The World is a Theme Park
20.05.25
I want an AR device that labels everything I look at with words in my target language, so I can learn vocabulary while I'm going about my day. With technology, you can be fully immersed in another world, one that doesn't even speak your language. Europeans sometimes complain that Americans treat visiting Europe like visiting a theme park, and I'm guilty! Learning German is like watching cartoons and playing video games. Maybe this is why I like language learning.
I was watching a YouTuber called Language Simp, and he talks about language learning in a zoomer fashion, calling natives "NPCs" and countries "DLC." He's trying to satirize how people think of foreigners and especially the trend of shocking natives by speaking their language, but I kind of live out this zoomer fashioning of language learning.
First of all, there is undoubtedly a game-like aspect to learning. I use Anki which is basically a flash card game. It just isn't very flashy. Duolingo is much more game-like in the way it's set up, but I'm not talking exclusively about apps. The CEFR reference levels are like stages you unlock upon leveling up. You begin as an A1 noob, and you can rank up and even try to become a C2 pro. I would like to have one day learned many languages, each one being worn on my chest like a medal.
Secondly, immersion is like watching cartoons. Well, immersion can literally be watching cartoons in your target language, but I meant more generally. I have enjoyed joining native German servers and trying to figure out the lore behind all of the cartoon characters speaking to each other. Everything is themed a certain way, and it's funny to peer into their world because you're not really supposed to be there. One server that I'm in only has roles for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. There wasn't even an "Ausländer" role!
Language learning is sort of childish in the sense that you have to relive the process of learning every basic detail of the world. It's kind of like leveling up so high that you reach a prestige level and have to start all over again -- this time with more experience.