanation of why depending on AI to translate everything for you is a terrible idea. I have cross checked Google's translations many times and its almost always so wrong that it ends up making things worse. A sterile translation from AI will never understand language and nuances the way humans do.
I was just thinking about this this very morning !
i literally cannot imagine my life without learning languages. it has brought me closer to people, it opened my curiosity as you say beyond understanding, and mere deciphering of different writing systems and being able to read them brings so much joy to me.
for some people learning is a tedious chore and thus they need a reason to continue to learn, for me, its mostly fun
Plus language teaches us HOW to think. Like a river carving a landscape as it pours through, the experience, the struggle itself is the transformation. You cant just skip to the end of your study, speak fluently and enjoy the same fruits of your newfound skills: analysis, empathy, taxonomy and muuuch more.
Thanks for sharing! Do you have resources you recommend to get started?
This article is a great place to start!
https://www.theculturist.io/p/how-to-learn-a-language
If you're interested particularly in learning French (following this article) I could help! I produce a bilingual podcast called WalkiTalki. Audio only, short interviews (whole or in fragments) and vocabulary quizzes - see my Substack for more info. Et bon courage !
Definitely! I’ve lived in multiple countries, and I’ve found that the only way to truly integrate and get familiar with a culture is to speak the language of the people who live there.
There’s a saying that polyglots have slightly different personalities in different languages. I don’t know how universally true that is, but I do think your native language reveals a part of you that no other language quite can.
As much as I love English and even think in English sometimes, my native language will always feel closest to my heart.
"Language is the vehicle of culture" as is famously said.
As someone who is nearly out of touch with his own native tongues i often think about how that alienates me from my own culture.
Writing from the inside of this one. Russian is what I think in, English is what I publish in, German is what I’m still failing at in the bakery.
The bit about picking and choosing from each culture is true, but gentler than the reality. You don’t select — you get moved, and then you spend years finding out which parts of you made it across.
What I’d add to the AI argument: my essays get thought through in Russian and written in English, and something always shifts in the gap. Russian lets a thought stay unresolved. English asks me to commit before I’m ready. A machine can carry words across; it can’t tell you the thought itself changes shape when it moves.
That’s the part no translation tool touches.
I also started learning german last year but due to poor time management and lack of interest I didn't take it seriously. After reading this article my interest is back now I'll continue that journey and learn German completely...🙌
l liked the article but l tried to learn Spanish and failed so French maybe the same.
Always. No Google translator, no AI are able to catch the nuances of grammar, conjugation, vocabulary. As a translator, this infuriates me.
As someone who speaks almost five languages (as I am still studying arab), I totally agree with you on this. There is a sort of magic and intimacy in connecting with the other in a foreign language. The most beautiful thing is that you can still remain yourself through your accent. When I studied abroad in France, my friends and boyfriend loved my latinamerican accent making them curious about my country and my culture. They liked it so much they decided to make a year abroad in latinamerica and learn spanish. Beautiful article guys!
Spot on. Fully agree as a multilingual (born bilingual) translator. Languages is the best investment I have ever made. It has given me real access to the world and other ways of thinking. It has also enabled me to become many people in one. Language and cultural absorbtion is the best personal development school there is.
I agree, it’s so valuable to get to know a culture from inside out!
I think this article is very important, it covers well the vital role of languages. As a linguist and language learner myself, I see the value on really knowing another language. I speak Russian and English, and I'm learning Irish now. Learning a language is not only about being able to converse with people, it sharpens your analytical skills (you analyze the structures and patterns in different languages, you compare and contrast them), it expands your mindset, it allows you to live in different worlds simultaneously. And most of all, in the Machine Age it connects you to your humanity.
A language invented by a human to connect with another being wasn’t for the purpose of communication alone . It was to share a thought , a feeling or an emotion .
All these certainly can’t be done via AI . It gives a few random choices and one chooses the one that seems to fit best .
It only gives an idea not the depth of a sentiment.
AI is a tool without the human touch .