Greek to Me by Mary Norris, and thoughts about learning foreign languages

I'm currently reading Mary Norris's book Greek to Me, and I was struck by one paragraph in particular this morning:

"The study of any language...opens the mind, gives you a window onto another culture, and reminds you that there is a larger world out there and different ways of saying things, hearing things, seeing things...In learning a foreign language, you have to humble yourself, admit your ignorance, be willing to look stupid..."

It struck me as I read this that it would be a very helpful exercise if all of us learned at least one other language. Maybe that would help heal the divide we see going on between people, that sense of "If you don't agree with my viewpoint, I hate you." We need to recognize that other people have their own views, and they're as valid and important as our own. We need to stop demanding everything conform to our wishes. We need to stop protesting against reality. Maybe, just maybe, language could bring us closer together.

I've studied, to greater or lesser extents, a number of languages over the years. Some of them I can remember enough to sing songs or recite poetry. Some of them I can only read and not speak. Some of them I understand when spoken but can't read. Some of them I can carry on actual conversations in. And there are a host of them I would still like to explore. They have all affected my view of the world by making it seem smaller and more accessible. I can catch a glimpse of how people think because of the way their words and constructs differ from my own. I can glean new meanings to things I thought I understood. I can grasp new metaphors and idioms that enrich and enlighten the way I see ordinary stuff around me. And hopefully I can understand better people who are not from my culture or world view. (Though I have to say, some of the languages I've studied haven't been overly useful. You don't tend to run into Mayan or Bislama speakers walking down the streets of Toronto.)

Just as small examples of things that delight me: The Greek word for spring (the season) means "to open or uncork." The Hebrew name of God, Elohim, is plural. Glasgow means "blue fields" but they didn't differentiate between blue and green, so really it meant "green fields." (Not the description I'd give Glasgow today.) The Daffodil may have come from "Asphodel," the flower of Hades. The German word "der Kummerspeck" literally means "sorrow bacon" and refers to the weight you gain from comfort eating. The reason the Nova car didn't do well in Italy is probably because in Italian its name means "doesn't go." Similarly, the Citroen is a lemon in America. Tee hee. That just tickles me. If nothing else, language has made my brain a playground, so that I'm never bored.

Well, you can see I'm easily entertained!

High on my list of languages to study next are Maltese and Ojibwe. I want to dust off my Italian and French and learn more in-depth ASL. I think Icelandic would be fun. I've been absorbing Korean from the Netflix dramas I've been binge-watching. But if I wanted to learn something really useful, I should focus on Cantonese or Arabic, as that is most prevalent in this area. 

So much to learn! So many worlds and people to meet! So little time! What languages have you learned, dear readers, and how have they impacted your life? What do you want to learn next?