“Hebrish”: a very complex mix of Hebrew and English, most often used in my house when a Hebrew word is forgotten and I stubbornly refuse to ask for a reminder.

Growing up, my experience with language was a constant mixture of speaking English with my mom and Hebrew with my dad. Being bilingual has made me think about the multifaceted nature of language. English is elegantly complex, but also occasionally useless. It's uselessness is more significant to those who use English as a second language. Sometimes, English speakers use more words than necessary to describe thoughts and emotions, as if using extra words will clarify a significant and nuanced feeling, satisfying a yearning for uniqueness. And although there are many beautiful and eloquent words in the English language, in recent years it has become very popular to further butcher the language with words like “lol” and “yolo.”

I love speaking Hebrew, as I find it to be a deeply cultural language. Many people assume that being bilingual allows a person to have greater connections, both in your personal life and especially in the business world. This may be true. However, I have found that at home, it can be limiting both to have parents who speak different languages, and to speak two different languages at different levels. I speak Hebrew fluently, but my knowledge of the language relies solely on my dad’s knowledge of the language. Thus, my increasingly complex thoughts have exceeded my Hebrew vocabulary.

For instance, when talking to my mom, I can accurately describe a specific power tool, its function, and how I used it in the SCC Theater to build a set piece. I can describe how heavy it was, how I was mildly terrified watching my co-workers demonstrate what I would have to do with it, and how I felt proud of myself when I was finished. The same story with my dad roughly translates to: “Me build. Used a scary thing. It was cool.”

Now, that’s not to say I never tell my dad anything because it’s too difficult. Still, being bilingual does not mean that each language was learned equally. Many people assume that being bilingual automatically means you can read and write the language as well. Unfortunately for me, I can only speak Hebrew, and although I am better at reading than writing, it still takes me half an hour to read a traffic sign.

Additionally, having parents who speak two different languages makes conversation at home difficult. Every piece of news, every good grade (or bad one), every exciting Frisbee game, every time something hurts, needs to be told twice. I have mastered the skill of artfully retelling stories and events at the dinner table with one conversation going in Hebrew and one going on in English.

Although being bilingual can have some challenges, I love speaking two languages and feel that it has helped me shape my thoughts about what language can mean to individuals and families.