[Edited]
Language has always been difficult for me.
After 16 years of education in primary, secondary and junior college, I still
would not dare to say that I have mastered the English language.
In secondary school and junior college,
I would struggle so badly with comprehension where one was to read a text and answer
questions. While I felt that I had understood the text and the author’s
intentions, the results would show otherwise. If the section was upon fifty
marks, I would usually hover around the pass/fail border. A score above seventy
percent would give me much joy and happiness and I would wonder if my English
was improving. However, that bubble would soon be burst by the next test. This
was also the case with my mother tongue, Chinese.
I remember once in junior college when my
General Paper (GP) tutor called me out in class for misusing the word
“androgynous” and I was embarrassed. In my essay, I had used it wrongly to account
for the choice of gender blurring in fashion and dressing (I actually cannot
remember how I used it wrongly). This was just the tip of the iceberg with my
struggles with GP. To date, I still feel that counter-arguments and rebuttals
are so counter intuitive. It always seemed schizophrenic to be arguing a point
in one paragraph and countering in the next.
My weakness in languages was the main
factor why I had been a science student throughout my schooling life, until
now. Arts and humanities always seemed more fascinating and interesting and in
spite of my weakness in English, I have taken a huge leap of faith to jump ship
to be a student in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.
I hope it is worth it.
<295 words>
Thanks, Guo Xiong, for this open and informative post. While it seems to lack detail in an explanation of what you found so problematic about "mastering" English, you do give a finely focused description of the JC paper and how you were critiqued in it. Still, one example hardly builds a convincing case that your English is so bad. In fact, I see lots of fluency in this reflection.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, there are a few areas that need a review:
1) While I felt that I have understood the text and the author’s intentions, the results would show otherwise. > (verb tense)
2) This was always the case with my Mother Tongue, Chinese. > (capitalization) … Also, what was the case with your mother tongue? Your focus seems to shift here.
3) ... why I had been a Science student …. > (capitalization)
4) Comprehension > capitalized?
These are generally minor though. I appreciate your effort!
I lack detail because I don't know what my problem with English is...
DeleteHi Guo Xiong!
ReplyDeleteI can really relate to your post because just like you, I have always failed to understand the comprehension passage back in Secondary school and JC. And also, I have always been a Science student until now because I am afraid that my lack of language skills will impede how I write my essays should I be in the Arts stream.
However, I am not clear whether you are talking about English or Chinese in your second paragraph.
Nevertheless, I think this is a good post as it is fluent and in fact I think you have really good vocabularies! Keep up with the good work! (:
Hey Guo Xiong,
ReplyDeleteBeing your classmate last semester for a similar language mod, I just want to say that not once have i thought that English was a barrier for you. You spoke well in speeches and have used appropriate choice of words to express your ideas.
Nevertheless, I do agree your point on "counter-arguments and rebuttals" being counter-intuitive. I believe you spoke the minds of many whom perhaps, have never actually thought of it.
As quoted from Wei Ting's comment "However, I am not clear whether you are talking about English or Chinese in your second paragraph.", I believe that you're referring the problem to both English and Chinese. You might want to consider a rephrasing it to "This similar issue was also evident in my Mother Tongue, Chinese". That should clear the air up.
Thanks for sharing though! (: