What if my “why” is coffee?
Conca dei Marini, Italy
A highlight of our Amalfi Coast trip: morning cappuccinos with incredible views.
Is it okay if my motivation for learning Italian is cappuccino and gelato?
Short answer: Yes.
I’m hearing over and over again that language acquisition researchers believe that motivation is essential for learning a language. Without a motivation, acquiring the language just doesn’t happen.
So I did some soul-searching to evaluate my “why.” What is deeper reason I have for learning Italian? I am definitely motivated because I love being able to communicate with non-English-speakers. I actually think it’s fun to learn grammar. I have a background in Romance languages, so adding another one isn’t a big stretch.
But for other people, I know that motivations might be much more noble. Some learners want to study a culture’s language so they can help to develop a Bible for them to be able to read in their own tongue.
But in my daydreams about communicating in Italian, I find myself going back to the same motivation over and over again: cappuccinos. The smooth, creamy, rich cappuccinos that I want to enjoy morning, noon, and night (even against the Italians’ better judgment), whether it’s while I’m on a terrace overlooking the ocean, or sitting in a piazza people-watching. Oh, and I also want to deeply understand the gelato culture. Like, where does the extravagant word stracciatella come from, when it really just seems to be chocolate chip ice cream?
And above all, when I’m enjoying the bright citrusy goodness of my lemon gelato, walking down the winding cobblestone street to the next quaint neighborhood, I see the local people smiling, walking home from the market with a shopping bag, not awe-struck (like I am) by the ancient miracles of architecture surrounding them daily … living the dolce vita as they eat their non-GMO bread without being doubled-over in pain afterward…and I long for this to be my everyday life. This is what and why I wish to learn. I want to savor my cappuccino without rushing around from obligation to obligation. I want to take a 2-hour lunch break and ride a bike with a basket and not feel guilty that I’m taking too long to get back to work.
So, it might seem shallow or frivolous to say that coffee is my motivation, but it represents so much of the mystery of what’s missing in my modern life. It’s reason enough.
