Everything started with a question from a student. He wanted to understand the structure be/get used to doing. I’ll admit, it’s a tough one. So I gave him a few examples, but he was still unsure about its use.
He expressed his confusion with his own example. “I don’t see the difference between saying ‘I am familiar with playing tennis’ and saying ‘I am used to playing tennis’. It sounds the same.”
At first, I thought about drawing a chart to explain it. But then I remembered. My student is a psychiatrist. That means he is used to dealing with matters of the human brain and its functions.
I asked him if he was familiar with Dr. Andrew Huberman, the neurobiologist from Stanford University, and host of the popular podcast Huberman Lab. He said he was not. So I filled him in on the details.
I explained to him that for anyone who is a fan (or a professional) of science, medicine, neuroscience, or healthy living, Dr. Huberman’s podcast is a festival of cool and often useful concepts and data about how the human brain works and how we can make it work for us. And I admitted that as a teacher and a lifelong learner, I found it highly educational and enlightening.
So I told him. “Why don’t we try something? I’m going to try to answer your question in the style of Andrew Huberman. I think that might clear things up for you. It might also be fun in a nerdy kind of way.” He agreed. And so I did.
What follows is my Hubermanesque reply to my student’s question, with a little bit more research on the exact terminology. Enjoy!
Okay. So we want to understand the difference between two phrases in English. "I am familiar with playing tennis" and "I am used to playing tennis." A good way to see this difference is to analyze it from the fascinating realm of neuroplasticity and how our brain forms connections based on experience.
Let’s look at the first phrase.
"I am familiar with playing tennis" refers to a level of acquaintance or knowledge about the activity. When someone says they're familiar with playing tennis, it implies a certain recognition or understanding of the game. This familiarity likely stems from exposure or observation, which triggers the activation of specific neural pathways associated with the concept of tennis. The more these pathways are engaged, the stronger the connections become, reinforcing the familiarity.
On the other hand, "I am used to playing tennis" hints at a deeper level of adaptation or habitual engagement. Here, we're talking about the brain's remarkable ability to adapt through repetition and routine. When someone says they're used to playing tennis, it suggests that their brain has adapted to the activity through repeated exposure. This adaptation involves a significant restructuring of neural networks, with synapses strengthening and pathways optimizing themselves to efficiently process the skills, strategies, and movements required for playing tennis.
Neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life, plays a crucial role in both scenarios. In the case of familiarity, initial exposure and learning begin to carve out neural pathways related to tennis. With continued exposure and practice, these pathways become more robust and efficient, enhancing familiarity.
However, becoming "used to" playing tennis involves a deeper level of neural rewiring. Repetition and consistent engagement with the activity lead to synaptic changes and the optimization of neural circuits specific to tennis-related skills. This adaptation reflects the brain's remarkable capacity to refine and streamline its operations, resulting in smoother, more automated performance. It would certainly explain the difference between the way a beginner and a professional play tennis or any other sport.
In essence, the difference between being familiar with playing tennis and being used to it lies in the depth of neural adaptation. While familiarity suggests recognition and understanding, being used to something indicates a profound neural integration resulting from consistent practice and experience. Both concepts highlight the brain's extraordinary ability to adapt, rewire, and optimize itself based on our experiences.
And to go beyond the world of tennis, the same distinction between being "familiar" and being "used to" applies to multiple activities or concepts that we take on in life.
Interestingly, one of these activities is language learning. Studying grammar rules and vocabulary indeed offers an academic familiarity with a language. It lays the groundwork for understanding the structure and components of the language, providing a foundation for comprehension and basic communication.
However, becoming "used to" speaking a language requires a different level of engagement and immersion. Continuous exposure by listening to content in the target language, engaging with native speakers, and actively interacting, regardless of mistakes, is crucial. This immersive experience rewires the brain more profoundly compared to academic study.
When you're actively listening and speaking a language, your brain adapts by creating and strengthening neural pathways associated with comprehension, production, and fluidity in that language. This immersive approach triggers a deeper level of neuroplasticity, optimizing the brain's ability to process the nuances of the language—intonation, colloquialisms, cultural context, etc.
And at some point, with continuous exposure and active practice, you transition from an academic familiarity to a level where you're "used to" speaking the language.
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