6 Benefits of learning a new language as an autistic person
When communication struggles are an advantage
Languages are the puzzle I can’t stop trying to solve.
I took Spanish for 7 years in middle- and high-school then ASL for 3 years in college. I scoured bookstores for Swahili dictionaries after meeting a family from the Congo. I tried to teach myself Chinese for fun one summer.
Languages are my interest.
After finding out I’m autistic, I realized the language-learning process actually helped me out all those years as an undiagnosed autistic kid and teen. Here’s a few benefits I’ve noticed.
1. I have a built-in excuse for being unsure of how to respond in conversation and for my slow processing skills.
New language learners aren’t expected to speak fluently, correctly, or understand immediately. I can take my time when answering and use the important phrase “I don’t understand.” There’s no stigma! It’s expected when learning a new language. Also, many people are glad I’ve taken the time to learn their language, even if it’s just a few words.
2. Memorizing appropriate answers to common greetings is normalized.
This is perfectly acceptable when learning a new language. Greeting rituals don’t always make sense when translated directly; they just are. Many autistic people script their future conversations and are already familiar with this concept.
3. It’s not odd when I take things literally or behave differently.
Learning a new language and culture means making mistakes. Most non-native English-speakers know this. When I show respect to them, they might laugh at first (because mistakes can be funny) and then will kindly explain what went wrong and help me out.
4. Educating myself on cultural norms is appreciated.
Each language comes with its own set of cultural expectations and norms to learn. Many monolingual Americans are surprised to discover language and cultural rules vary from place to place, from group to group but this never surprised me. It made complete sense and I memorized it the same way I memorized my own American and Southern cultural norms. And people noticed and acknowledged my efforts as showing respect for their culture.
5. People aren’t surprised when I’m quiet in group conversations.
When I sit quietly during group conversations, people assume I don’t understand what is going on and leave me in peace. Some will even kindly translate the conversation for me. Even better, they might slow down the conversation flow so I get a chance to say something.
6. A new language is a good way to try out different personalities.
Research has shown that people feel like they change personalities when they speak a different language. Why? Each culture views the world from a its own perspective and that’s embedded in the language. Learning a new language forces us to think differently. For a while, I felt like I had lost my personality so I could try out new ones with different groups of people. In ASL, I became more expressive. In Spanish, I was more direct.
Do you like learning languages? Have you noticed these benefits for yourself?
