How language transforms perception
I used to not like Dutch that much, but the more I learn about different languages the more I like the sound of my own. I think this is partly due to writing pantheon// as well. I feel like writing in English has made me appreciate Dutch more. I started listening more to Dutch music last year and found it surprisingly poetic. I noticed things in the lyrics that I had never picked up on before. It felt like listening to one big poem. The wordplays and double meanings are amazingly put into a song. However, I doubt I would have noticed these things in my own language if I had not learned about others.
When diving into another language you not only start to appreciate, but also understand your own language better. Some words of the new language you are learning can be very similar to your native language. I personally think it is very fun and interesting to trace the origin of these words. With the history of your country in the back of your mind you can sometimes trace it back and figure out why they are similar. Sometimes it has to do with previous colonisations, like Afrikaans and Dutch. Other times it is simply because languages evolve from one another. For example, the Dutch word for squirrel is ‘eekhoorn’ which sounds similar to the English word ‘acorn’. A squirrel eats acorns and you can not tell me that connection is a coincidence. I am also noticing that I question the origin of a word more in my non-native languages. Because I approach them with a sense of curiosity unlike your native language, which has become self-evident to you.
Currently, I am learning Spanish and because of this I have learned that Dutch, which sometimes seems very literal, can also be poetic. For example, we refer to a lightbulb as a ‘peertje’ which literally translates to ‘little pear’, referring to the shape of the bulb rather than its function. Another word has come to my attention because someone pointed it out to me. In Dutch we don’t have specific words for ‘boyfriend’ or ‘girlfriend’. Instead, when we refer to our partner we say ‘my friend’ instead of ‘a friend’. I think this is such a romantic description.
I would really recommend everyone to learn another language. Learning other languages makes you appreciate the one you’ve always known but have taken for granted.