Welcome to another week of Dear Duolingo, an advice column just for learners. Catch up on past installments here.

Hi, everyone! This week, I'm giving you a pop quiz 😱 Maybe you haven't studied all our blog posts, but I bet you've learned more than you realize!

Are you ready?

Should we all speak the same language?

I personally don't think we all *should* speak one language, but it's interesting to think about—why don't we, and could we, if we wanted to?

Even if there was a worldwide language “reset,” and we all woke up tomorrow speaking the same language, it wouldn't last for long. Before long, we'd develop dialects of that language, and different accents, because language is always changing. Part of the reason it would change would be social—language is part of our identity—and we'd gradually sound more like our friends, neighbors, people we work and socialize with, and groups we are a part of. It would also change for geographic reasons: The world is a big place, and the small changes that happen in one part of the world would be different from those happening in other areas. Before long, we'd be right back where we started! 😉

Why do some languages have letters with symbols, like ä?

The alphabet has been evolving for millennia, and even if we just consider the Roman (or Latin) alphabet—the one used in English—you'll find many modifications across languages. That's because there are more sounds in a language than symbols. For example, in English, we have five written vowel letters—a, e, i, o, u—but we pronounce at least twice that many (and that's not including diphthongs), depending on the dialect of English. English never solved this problem: Instead, we have a chaotic spelling system where each letter can represent many sounds, and a single sound can have different written representations. If you think it's bad for English speakers trying to spell, imagine what it's like for English learners!

Other languages have taken a different approach: Instead of being conservative with the letters and symbols used to represent sounds in the language, they tweak existing symbols so that they can represent a different sound! For example, in French, “é” and “è” represent different sounds: “é” is for the sound like in English bait and “è” is like the vowel in English bet. How convenient!

How is it that languages are so different but so similar at the same time?

We all have the same machinery! Our brains have the same cognitive abilities no matter where we're born, and no matter the kind of language we use—spoken, signed, tactile—we as users of that language have the same basic tools (tongue, hands, ears, eyes) and limitations on those tools. Think of it like a chef working from the same ingredients in the kitchen.

Either way you look at it—how remarkably similar all languages are, or how vastly different they can be—language is amazing! 😍

Why do I understand U.S. English better than U.K. English?

This question came to us from a Spanish speaker—but it's relevant to all language learners! If you are learning Spanish, you might feel more comfortable with Mexican Spanish versus other Spanish dialects, and if you're studying German, you might be caught off guard by some words you hear in Austria, etc. Why do learners understand one dialect better than another?

Well, for basically the same reason that this happens in your first language! (I'm not alone in watching The Great British Bake Off with subtitles, right? 🇬🇧) Our ears—and our brain—learn what we hear, so we get lots of practice understanding the accents common in our environment, and other accents end up being harder. Many English learners may get more exposure to U.S. English through movies, TV, and music than to other English dialects, and so your brain has more practice with the sounds and patterns of U.S. English!

What do I do if I forget a word when speaking my new language?

Learning a language is all about building strong connections between ideas and how to communicate them in a new system of vocabulary and grammar—and speaking really puts those connections to the test! If the connection between an idea and a word is rusty or less strong, or even just if other connections are stronger and sort of compete in your brain, you could struggle to remember the thing you wanted to say.

So what should you do? The same thing you do in your own language! 😅 Luckily, you rely on these connections in your first language too, so you have practice talking around words that are on the tip of your tongue but that you can't quite recall. Describe it, gesture, say similar words, and explain the idea instead. You know, that boat, the kind that takes you a short distance? Like you can bring your car on it, too? Not a cruise, not a sailboat… (A ferry!)

How'd you do?

Were you surprised by any answers? Let us know what's on your mind!

For more answers to your language and learning questions, get in touch with us by emailing dearduolingo@duolingo.com.