learning a language and the willingness to say silly things

 

Munenori "Mune" Kawasaki, MLB Player
むねのり　かわさきーさん

こんにちは！
I wanted to discuss someone who is both my favorite baseball player and an inspiring model for the learner of a foreign language: Munenori "Mune" Kawasaki.


If you have even a moment, I recommend watching some of his interviews (linked). To put it mildly, and as he admits, his English was not perfect.  His exchanges are hilarious, surreal, but particularly by the virtue of his infectious enthusiasm, strangely inspiring! Here are some selected quotes, though text cannot convey his cross-lingual confidence and charm in delivering these: 

• “Hello. Thank you very much. I am exciting”
• "How 2015 Kawa English. How? Very good? Yeah, I have two books... bro." 
• “A monkey never cramps.” (asked why bananas help) 
• “We don’t need banana, we need champagne!” (post-game celebration)  
• “He’s big; Kawa small.” (on facing David Ortiz)
• “Thank you very much. My name is Munenori Kawasaki… I'm from Japan! I am Japaneeeese!” (the iconic walk-off interview) 
• “Busch party tonight! No sleeping.” (on how he’d celebrate clinching)  
• Q: "Do you have goals for the season?" A: "Ghosts? Uh, I don't like ghosts..." 
  
  My point in discussing these is to illustrate the point that I think a language learner like Mune embodies- that in learning a language, you must be willing to misspeak, to say something funny, and to fail. There is a proverb in Japanese - 失敗は成功のもと (しっぱいはせいこうのもと )  - "failure is the mother of success". In learning a language, you must be willing to step outside of your comfort zone - socially, linguistically, and culturally. While the gaffs or missteps he made as a language novice and which we will make as novices are undoubtedly humorous on their own, the reception he was given by English speakers and the fans of the Toronto Blue Jays was rapturous. He was a fan favorite, not because of his polished English or PR trained statements, but because of his enthusiastic and uplifting energy, and his authenticity in trying a language he was not familiar with.