AI translation promises frictionless communication — but what are we losing when we outsource meaning? In this episode, LJ explores why learning a language will always matter more than any algorithm, examining what gets flattened in translation, how language learning transforms identity, and how to use technology as a tool rather than a replacement.

Welcome to the new Beyond Fluency — a consolidation of The Fluency Fix, Native To Me, and Teach Me, Too into one cohesive podcast exploring language learning through critique, conversation, and resource.

In this inaugural episode, LJ explains why running five podcasts became unsustainable, how the three-energies framework works, and what listeners can expect moving forward. Using the theme "What Does It Mean to Sound Like Yourself?" — the episode demonstrates how critique (dismantling accent reduction myths), conversation (exploring linguistic identity through a student's story), and resource (introducing the Voice Mapping exercise) work together in every episode.

Let me ask you something. When was the last time you sat down to study grammar — and actually enjoyed it?

If you're drawing a blank right now, you're not alone.

For most people, grammar feels like punishment. Like something you have to do, but would rather avoid. You know you need to understand it. But every time you sit down to study it, you're bored out of your mind.

Verb conjugation tables. Conditional tenses. Subjunctive moods. Rules upon rules upon exceptions.

And you think: Is there really no way to make this interesting?

In this episode, we're talking about how to actually enjoy studying grammar. Yes, really.

You'll learn why grammar feels so boring in the first place — and why it's not grammar's fault. How grammar is actually the architecture of meaning, revealing how languages think about time, possibility, and relationships. Why approaching grammar as discovery instead of memorization changes everything. And five strategies to study grammar in a way that's curious, playful, and actually engaging.

Grammar isn't boring. The way it's usually taught is. And when you put it back into context, tie it to meaning, and approach it with curiosity instead of obligation — it becomes something you explore, not something you avoid.

You don't have to love grammar. But you also don't have to hate it. You get to choose how you engage with it.

Want full transcripts, extended show notes, and bonus resources for every episode? Podcast Pro gives you the tools to transform grammar from a chore into exploration — with strategies rooted in curiosity and real communication.

Learn more and subscribe at theimmersionstudio.com.