[Watch] Malaysian Student In Toronto Speaks 11 Languages
A perfectionist both on ice and in linguistics, Lim Xin Yi developed unique learning mechanisms to master 11 languages without confusion.
Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter, or Telegram and WhatsApp channels for the latest stories and updates.
Malaysian student Lim Xin Yi wanted to become a cardiac surgeon.
Things, however, took a different turn when she switched courses while pursuing her undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto.
The hyperpolyglot has mastered 11 languages during her time in Canada.
After completing her Bachelor of Arts degree with high distinction, Lim pursued a master’s degree in Hispanic linguistics and will graduate soon.
Her ability to master 11 languages is partly thanks to her homeland, where she grew up speaking five languages, which helped her brain better absorb different languages.
My brain works in different channels and compartments. With my photographic memory, learning languages is like translating mental images into these mental compartments.
Inside the Mind of a Polyglot
Now a graphic designer, Lim aims to incorporate her mastery of 11 languages into her career.
I hope my future work will involve communication and fully utilize the language skills I’ve accumulated over the years.
Due to her perfectionism in linguistics and desire to avoid mistakes, she developed her own resources, tools, and mechanisms to prevent cross-language confusion.
Lim, who splits her time between figure skating and part-time mixology, says she has fallen in love with Toronto’s diverse community and plans to continue developing her career there.
Next Goal: Arabic!
Lim explains that she created her own memory system for similar language families, such as Portuguese, French, Italian, and Spanish, to help avoid confusion when speaking.
Moreover, she became fluent in Spanish at age 12, and between ages 17 and 18, after entering the University of Toronto, she began learning French, Italian, Turkish, Portuguese, and Swahili.
Additionally, Lim, whose exploit was published on the university’s website, expresses her hope to learn Arabic in the near future, acknowledging its difficulty and wanting to overcome this challenge.
I also want to learn Greek, Albanian, and Armenian because Toronto has large populations of these ethnic groups, and I hope to integrate into these cultures.
READ MORE: [Watch] Multilingual Marvels: Malaysian Duo’s Linguistic Prowess Stuns The Internet
Malaysia took advantage of being multilingual by changing the language they speak depending on their opponent
— mrs.smells 「ユジン」 (@eugenary_s) August 2, 2024
🤣🤣🤣🤣 https://t.co/I41Nq7DSYw
Share your thoughts with us via TRP’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Threads.
