The Lending Language Lab

Is there a song that you know and love that somehow helps you express a feeling, thought, or experience that you couldn’t quite put a finger on? 

In this episode of the Lending Language Lab, Steph shares a song that has special significance in her life, and helps remind her how important it is to experience awe and amazement in our daily lives. 

Connect with Steph:

- IG: @_themightymunchkin_

- Email: [email protected]

Ending music credits: Tutu by Independent Music Licensing Collective (IMLC)

What do you do when you encounter sticky, icky feelings — emotions that make you want to run and hide?

In this episode of the Lending Language Lab, Steph talks about how the Cantonese term, 「搭枱」(meaning “sitting with strangers and having a meal with them” -- something that typically happens at crowded restaurants in Hong Kong) inspired her to consider a mindset shift we can all experiment with when we are confronted with challenging emotions. 

Connect with Steph:

- IG: @_themightymunchkin_

- Email: [email protected]

Ending music credits: Tutu by Independent Music Licensing Collective (IMLC)

A common storyline that we hear about exercising, particularly on social media platforms, is the idea that it is a "mandatory checkbox option" -- something that we have to do, instead of something that we get to do. In this episode of the Lending Language Lab, Steph shares a story of overhearing a conversation where the phrase「玩運動」("playing exercise") was used, and invites listeners to consider ways to bring more fun and joy into their relationships with exercise.

Connect with Steph:

- IG: @_themightymunchkin_

- Email: [email protected]

「我為你榮幸」(I’m proud of you) 

「我愛你」(I love you) 

「我關心你」(I care about you) 

These are phrases that those of us growing up in Cantonese-speaking families rarely, if ever, have heard spoken to us at home. 

Why is that? Is it because we don’t have the words to express these feelings of love? As we can see from the phrases above, a lack of language is clearly not the problem. We have all the words we need, but the communication patterns that help us express certain feelings just feel unnatural to us. 

In this episode of the Lending Language Lab, host Steph invites you to join her in pondering over how we can ‘grease the groove’ of words, phrases, and communication patterns that currently feel unfamiliar but that capture sentiments we deeply wish to express. 

While nonverbal expressions of emotion can be equally powerful, Steph invites you to experiment with putting words to your deeply felt but rarely vocalized emotions this week — telling a friend, family member, or important human in your life 「我愛你」，「我為你榮幸」，「我關心你」。

**Note from Steph: I’m just as curious as you about these ideas — my intention in Lending Language Lab episodes is to wonder and experiment alongside you, rather than to preach and prescribe. So: share your thoughts with me. Let me know your experiences and what you’ve discovered along your Lending Language adventures :)  Drop us a voice memo at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/lending-language-lab/message

Connect with Steph:

- IG: @_themightymunchkin_

- Email: [email protected]

In the second episode of the Lending Language Lab, Steph shares a short anecdote about learning how to say the word 'empath' in Cantonese. She explores how this new word not only gave her new tools to express herself, but also a new way to understand the very concept of empathy. 

Do you identify as an empath? What does empathy mean to you? Drop us a voice memo at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/lending-language-lab/message

Connect with Steph:

- IG: @_themightymunchkin_

- Email: [email protected]

On this first episode of the Lending Language Lab podcast, join host Steph Ng as she introduces what the podcast is all about. 

Tune in to hear how Steph's experiences of feeling voiceless inspired the mission of the podcast, and why she is excited to use this podcast as a testing ground for conversational mess-ups and misunderstandings. 

Connect with Steph:

- IG: @_themightymunchkin_

- Email: [email protected]