How would you tell a story without past or future tenses? Could you discuss a value without numbers? How do you speak to a computer that only communicates in numbers? Would a rose by any other name smell as sweet?
Probably not. According to studies, that rose by any other name would smell worse. (Sorry, Juliet.) The Piraha of Brazil actually do live life without numbers, but they can’t keep track of exact quantities. Chinese doesn’t distinguish between past, present or future, but Chinese people might actually save more money than “futured” language speakers because of this lack of distinction. Languages place emphasis on different things, which in turn can affect one’s perspective and values.
The more ways you can express your ideas, the more tools you have, which is imperative for those in creative fields.
Charlemagne said that “to know a second language is to possess a second soul.” Different languages—different ways of seeing things and saying things—are incredible sources of inspiration. Language matters. It is THE most powerful tool we possess as humans. The more ways you can express your ideas, the more tools you have, which is imperative for those in creative fields. In advertising, we must be able to bend language to our will. We must evoke “trust” or “responsibility” or “value” or a million other emotions with a tagline and a color palette. We have to be able to influence a wide variety of people, and in order to do that more effectively we must be able to put ourselves in a bunch of other peoples’ shoes. If you learn new ways of saying things in a different language, it might influence you to be more creative in your own.
I’ve been fascinated by language from a young age, after discovering the power of using “big” words. I’m currently working towards my goal of becoming bilingual, and in the meantime I have flirted between different languages, trying to find the one that speaks to that “second soul” Charlemagne says I can have. Learning Korean felt like a party I wasn’t invited to. Speaking Italian feels like singing along to a beautiful, eternal song. Teaching myself French felt like dragging myself through quicksand (and I sounded even worse). And my on-again-off-again relationship with Spanish always feels like reuniting with an old friend. Despite varying degrees of success, each endeavor continues to influence and inspire me. I can think with a slightly different part of my brain that didn’t exist before. And the same goes for learning to “speak” and write code. I feel like a secret agent superspy—powerful and relevant.
When I made the career shift to become a web developer a year ago, a few friends and family were incredulous. I have always loved writing and creative pursuits, and had chosen corresponding jobs in the past, so why did I want to pursue something so rote and rigid now? Because to me, learning JavaScript is really not that much different than learning Italian. You develop opinions about writing style and problem solving and there’s nothing rote about it. Writing code is not all about the “scary math” people might assume. It’s a balance of words and numbers and ‚Äògrammar,’ and those that can express themselves best through this medium create gorgeous, engaging work, just like writers and artists. When I discovered this, it was truly as if a whole new world became accessible to me.
It’s a balance of words and numbers and ‚Äògrammar,’ and those that can express themselves best through this medium create gorgeous, engaging work.
I don’t necessarily think that “everybody should learn to code,” as some publications have been suggesting lately. But I do want to draw the parallels between human language and ‚Äòcomputer’ language and demystify coding for those who say, “I could never do that.” Learning a few lines of HTML could be as simple and beneficial as learning a few words of Spanish. As shown, language can help contextualize a culture, and since we live in a digital world, I think it’s important to speak a little of that language.
So, learn some Italian idioms or Chinese swear words (they have the best!) and a bit of code. You might surprise yourself. We all grow most outside of our comfort zones, and that’s where the best ideas are too.