Jonathan Langley received his B.A. in French and English from the University of Arkansas in 2009, and his M.A. in French Literature in 2011. As an undergraduate, he participated in two study abroad programs: Theater in London in 2008 and French in Besançon in 2009. He currently lives with his wife, Sarah (also an Arkansas graduate and study abroad participant), in Le Mans, France, where he's doing a Fulbright Teaching Assistantship and works as a lecteur d'anglais at l'Université du Maine.
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When I began studying French as a sophomore, I quickly realized that memorizing vocabulary was not my forte. Each chapter was based around themes, and we then learned specific vocabulary words to support those themes. Sometimes, these words interested me; if we were learning words to discuss books or movies or art, learning them was quite easy. However, the themes were typically more mundane. Talking about my apartment and its furnishings was boring in English, so why would I want to spend the time learning how to describe mon petit appartement?
After completing my undergraduate studies in French, I decided to pursue an M.A. in the same subject. Part of the program involves being a teaching assistant for the beginning and intermediate French classes. I could now see the difficulty of vocabulary from the other side of the classroom, as my students would sometimes struggle to remember words that seemed very simple. I had to keep reminding myself that I was once in their shoes and that I was the same way. However, I still wasn’t convinced that such extensive work on vocabulary was worthwhile; even as an instructor, I enjoyed teaching grammar and cultural concepts much more than tedious repetition of vocabulary.
It wasn’t until I arrived in France this past September that I realized the importance of all this vocabulary. It’s great to be able to talk about my interests in music, but the majority of my day is spent using much more functional vocabulary. In the past few months, I have had to sign up for renter’s insurance, set up an account for electricity, sign and discuss work contracts, and start a bank account. None of these activities involved vocabulary that I typically enjoy, but they were all essential to starting my life here. During our appointment to set up our electricity, I was shocked at how much I remembered from these beginning classes my sophomore year. I had to answer questions about our apartment, like whether or not I had a congélateur (a freezer) that was separate from my frigo (refrigerator), if I had a four (oven), and did I have a sèche-linge (dryer). Amazingly, I could recall all of these words and I had no trouble with the appointment.
Even though I’m no longer officially a student, I feel as though I’m in a constant vocabulary lesson here. The key to not only succeeding in a foreign country but also to increasing linguistic knowledge is to have open ears and an eagerness for conversation. I learn at least one new word every day, and sometimes several in just a single conversation. Since arriving two months ago, I’ve learned the words porc-épic, pomme de pin, RIB, nounours, and autorisation de découvert. Instead of telling you what those words mean, I’ll let you search for them on your own if you’re so inclined. Maybe it will spark a little desire for knowledge of vocabulary that you will help you in a foreign country someday.
-Jonathan
