Most people who move to a foreign culture--including missionaries--will need to learn a language. While many businesses are conducted in English or through translators, this luxury is often not affordable for missionaries (also, learning the language and culture gives the missionary great advantages in presenting the gospel).
Since I have lived in three countries and spent significant time in a few others, I've been exposed to several languages. I have learned fluency in Indonesian and familiarity in Tagalog and Spanish (although my competence in all three of these languages has plummeted in the last few years that I've lived in the States).
I want to offer you three tips that will help you get started learning any new language:
1. Study the Basics
Take some time to learn the basic pronunciations, pronouns, tenses, colors, and directions in the language you will be learning. These topics will be covered in the first few chapters of any language book. Although it would be helpful to master these basics, even gaining a familiarity in them will help you pick more up as you listen to others' conversations.
2. Immerse Yourself
You will learn a surprising amount just by hearing others speak. Once you have the basics down, you'll start to recognize words and phrases that you hear. This familiarity will help you understand more of the foreign language, especially as you begin to understand the context of the conversations.
I took Spanish 1 in high school and didn't think I had retained anything. I remembered a few basic words and basic grammar, but I couldn't have any meaningful conversation. However, four years later, I had Mexican and Guatemalan roommates during my junior year of college. As I spent more time with them and listening to them, I began to understand nearly everything they said and was often able to respond in Spanish.
3. Don't be Afraid to Make Mistakes
When you were a child, you did not speak your native language with complete fluency. You mispronounced words, used wrong grammar, and had a limited vocabulary. However, as your parents and teachers corrected your mistakes, you learned your native language with fluency. If you are reluctant to practice your new language because of a lack of confidence about making mistakes, then you will be unlikely to learn the language.
These mistakes always result in great stories. In Indonesian, I often confused the words for hair (rambut) and grass (rumput). A missionary I know once preached a sermon about how Jesus was born in a toilet rather than in a manger.
Have you ever studied a foreign language? What helped you learn? Any good stories about mistakes you made?
