My name is Adrian, and I primarily blog about religion and spirituality over at UUXMNR, read "UU Examiner", a moniker I chose for myself years ago while writing for the online edition of the Examiner on topics of interest to Unitarian Uninversalists and other religious liberals. And while religion is a major part of my life, I have many passions relating to other aspects of culture, and one of the primary ones is language.
I have always had a fascination with words. Growing up outside of Manhattan in Northern New Jersey, surrounded by friends from places all over the world, I was accustomed to hearing many different languages and observing many different customs that the other kids and their families had. Rather than be intimidated by the vast assortment of differences, I became drawn to them and have wanted to learn all I can about other people's cultures — and my own! — ever since. One of the most direct ways for me to do this, and one that enjoy immensely, is to learn something about the language(s) they use.
Each language that I study or encounter has particular associations and uses for me; I have varying degrees of comfort and practice with them, depending on their relative relevance to my life at any point in time. But my fascination with communication in general keeps me ever in awe of words and anything having to do with them — vocabulary, grammar, syntax, dialect, register, code-switching — all terms I wish I was more familiar with, but understand to a certain degree. Maybe I'll actually study linguistics some day! For now, I'm content to learn languages whenever I am able, hopefully helping me to understand the world we inhabit a little better with each one. Anyhow, my love for language extends to writing, something that I ought make more time to do.
In an effort to realize this goal, I am partaking in a 30-day Zero to Hero challenge, with encouragement through a Facebook group of fellow Unitarian Universalist bloggers. I hope this helps get me in the habit of writing more frequently and posting my thoughts and experiences with others out there who share my interests. For this first post in the challenge, I will answer the suggested questions to get started. Here goes!
Why are you blogging, rather than keeping a personal journal?
I choose to blog for the simple fact that it provides the opportunity to interact with others, and to find/build a community of people with common interests. When I journal, I write things down on paper that are meaningful at the time I'm writing them. I may gain insight from the practice, and it has a sort of therapeutic quality to it, but if I'm not engaging with others I don't learn as much. Besides, after I've written in a journal I almost never go back and look at what I've written. A blog, at least potentially, can keep the conversation going much longer than the time it takes to write the post itself.
What topics do you think you’ll write about?
Language! Of course. But more broadly, about any aspect of culture influenced by or influencing the way we use words. Perhaps folks with much more formal education than I have can chime in and learn me a thing or two.. *wink* I also hope to use this space to actually practice the language I am familiar with and those that I'm studying. Not everything will be posted in English! I'm really excited about the opportunity to actually use the languages I encounter.
Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
Polyglots. Linguists. People of different cultures who can tell me a thing or two about what makes theirs unique, or interesting, or weird, or embarrassing, or anything! People who are studying English as a foreign language. English speakers who are studying other languages. English speakers studying other varieties of English. ANYONE! Really, I just love learning about the world and everything in it. Tell me about your experience hosteling, or going on safari, or hiking through Europe, or visiting monks in Asia, or riding the subway in New York City. I want to live your experiences vicariously through your stories. Maybe I can write about some of my own. They won't be quite as fabulous, but hopefully all experience is important, and telling stories is how we move forward.
If you blog successfully throughout 2014, what would you hope to have accomplished?
Connection. Learning. Teaching. Improvement in languages I'm just beginning to learn. Maintaining languages I've studied for years but fail to use in daily life. Making writing a necessary part of my every-day practices. Engaging my tribes, and feeling connected to the universe beyond me. I want it all! Ready-set-go...
I hope this project goes well! Thanks for stopping by.
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