Why IS It So Hard to Learn Another Language? Musings.

If you talk to me long enough, I may mention in passing that I went to preschool in South Korea. I think it's a good "Two Truths And A Lie" truth.

I lived there from 3 to until 4 years of age, so I obviously don't remember anything about it. I didn't even know I went to preschool there until two years ago.

But as an adult, I am drawn to the food, the culture, and the language so clearly there was some influence on me, whether I remember or not.

Recently, I got serious about learning Korean. And it's been fun to learn. There are even some words I recognize from childhood that I didn't know I knew. So far, I spent months learning the language, the written characters, cultural nuances. I've gotten in pretty deep.

However, to this day, I cannot confidently speak beyond polite conversation. And it's frustrating.

I've been trying to learn written and spoken Korean knowing that it's a scientific fact that learning a new language after the age of 12 gets exponentially more difficult. I knew this. That and I have no one who speaks Korean to converse with.

I find it fascinating. Just late-night thoughts. I'm still trying to learn, though.