About

Hi! My name is Wei Lin, but I usually go by my initials WL. I’m a software engineer from Singapore.

This is my personal blog devoted to language learning.

I created Expressing Meaning to share what I know about learning languages effectively. (It also lets me do something else which I like: Design. I now have an excuse to play around and design graphics for each post.)

I believe that anyone can learn a new language at any stage of their lives if they develop the habits that can help them.

I write about resources, the mindset, productivity, the habits, developing habits, setting goals, and other things relating to language learning.

I’m an introvert, and my biggest challenge with learning any language is speaking. Reading comprehension and grammar are my strong points. I’m pretty decent with vocabulary.

I post a new post every Tuesday.

Additional vocabulary-related posts (for the language I am currently focusing on learning) are on Thursdays and Sundays.

On Thursdays, I pick a word related to computer science. (I am a software engineer, and I studied computer science.)

On Sundays, I pick a word out of a Bible verse, and post it together with the verse. (I’m a Christian.)

I grew up speaking two languages (English and Mandarin Chinese), understanding a third (Cantonese) from eavesdropping on conversations between my mother and my grandmother, and had the opportunity to learn others in school (Japanese – though all I can do now is recognise Hiragana and Katakana) and later in university (French).

But my love for languages really took off in 2015, when I stayed in Switzerland for a semester-long exchange program. (It was also during my stay there that I learned Italian, and it contributed to why I eventually picked up German when I returned for my final year.)

I’m currently learning German, in preparation for a mission trip in December.