Impostor Syndrome (IS), feeling like we’re frauds and undeserving of praise we receive, is prevalent among language learners. Considering that we intentionally immerse ourselves in a new world searching for connection and identity, it makes sense that so many of us experience IS. Unfortunately, it often doesn’t go away as we improve our skills, master more languages, or function socially or professionally in our languages. The feeling of being an impostor may actually intensify as our abilities advance and we lose the sense of being a student of the language. We’re not beginners, but there’s a gap between our skills and our identities as speakers of our languages.

As someone who began learning languages in adulthood, I’ve observed several connections between impostor syndrome and the way we view and talk about language acquisition. In this presentation, I identify several themes found in language learning discussions that feed into IS. I share my personal experience with IS and how uncovering these connections has helped me shape a joyful and confident language life. I also propose several strategies that support a shift in mindset toward believing that we are legitimate, and we do deserve for the work and progress we’re making.

HEIDI LOVEJOY

Heidi Lovejoy is the host of Love, Joy, and Languages podcast, which she created to share her story discovering languages in her 30s. Today she shares her personal experience with impostor syndrome as an adult language learner. For years, Heidi approached language learning as a perfectionist, and as she worked to heal herself from the negative mentality of perfectionism, she started making connections between impostor syndrome and how we view and talk about languages in this community. Heidi is on a mission to discuss the hard parts of language learning to help others find joy and harmony in languages.
Website: lovejoyandlanguages.com, instagram.com/love.joyandlanguages/

This video was recorded at the Polyglot Gathering Online 2023 (https://www.polyglotgathering.com).