Speaking Like a Native (II)

Whether I like to admit it or not, language is a bit of a barrier between people with different mother tongues. Though my accent is terrible, I have a pretty decent vocabulary and I conjugate my verbs relatively well. Still, I have to admit that there is a gap or a distancing between myself and the students because of language.

(In the first week of school, I tried to have the students my shiur pair up with each other for chavruta. Of course, who knew that the verb "to pair up" in Hebrew also has biological and/or anatomical implications? You can guess the rest!)

I don’t think the gap is great, I do not think that there is no way to lessen it, and I do not think that it impacts deleteriously on my overall relationship with the students.

Still, it’s important that I recognize the gap and not pretend it doesn’t exist.