Thursday, April 3, 2008

Language is your brain's OS. -Part 2

I wrote that a language is brain's OS. I still believe this is true. In my middle 20s, I tried to shut down my first language, Japanese, and rely only on second language, English. Here I write what was physically happen to me at the time.

The primary principle I learned is that you will be greatly depressed when you shut down your mother tongue. I experienced many different symptoms of the depression when I shut down Japanese; eating disorder, anxiety, loss of willingness and sleeping disorder.

The brain uses the language for its functional processes. Even when you are not talking with others, your brain uses the language. When you think of an idea, any idea (choose food to eat, stand up from a chair or pick up an apple on a tabe), the idea is quickly embodied by the language in your brain. This step is important for decision of successional actions. Since most of us do these steps without recognition, it is difficult to imagine how hard it is when your brain stalks in the middle of these processes. I recognized these processes because I change the language after being an adult, and my brain became very dull and less functioning when it stalked during the processes.

These unconscious conversations in your brain are also very important to keep your brain healthy. If the brain cannot undertake the inside conversations, it will burn out. It will burn out the brain region which is very close to the region regulating your essential body functions, such as sleeping, eating or heart pumping functions. I think this is why I experienced the symptoms of depression. I could not eat well, waked up middle of the night (you need your language to even dream during night), I slept during middle of the day and felt so unhappy.

I am very proud that I survive these difficult days. My English still has a lot of problems but I feel much comfortable with it now. I feel I became stronger by changing the language, however, I will not recommend anyone to do this. I now realized that it was a really dangerous and life threating challenge, and the outcome could be much worse than that of now.

2 comments:

Ivette said...

when i learnt English, speaking Spanish in class was a no... failing to stick with English would usually mean getting chocolates for everyone in class. Little by little we all started to think in English, at least while being in class. It's been around 10 years since i had those classes, and now, at least while using the internet, i always think in English.

T.F. Sakaguchi said...

Yeah, reading in English and processing information in English are important for me too.