Learning to read in a foreign language has taught me to embrace ambiguity – one sentence at a time

‘It did suck at the beginning – reading stories for literal babies – but it wasn’t long before I could tackle more complexity,’ writes Patrick Lum. Illustration: Mikhail Seleznev/Getty Images/iStockphoto

I’d been learning Japanese on and off for years when, on New Year’s Day 2022, I realised I could still barely master the sushi bar menu. Three years on I’m now reading my ninth book, having finished a few hundred comics and a video game – all in Japanese.

I’m still amazed at my achievement. My biggest breakthrough? Learning to embrace ambiguity and finding comfort in incomplete understanding.