Why Am I Still "Mute" After 10 Years of Learning English?
Have you ever felt this confusion: you've memorised a ton of words, know grammar rules inside out, but the moment you have to open your mouth, your mind just goes blank?
We always thought that learning a language is like building a house: as long as you have enough bricks (words) and blueprints (grammar), you'll eventually construct a magnificent building. But the reality is, many people are holding a warehouse full of building materials, yet they stand clueless on an empty plot of land.
So, where's the problem?
Today, I want to share a more apt analogy with you: learning a language is actually more like learning to swim.
You Can Never Learn to Swim on Dry Land
Imagine you want to learn to swim. You've bought all the books on swimming techniques, from freestyle to butterfly, you've studied water buoyancy, the angle of arm strokes, the frequency of leg kicks... You can even explain it all perfectly to others.
But if I were to ask you: "So, can you swim now?"
The answer, of course, would be "No." Because you've never actually gotten into the water.
Language learning is the same. Many of us are "giants in theory, but dwarfs in action." We're afraid of making mistakes, afraid of mispronouncing, afraid of using the wrong words, afraid of being laughed at. This fear is like standing by the pool, afraid of being submerged by the water.
But the truth is: If you don't get into the water, you'll never learn to swim. If you don't open your mouth, you'll never learn to speak.
The "excellent" language learners have long seen through this. It's not that they're smarter than us; it's that they grasped the secret to swimming much earlier.
The Three "Mindset Secrets" of Swimming Masters
1. Jump In First, Worry About Form Later (Be a Willing Guesser)
No one swims with perfect form the first time they get into the water. Everyone starts by flailing, struggling, and swallowing a few mouthfuls of water.
The first step for language masters is to "dare to guess." When they want to express something but don't know the exact word, they don't get stuck and stay silent. They'll try using a word with a similar pronunciation, or "create" a word using English logic, or even add gestures and facial expressions.
And the result? Many times, the other person actually understands! Even if they guess wrong, at most there's a laugh, and they can try explaining it differently. What's the big deal?
Remember: Making mistakes is not an obstacle to learning; it is learning itself. Daring to "take a wild guess" is your first step from the shore into the water.
2. Find Your "Opposite Shore" (Find Your Drive to Communicate)
Why do you want to learn to swim? Is it for fun? For health? Or to be able to save yourself in an emergency?
Similarly, why do you want to learn a foreign language?
If your goal is just to "pass an exam" or "memorise this vocabulary book," then you're like someone aimlessly floating in a pool, easily feeling tired and bored.
But what if your goals are:
- To communicate seamlessly with that foreign blogger you admire.
- To understand the live interviews of your favourite team.
- To travel solo to a foreign country and make friends with the locals.
These specific, vivid goals are the "opposite shore" you want to swim towards. They will give you endless motivation, making you willing to actively communicate, understand, and express yourself. When you have a strong desire to communicate, those so-called "obstacles" and "fears" will seem insignificant.
3. Feel the Flow of the Water, Don't Just Rote Memorize Rules (Attend to Form & Practice)
A true swimmer doesn't recite "arms should swing at 120 degrees" in their mind. Instead, they feel the resistance in the water, adjust their posture, and let their body merge with the water flow.
Language learning is similar. Instead of rote memorising "this tense must be followed by the past participle of the verb," it's better to feel it through active use.
When you interact with others, you'll subconsciously imitate their way of expressing themselves, paying attention to their word choice and sentence structures. You'll notice that some phrases just sound more "authentic" and "natural." This "feel-imitate-adjust" process is the most efficient way to learn grammar.
This is what's called "language sense" – it doesn't appear out of thin air. Rather, it's something your "body" remembers through repeated "flailing" and practice.
Find a Safe "Shallow End" to Start Practicing
After reading this, you might say, "I understand all these principles, but I'm still scared! Where should I practice?"
This is like a swimming beginner who needs a safe "shallow end" – where the water isn't deep and there's a lifeguard nearby, allowing them to practice with peace of mind.
In the past, finding such a language "shallow end" was difficult. But today, technology has given us the best gift.
For example, tools like Lingogram act as your personal language "shallow end." This is a chat app with built-in AI translation, allowing you to easily communicate with native speakers from all over the world. When you don't know what to say, the AI can instantly help you, just like a patient coach guiding you in your ear. You don't have to worry about making mistakes and irritating the other person, because communication will always remain smooth.
Here, you can boldly "guess," "flail" to your heart's content, and safely build your confidence and language sense.
Stop standing on the shore envying those who are swimming freely in the water.
The secret to learning a language has never been about finding a thicker grammar book, but about changing your mindset – from being a "learner" to becoming a "user."
Starting today, forget those rules and exams that make you anxious. Find the "opposite shore" you want to reach, and then, bravely jump into the water. You'll be surprised to discover that "swimming" isn't that difficult after all, and it's endlessly fun.