Start with the Basics to Tell a Story in Your Second Language
By: Alejandro Scott
How was your weekend?
周末过得怎么样？
¿Qué tal estuvo tu fin de semana?
I love languages. My native language is Spanish, but I have studied several and have kept three in my head. I find the time I spend learning languages the most fun there is, while still doing something productive.
One thing I am even more passionate about than languages is stories: I consume them, I write them, and I share them. I have been telling stories since I can remember in the form of literature, films, stand up comedy, and I have done so in the three languages. I have been part of Team Unravel as a content creator and in the three years that Unravel has been harnessing the power of storytelling, I have heard and captured so many unique stories, connected with so many people, and have told two stories of my own—in my second language.
Stories are the simplest and most natural way to communicate and connect with people. Though simple, it can sometimes be a confusing process, especially if you do it in a language that’s not the one you grew up with.
A simple, “How was your weekend?” might freeze us up, if we’re not speaking in our mother tongue—let alone preparing, writing, and telling a story in that second language. But what might seem like a daunting task at first, easily turns into a more manageable set of smaller tasks when we take into account some of the basics of storytelling.
If you have traveled to a country where you didn’t speak the language you already have experience with this. Rub your tummy in a circular manner and people will know that you’re hungry. You won.
But what happens when hand gestures are out of the question? Well, remember when you didn’t know how to say that you were hungry, but you found a way to say that you were hungry? Storytelling in your second language will work the same way, the only difference is that this time you speak the language as well as you can--finding ways to say what you want to say. The important thing to remember here is the reason why we use languages: communication. We all want to communicate. If you can pass the message effectively, you’ve won. It’s that simple.
But I’m not hungry and what I want to say is a bit more complex than just telling someone that I am hungry.
Ok, the very first thing to consider is the essence of your story. Ask yourself about the core of that story. Is it a story about parenthood, about bravery, or is it one that speaks of forgiveness? If you know the core or theme of your story, it will determine your tone and what you choose to include.
For example, if you were to tell a friend about your weekend at a music festival you could put emphasis on the music and how one of the bands’ singer talked about his father before playing a song you never paid much attention to before, but now it made you think about your relationship with your father or your own journey as a parent. A story about parenthood.
Maybe, during the same concert weekend, you could tell your friend how hard it was for you to stand in the crowd. Maybe you have been dealing with anxiety and standing in between so many people is not your ideal place to be. But then your favorite band showed up on stage and they played a song you love. The music pulled you towards the front rows and you enjoyed the best concert you have had in years. A story about bravery.
So, what’s your story about?
Another thing to consider is who you’re telling your story to. Is it your friend’s children or people that you’ve never seen in your life? Are you telling a story of how you got to develop the marketing strategy that launched your company to where it is now and your audience is a group of people who dream of becoming business owners? Tell the same story to your in laws, a date, or a random stranger and the way to tell that story will change. The story is the same, but not the way it is delivered.
Then, who are you talking to?
The next thing to keep in mind is your message. When we tell stories we are not only relaying a series of events, but also our experience, feelings, emotions, and perspective on those events.
Let’s say you want to tell the story of the concert and parenthood. Your conclusion can be that you have realized that you were making the same mistakes as your parents and that you want to change to be a better parent yourself; or maybe, now you now understand why your parents did what they did, when you were young. These are two different approaches and each will deliver a different message to the audience.
What do you want to say with your story?
Keep in mind, you might find that you are faster and funnier in one language and more thoughtful in another. Languages and their grammar have their own ways of expressing and conveying information and the way you speak and navigate them will change your story. Be mindful of the differences in the language you’re speaking and that of your first language, avoid literal translations from your mother language.
Having those three elements down you would have already have done most of the work and the reason why I focus so much on this is because there is no big secret about telling a story in your second language. What truly matters is sharing a truthful story and the results will be there.
We all want to tell stories, we all want to hear stories. It’s who we are.
Once you have your story you just have to remember to be yourself, speak the way you do, and speak directly to your audience. Don’t write a story trying to be formal or sound fancy. Be who you are because the audience wants to see the real you in your story. Trying to disguise the fact that you are speaking in a language other than your mother tongue would only distract and remove from the authenticity of your narration.
Be proud of your background because that’s something that makes you and your story unique. Be proud to be able to tell a story in a different language; this is not something everyone can do. Make mistakes and be proud of them.
So, how was your weekend?
Alejandro Scott is a writer, filmmaker, and performer. Stand up comedy, screenwriting, poetry, acting, photography, live storytelling, filmmaking, there’s no medium he won’t try to keep telling stories. Alejandro’s been on Team Unravel since its conception and has told two stories at Unravel live shows.