What Smartphones have to Do with Language Learning

If you have been into a cell phone store in the last 2 years or so, you have probably seen the numerous smartphones that you can choose from. These days you basically have two choices an Android phone or an iPhone. Yes, I know there are other choices, but let’s just imagine two for now to keep things simple.

By the way, I swear this blog post is about language just bear with me.

And many will argue the virtues of one over the other system. Some say iPhone users are really cool and Android users are a bunch of weirdos. Or that iPhone users are just a bunch of snobs while Android users are the ones with the real power.

But, let’s face it Android and iPhone both basically do the same stuff. Sometimes one is a little faster or better at a particular task than the other. Sometimes one has a particularly cool app that the other one doesn’t. We can nit pick about the little differences all day.

But they both have basically the same functions; both can make phone calls; both can text; both can email; both can surf the web; both can take pictures; both can record video; both can post tweets and updates; both can play Angry Birds; both can shatter into a million pieces if you drop them; well, you get the idea.

At their hearts most smartphones can do basically the same stuff. They just do the same stuff in fairly different ways. As a matter of fact, when one tries to copy the way the other one does stuff it usually gets sued. So, generally speaking, they have similar functions, but those functions are implemented in different ways.

Maybe you can start to see where I am going with this.

What Makes you Good at Computers

I started using computers about 27 years ago believe it or not. They were simple things back then that you had to slowly program in order for you to do anything, but I’ve grown up with them, every few years I would go out and buy a new one to keep up to date with the latest and greatest.

In other words, I’m that geeky guy you go to whenever you have a PC problem. You know, the guy that’s good at computers. I’m that guy. This super power has brought me a few benefits and a lot of headaches, but it really isn’t a super power. There is actually a small little trick to it, a secret if you will.

You want to know what it is?

Easy, every time I sit down to use a computer whether it is a Mac, PC, Linux, or some other thing, or if I’m doing some image editing on Photoshop, Gimp, or PrintShop Pro or whatever, I just assume that the computer or the program has certain functions.

I know that an Windows or OS X has to have some kind of copying function, it has to have some way of starting programs. Those functions have to be in their somewhere. All I have to do is figure out how to do it. So what do I do? Just click and fiddle around until I find it. That’s it.

Pretty simple really, just fiddle around until you find it.

What does being good at Computers have to do with Language Learning?

Have you put all the pieces together yet?

Languages are basically different types of smartphones, every one can do basically the same thing. They all have the same functions, the big difference is how you activate those functions. All you need to know is what ‘button’ you click or what you ‘tap’ to get the function to work.

Languages are made of words but those words come together to mean something, to serve a function. Maybe one group of words conveys a command, one group of words conveys sadness or happiness. It is important to take a step back from studying the different little parts of language (grammar, vocab, kanji) and look at what function those things together serve.

You already do this in your native language actually, you hardly ever listen to every single word someone says. Heck, sometimes you might not even listen to any of them, just the tone of voice. Because there are only so many functions in a conversation. And you can guess at what the person is trying to do by the tone and the context.

It’s important in this world of SRS and grammar drilling, where we concentrate on the little bits of language, to look at the whole picture, to take in bigger chunks instead of getting hung up on the little bits.

Think about Functions not Bits

The next time you are listening to or reading some Japanese think about the function of the sentences not each little word. You’ll be surprised how much more you can understand.

Photo by dailylifeofmojo