Language Barriers

A friend of mine wrote a blog about language barriers and asked for my thoughts on the subject.  I decided I had too much to say to simply comment on his blog, so I thought I would write my own post responding to his question and sharing my take on the language barriers faced by travelers in foreign countries.

It’s common for many people, particularly from the U.S., to think that people everywhere speak English. This assumption is followed by the belief and expectation that no matter where an English speaker travels, they will be able to communicate with the locals. And sometimes, English speakers may become annoyed when they are not understood in a non-English speaking country. Let’s be honest, this assumption/expectation is absolutely ridiculous.

As English speakers, we have no right whatsoever, on any level, to be annoyed with locals who cannot communicate with us. However, there is a big difference between the expectation that someone should speak your language and the expectation that someone is willing to help you when you are in a foreign country where you cannot speak or understand the language. I live in China. Based on the numbers (largely due to the fact that China has a massive population), there are actually more English speakers in China than there are in the U.S. However, I rarely come across locals who can actually verbally communicate with me. And that is understandable; I don’t expect them to know English, but as someone who is in this country of Mandarin speakers, I at least hope that they will try to communicate with me in other ways or direct me to someone/someplace where I can get the help I need simply because I am, in many ways, lost due to the fact that I can’t speak to people.  And I would hope to be helped because I would hope that the other person would have empathy and compassion regarding my situation. I do the same when I come across someone back home who cannot speak English; I do my best to help them in any way I can because I understand it must be a difficult position to be in. At the same time, this is where my responsibility to learn the local language comes in. As someone who lives and works in China, I have a responsibility to learn the local language. In my case, I have learned a bit and can get by in basic ways, but I have a lot more learning to do, and it is up to me to take the initiative to learn in whatever ways I can. But I still want locals to be understanding about the fact that I’m not there yet. I don’t expect that they should speak to me in English, I only hope that they can empathize with the fact that I’m struggling.   

While language barriers can be difficult and trying obstacles, I believe that there are many benefits of being faced with this challenge.

So you can’t read the menu. That’s ok. Point to something, anything, and be surprised. Maybe you will hate what you are served, maybe you will find it disgusting, but you may also discover something you love which you never would have tried had you known what you were ordering.

Language barriers can force us out of our comfort zones, which I believe is always a good thing.

Language barriers can bring out a kind of dependency in very independent people…in a good way, in a humbling way. It forces us to set our pride and ego aside, and it forces us to realize that sometimes we do need help, and that’s ok.

Language barriers can cause us to be more empathetic. We cannot truly understand how irresponsible our neglect of foreigners in our own country is until we become the foreigner in another country. Experiencing language barriers while traveling can help us be more understanding of those people in our own country who are struggling to make it without knowing English.

Probably my favorite thing about language barriers is that they force us to connect with people beyond words, and often these connections can prove to be more powerful than those with people we can speak to. I was lucky to be surrounded by a lot of English-speaking Tanzanians when I lived in Tanzania, but the two most significant relationships I formed there were with people who did not speak any English at all. And you may wonder how you can become close and have a significant relationship with someone you can’t speak to, but it is definitely possible. When you can’t speak, you find other ways to communicate. I think that sometimes the fact that we can speak to one another causes us to take our relationships with people for granted. We take for granted that the other person knows we care about them, and they take for granted that we know they care about us. But, when you can’t use words, you rely on actions. In these relationships, people show each other how much they care for one another. When you are unable to speak to someone, you express your care and love for them through action. In the end, this, I believe, usually leads to a more solid connection between people. There is something powerful about relationships formed and maintained based solely on the act of love.

I am sure there is so much more to be said about language barriers, but for now these are my initial thoughts. Yes, they are hard, but they are a valuable part of exploring and becoming a part of new places. Language barriers are understandably frustrating, but they also present beautiful opportunities for growth.