A lot of people are kind of triggered about the genera of street videos
specifically people from the traditional polyglot community.
both Wouter and I have done these and there's a whole genera
and to be honest, it's kind of caused a little stir.
Do we really need to have these "White guy speaks perfect Chinese and shocks the locals"?
You hate the "shocks natives" videos. OH! A little.
The problem with the whole polyglot subculture on YouTube is not that it's encouraging people to study languages.
They make me uncomfortable for a lot of reasons. Oh yeah!
Um, enough.
It's encouraging people to pursue money, fame, power, respect, and sex by living a lie.
This is today's debate topic.
And what better person to discuss this with than someone who has also done language videos out on the street.
Now that I'm home, first let me introduce myself.
How ya doing? Oh, I'm doing well.
Guess who we're talking to today. You're about to find out.
Oh, you already know. Wouter.
Yeah my name is Wouter and I really love languages. So first thanks that I can be here on your channel.
I'm looking forward to the debate. It will be cool.
How many languages do you speak Wouter?
I speak 29 language in total all at different levels. I think 6 languages are at the deep conversation level and 23 are basic.
Honestly this stereotype of monkey tricks by Western people speaking exotic languages
I don't know it just smacks of this colonial mentality.
Do you think that it is enforcing stereotypes? Do you think that we need to normalize language learning
so when a person who looks like me walks around Japan and speaks Japanese nobody is shocked
they just treat us normally? Honestly I would love that because one reason I make the videos is I was so frustrated living here
for 10 years. When I'd go to the supermarket people would make a scene, especially in China. WOW!
Like everyday for 10 years. Then I made these videos to kind of turn something that
gave me a lot of negative feelings into something positive that people were reacting positively to.
It changed my view about it, but do you think it's enforcing stereotypes or not normalizing
speaking languages. Is it exotifying speaking a foreign language?
Of course I understand two aspects. One you want to be treated as a person. You don't want to be treated as
the blonde lady speaking Chinese. You want to be treated as you as a person. Your personality.
I totally understand that, but at the same time we should not underestimate
how many people are living abroad in a country and they're not learning the language.
For example, a lot of people are living here in the Netherlands and believe me even when they live here 5 years sometimes 10 years
They don't speak Dutch. They speak English.
So from my perspective when someone is speaking good Dutch after 5 years
I'm also happy because someone is learning my language and is interested in my culture.
It's not that I'm saying hey look this guy is Chinese and he's speaking Dutch
I'm more happy because someone is learning the language.
It's not more valuable. It's just more shocking when you know someone is defiantly not from that country.
The ironic thing about these comments is that people who claim to be so worldly and know so many languages
don't even know the other language world of YouTube.
Where there are tons of videos of Japanese guys speaking Hindi. shocking Indians here in Tokyo.
Or a Japanese woman speaking Hindi. She's got an entire channel, over a million subscribers.
It's not a white guy thing or Western thing. It's that fact that you wouldn't expect this person to know that language and they took the time to learn it.
Stop showing off! You're such a narcissist.
Why do you keep showing off? Most polyglots keep to themselves.
Language learning and showing the language learning process doesn't have anything to do with showing off
because I'm always saying in my videos, yo these are my mistakes. I mention that stuff.
It's showing the process, trying to get feedback, and improve.
And understanding the culture and being a part of it. It's not about showing off language skills like some people are saying.
No, it's like someone is learning a language that is totally different from his or her mother tongue.
And you wouldn't expect them to know it.
I see comments like. I'm a Chinese guy. I speak fluent English nobody watches my videos.
Have you ever gotten those?
You don't really see people making those "person shocks Americans with perfect English" or whatever like
I think it's a stupid comment because why bring up the international language of the world?
It's the most studied foreign language in the whole world.
Actually I'm very new to Kenya. I don't know much about Kenya.
Did you just speak in Swahili?
You're speaking Swahili!
Why do you need to show off you narcissist? Why do you need to put it on YouTube?
Why film these conversations? Just keep it to yourself.
You're bothering people we told you. See you're putting a camera in people's faces. You're bothering them. We told you!
You're such a narcissist.
If you don't like it why are you watching it? Turn it off. I don't watch a lot of these videos. They don't have a lot of value to me.
Actually in my opinion it's not just about showing off.
It's actually the opposite because I'm also practicing languages that I speak at a low level.
So I'm also telling you that I speak it on a basic level. I'm showing my mistakes so it's not showing off.
Here's something I struggled with. Why tape it? Why do you feel the need to tape these moments?
I've struggled with that. Why does it need to be filmed? Why not just have it to yourself?
I've been here for almost 10 years and in 2012 I didn't film anything. I don't have any footage from living in China.
All of these memories. I didn't start YouTube until 2020 around then.
I started filming these experiences and it's just good to have these memories. I post them online for people to enjoy
for people to be inspired by and to really know what it's like to live here.
So when the more traditional polyglot community asks: "Why can't you just keep it to yourself?"
Why do you have to show everybody. Great, you speak the language well, just do something else with it. Why do you have to make this kind of video?
Why do you have to keep it to yourself? You're so worldly. Why don't you get out of your room?
Why can't you show the world outside your room? You're holding it hoarding it like it's your own secret memories.
Sure you don't have to put everything online, but a little slice of life I think there's value to that.
What would you say to that? Why ya gotta tape it Wouter?
I already said it's cool to share the process and get feedback about your language level
but I also think that people are also seeing how much we are struggling
and how hard it is. I think they can be very inspired.
The only thing that really turned me off from the street videos, the titles specifically, was using words like "stupid white guy"
stupid clueless foreigner in Asian country. Doesn't know anything. Because those are the
the kind of stereotypes we have to deal with living here.
People think we're clueless, we don't know anything and we've been here for 10 years. That is quite frustrating.
So, no need to lay it on that thick "stupid foreigner"
People say "It's just clickbait. You have to understand the algorithm"
No, there's a way to do it, but it does take more effort, It takes a lot more thinking and effort
to get around the cheap stuff, the easy stuff you know is gonna get a lot of views, but perhaps is a little misleading.
So, one thing that I think we might have different opinions on is the idea of criticizing ideas.
Ok, so the title is a lie. Let's just call it what it is. It's not misleading. It's not a bit clickbaity. It's a straight up lie.
For example adults can become fluent in a month or a week or whatever.
Just to give Nathaniel a rest here Ikenna does the same thing only Ikenna doesn't put quite so many cavoites on it.
There have been a few videos like that where somebody did say something, although very very few because
I think that most people didn't want to backlash even though there wasn't much backlash
Just a bookworm to another group of bookworms, this is a study subject, don't be afraid to debate it.
Don't be afraid even to disagree with me. That's totally fine. That's why we're having a conversation today. Right?
There's nothing wrong with criticizing someone as long as it's constructive.
You can also thing of someone's ideas or intentions for making their content or learning a language in a certain way
Then definitely we can criticize each other.
Somebody critiqued my Chinese and I really appreciated that because she did it in a nice way and it was well-meaning.
And I think that's good. What's wrong with that? Why can't we talk about whoever we want to talk about?
I didn't say there's anything wrong. It's all part of the tone.
When we are criticizing each other I think it's fine as long as we are respecting each other.
Yeah, and there's general trolling and harassment as well and those comments are unwanted and they're unwanted on my channel too.
Some people are criticizing me for not being fluent in some these languages right.
But it's also not my goal. As I've said I speak 6 languages on a deep conversational level and
23 at a more basic level. I have a plan to improve them slowly. So people can criticize me, but
But I appreciate if they criticize me for my goals. I don't want to change my goals for them.
For example some people ask me why shouldn't you learn 3 languages on a C2 level?
That's not my goal. So of course people can criticize me. That's why I make content. I make a bunch of mistakes.
But I always tell people I have a basic level for things like Chinese. Like the video I made with you.
Constructive criticism is always welcome so I can improve. That's also my intention of making videos.
In the beginning I was a little turned off by the street videos as well like a lot of the traditional polyglots.
I've sensed their frustration in this and I can understand it. The 3 minute conversations like what is that?
That's what we're studying for? Really? I was always disappointed in that. Do you really feel like you're making that big of a connection with people in those little street talks?
That's a good question. People are always in a rush so when I practice languages on the streets
it's more about building up confidence and starting a conversation.
It's more a way to get used to the language and basically making a lot of mistakes.
At the same time I also think those conversations are short because you don't know those people.
It's a pretty awkward sometimes. It's not easy basically. So we should not underestimate how hard it is.
So for example with a basic conversation you're learning to understand what someone is saying.
And if someone is liking what you're doing I had new friendships after that.
Like deeper friendships thanks to languages or studying languages to make friends.
I think people can definitely become motivated and see this is possible thanks to language learning.
They can see through my struggles and my frustrations.
Right. and that's a big fear that everybody has. There are some language gurus who
are afraid to show their other languages because they're weaker and they don't want to make mistakes in front of people.
They don't want to ruin that image. It's almost a cult-like following. I think that's too bad. I think that's only going to limit them
if they're not willing to go out and be brave if they're not perfect. My Japanese is not perfect it's not as good as my Chinese, but I'll out it out there.
I think it humanizes the process of language learning. It encourages people.
Because if you out this image out there that you're so perfect, other people are not going to get there for years and years.
They're not going to want to talk or practice. It's ok to make mistakes.
It's ok to make mistakes. Look at the video we made. I also had mistakes.
Sometimes there are parts that are not possible to do. I'll give you an example. If it would be possible to show all the people who dismissed me
when I spoke languages or reacted very awkwardly like awkward silences stuff like that. Showing that
You're gonna get a lot of hate Wouter because they're going to confirm. See you were bothering people all along we told you.
I would also use it because it's a part of the process like if I could do a complication with the different reactions.
Or negative reactions. I would also put it in a video, but you know what the problem is these people are not giving permission
to upload that content so I cannot use the footage. The reason we see the very positive reactions is because I get permission to use that content.
That goes into another subject entirely, but I think that people will approve or disapprove of what you do based on
whether they like you or not and that's totally subjective. So don't worry about that too much.
But it was interesting to talk to you about this.
Definitely, thanks for having me here. I think it's really great to have this debate.
Go check out Wouter's channel for his video where I correct his Chinese.
There's a video for that on my channel.
So go check that out on Wouter's channel to see our video. Can you give us a sample, just for fun?
Yes, I want to start in Spanish. (SPANISH)
I want to say that I always want to practice languages, because I like to read and the cultures are a part of the life.
And I think that languages are very important to get to know other people and I also like
to watch documentaries in other languages.
And I also like to talk with you about other topics for example. I think it’s always very interesting to speak Chinese for example, but my level isn’t that good.
Dutch is my mother tongue, I think it’s not very interesting to speak it. So I’ll skip this one. (DUTCH)
German is also a language which I’ve learned for a long time. (GERMAN)
I always think that other animals are interesting.
So I think it’s good for my personal development to watch other documentaries and to see how animals can survive.
I always think it’s interesting. So I don’t think that my German is fluent, but my thoughts are flowing through my head and I can use many expressions in German.
And I’ve also learned it for a couple of years and I always like to speak it with my friends. So, yes I don’t speak it fluently.
Then I also speak French. I always like it to speak French and I think it’s important to get to know other mentalities.
So I like to travel and to meet other people. (FRENCH)
I think it’s very good for me to study languages.
But it’s always like that, I can’t translate ideas which I have in my head immediately, because it’s very difficult.
I also like to cook with my girlfriend. I like different traditions and I think that’s great.
I can also speak Portuguese. It’s a language which I love to practice.
(PORTUGUESE) But now I want to start with your idea, with your project. So we can start.
Yeah, these were the languages, just to show.
Wow, that's amazing! You speak them all on different levels, but those were some of your strongest or some of your favorites maybe.
Well, Wouter thank you very much for today. It was great talking to you. I wish you the best of luck with your Chinese studies.
I hope I helped. Good luck to you.
Thank you! Bye bye!
That was freaking awesome wasn't it?
And if you're interested in getting started with any language like I did many years with Japanese and now I'm doing with Korean
Download Pimsluer in the description link below. It will have you speaking really fast through it's audio lessons.
And thanks for watching today's video. Bye bye!