Language barriers can create misunderstandings from "summary" of Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
Communication is a fragile thing. It can be so easily disrupted by something as simple as a language barrier. When two people speak different languages, there is bound to be some level of misunderstanding. This is something that I have experienced firsthand, growing up in a household where English was not the primary language spoken. My mother spoke to me in Korean, while I responded in English. It was a constant struggle to bridge that linguistic gap, to make sure that we truly understood each other.
Language barriers can create confusion and frustration between people. It can lead to misinterpretations of tone and meaning, as words are lost in translation. I remember many instances where I would try to convey a complex emotion or idea to my mother, only to fall short because I lacked the vocabulary to express myself fully in Korean. The result was often a sense of disconnect, a feeling that we were speaking different languages not just in terms of words, but also in terms of understanding.
In my own experience, language barriers have sometimes caused me to feel isolated and alone. When I couldn't fully communicate with my mother, I felt like I was missing out on a crucial connection with her. It was as if there was a wall between us, built out of words that we couldn't quite grasp. This sense of distance was painful, a reminder of how language can both unite and divide us.
Language barriers can create misunderstandings not just between individuals, but also within oneself. As I struggled to navigate between Korean and English, I often found myself grappling with conflicting identities. I felt torn between two worlds, two ways of speaking and thinking. It was a constant negotiation, a balancing act that required me to constantly switch between languages and modes of expression.
In the end, language barriers are a reminder of the complexity of human communication. They show us how fragile our connections can be, how easily words can be lost or misinterpreted. But they also highlight the resilience of the human spirit, our ability to find ways to bridge those gaps and reach out to one another, even when words fail us. It is a reminder that language is not just a tool for communication, but also a window into our shared humanity, a way for us to connect and understand one another on a deeper level.
