One of the most common questions asked of speakers of two languages is: what language do you think in? The answer is not as simple as it might seem. In this article, I tell you about my personal experience of mastering two languages and how this ability has influenced my thinking and being.
I am a native French speaker, and my dad is Italian. I learned French first, and then Italian when I moved to Italy at the age of 8. The process of learning both languages was by no means easy, but it allowed me to get to know two different cultures and learn how to navigate between them.
When we moved to Italy, I first attended the French school in Milan, the Stendhal Institute. However, I was not learning Italian, so to solve the problem, my parents enrolled me in the Italian public school below our house, on Viale Zara. This school had the special feature of welcoming students with hearing disabilities or autism spectrum disorders into its classes. My years at this school were wonderful and allowed me to get to know two exceptional teachers, Adele and Laura, who taught me the wonderful Italian language.
During my time at the Italian public school, I befriended a boy with hearing disabilities named Giampiero. Fifteen years later, I received a phone call from Giampiero: he could hear and talk on the phone! Hearing him tell me about what had happened in those years apart filled me with joy and also made me realize how important communication is in our daily lives.
After learning Italian and forgetting a bit of French, I returned to the Stendhal. Here, I began to mix the two languages, creating a kind of transitional language of my own. Eventually, the two realities divided within me and also the two psychological aspects. Indeed, languages reflect the identity of a people, their way of thinking and what they attach importance to. The French tend to be radical, rational and logical, while the Italians favor pleasure, seduction and emotion. Descartes. De' core. This dichotomy has helped me understand who I am and how my bicultural roots have helped shape my identity.
The final question is, then: what language do I think in? In dreams, do I dream in French or Italian? The answer is not simple. As I see it, thought has no precise form and does not exist except in the abstract language of our minds.
Language is an external communication tool that allows us to express our thoughts to others in an understandable way. It is a translator of thought. In itself, thought, if it remains within our brains, does not necessarily have a form related to the language of the person producing it. Only when we have to communicate with someone are we forced to express our thoughts in one language rather than another.
The language of thought: If I have to give an answer to the initial question, I would say that I think in"pensese," an imaginary language that symbolizes the language of thought and unites us all as human beings."Pensese" is the language of the soul, and we all speak it from birth.
In conclusion, being bilingual has allowed me to experience two different cultures and to better understand the way languages influence our way of thinking and being. Despite the difficulties in mastering French and Italian, I am grateful for this opportunity and how it has allowed me to grow both as an individual and as a communicator. The language I think in may not be clear or defined, but what matters is the connection I have developed with both cultures I represent.
In the end, the power of language goes beyond the words we speak; it is a tool that allows us to connect with others and express our identity. Whether it is Italian, French or"pensese," what matters is our ability to understand and appreciate the linguistic and cultural diversity around us, as well as our ability to use languages to build bridges and overcome barriers.