I am repeatedly upset at people who set up boundaries for themselves where they have no reason to. I take particular issue with this because it's usually grounded in science (this relates to a whole other post I will likely never write for this blog, but, in a nutshell, I think that, over being beings of science, humans are beings of emotion and are entirely too reliant on numbers, figures, and concrete information these days).
I hear people talk all the time about how they can't learn new skills because they're too old, and, in particular regard to language, I hear this whine from even people as young as myself. Yes, we've all heard about brain development and so on, and I could tell you that I've read studies that show that, when learning new skills, what mature-brained people lack in plasticity is made up by determination, but who the fuck cares! If you want to learn a skill, stop making excuses and just do it! Just because you're past this "critical period" doesn't mean that your brain has stopped functioning. If that was the case, none of our parents would be able to use computers or technology (humorous scornful comments against one's folks encouraged in the comments below).
All this is to say that I have been studying Japanese two or three years, have been in Japan for about three months now, and I'm finding that I have begun to say things I've never actually made a point to study, but have simply absorbed and regurgitated just as any child does when learning his or her own native language. A particularly proud moment for me was several days ago when I uttered an essential Osakan question, "chaun chau?" （ちゃうんちゃう？）, which means, "That is the case, isn't it?" but is iconic of the Osaka dialect (so much so that there's a well-known "only Osakans can understand" conversation in existence). It's possible for us to easily attain information--it doesn't have to be a huge fight; if you just open the window, you'd be surprised how much stuff floats in on its own.
I have no problem stating that I'm aware I have a natural gift toward language. But I cannot help but think that, in addition to that ability, my positive attitude and lack of heed toward these perceived blockades has not exactly held me back. I believe this kind of thinking has really boosted my confidence and made me quite optimistic about my prospects. I believe anything is possible, so I act that way. Those people who value science over all else think there's no chance, and they act that way.
Life is amazing and full of unexpected surprises. Our brains are very complex and also full of surprises. Why assume there's no chance for success when you haven't even tried?
Let me know your experiences learning a foreign language. Am I just full of hogwash?
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