This famous quote from René Descartes was first written in French so as to reach a larger audience than Latin would have allowed (cogito, ergo sum).
René Descartes was a famous thinker from the 17th century. “Je pense donc je suis.” means “I think, so I exist.” Because he can think, he knows he is real. It’s like saying that if you’re able to question or wonder about things, then you must be real.
This idea was a big deal because it changed how people thought about themselves and the world around them. Descartes believed that by thinking and questioning things, we can understand reality better.
This saying is still important today. It reminds us that our ability to think and reason is what makes us human. It encourages us to reflect on our own thoughts and existence, helping us understand ourselves and the world we live in.
Which brings me to Joey. If you haven’t seen the episode where Joey tries to speak French, you must watch this clip before you go any further: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqwzvtjeYBQ
Just like Descartes’ saying encourages people to think about themselves and the world, learning French makes students think about how they speak and understand language. It helps them understand different cultures better and how they relate to each other around the world. If Joey had learnt French properly, he would have enhanced his understanding of both his own language and his cognitive abilities.
However, learning French is not as difficult as many people believe. Long gone are the days where we would learn verb paradigms (memorising every form a verb can take). It is possible to learn more quickly by studying useful chunks of language rather than single words.
No wonder Joey found French difficult when we are sometimes taught things that we don’t need to know. Take the meme above. You would only need to know how to say I am (je suis), I was (j’étais) and I will be (je serai). Learning a few essential phrases will allow you to communicate more quickly and boost your confidence.
What experience have you had of learning French? Have you found it slow going or frustrating? Let me know in the comments!