The Language Learning Lane – And Why I Refuse to Stay In It
Earlier this year, Solange Knowles clapped back at a hater who wanted to know why her son was studying French, as opposed to “his own” history and culture. When reading the original comment, I was overcome with an eerie sense of déjà vu. I am one of the few thousand Americans studying Japanese. I am also black. I realized, while looking at the response, that I have had this conversation telepathically between people nearly every time I’m asked “Why are you studying Japanese?”
The comment questioning Solange’s son’s education finally caused me to realize exactly why I felt so unsettled when people inquired about my second language choice. Too often, people asked the question not out of curiosity, but out of a desire to know why I had strayed from “my lane.” The question wasn’t “Why are you studying Japanese?” It was instead, “Why are you studying Japanese?” … More The Language Learning Lane – And Why I Refuse to Stay In It
