Tuesday's Tip for Language Learning #14: Brainscape - Ego Boundaries
Excerpt from Think Yourself into Becoming a Language Learning Super Star Brainscape: Ego Boundaries Ego Boundaries Ego boundaries, also called boundaries of the mind (Hartmann, 1991), refer to someone’s willingness to let someone into his or her inner circle and reflect the ego’s function of distinguishing between self and non-self (i.e. someone else). When that someone else comes from another culture, the ego boundaries of a language learner (or anyone) between self and the “other” can be either thick or think. Thick boundaries make it difficult for an individual to assimilate into another culture. Thin (permeable) boundaries make assimilation much easier. These differences are also called strong and weak ego boundaries. Defining ego boundaries Every learner has a barrier between “self” and “other.” This is normal; this is healthy. When the boundaries are very thick, however, they do not allow the learner to build a relationship with a native speaker from the culture of the langu