E Pluribus Unum
"Latin is a
language
As dead as dead can be.
First it killed the Romans
And now it's killing me!"
Okay, Latin at school wasn't that bad. But the ancient rhyme pretty much summed up our childish rage at being forced to learn a dumb old language that nobody spoke anymore -- except in church.
Now, older and (hopefully) wiser, I think I was lucky to have gone to a school where Latin was compulsory. Every time I pick up La Opinion or El Pais, watch soccer or a telenovella on K-MEX, or try to decipher a rollicking norteno belting out of the radio, I use my rusty Latin to translate as best I can -- my only tool without the benefit of Spanish language lessons.
It's tough for native English language speakers to appreciate the effort millions make to learn the language because they must. Monolinguals take it for granted that good jobs are for the taking without any need to learn another language.
But the times, they are a-changing. The technology that propelled English to its current exalted status of top language is moving onwards. The Internet is no longer Mare Nostrum (i) -- navigable only in English. Multilingual computing is a reality. And as we look for directions to the next millennium, the signposts are written in more than one language.
Recognizing this trend, American Language Review is expanding its coverage of language learning issues to include languages other than English.
It's a good idea to remember that, despite its global popularity, English is merely primus inter pares (ii). You can get a good job if you speak English. But you can get an even better job if you speak more than one language.
A savvy mom, Gloria Rodriguez knows that multilingualism is the key to her daughter's future: Christina Rodriguez, currently a third-grader at Logan Street School in Los Angeles, already speaks Spanish and English. Mrs. Rodriguez says "My daughter is doing very well, and I think it is because of bilingual education. When she goes to college, she wants to learn Japanese and French. That will be four languages she will know how to speak and write. Employers will love her."
Parents like Mrs. Rodriguez demand that second language acquisition be put at the top of the educational agenda. Study after study tells us that children have a natural ability to pick up language from an early age. We mustn't underestimate a kid's ability to learn and love languages. We should be encouraging the precocious childhood gift of self-expression and channeling that energy into second, third, and even fourth, language acquisition.
As we expand our coverage of language learning today and tomorrow, we welcome teachers of languages other than English to American Language Review.
Together, we can teach the world to speak in perfect harmony.