Learn Naturally, Speak Naturally.
By: Adara Zfan Paquito
Issue 3 Spring 2021
One thing that relatively connects living beings from humans, to animals and plants, even to the smallest organism is curiosity. Curiosity always brings the best out of individuals, especially when it comes to communicating. With communication, comes language. Language has inevitably been complexed ever since primogenitors have stepped foot on the most residing grounds people know of today. In other words, language is considered by many as a form of art that further brings out its intricate beauty when mastered. Some people may not like the idea of learning a new language, but the benefits and advantages of being able to adopt to a unique or lost language can be a go sign for endless opportunities ahead.
As of today, there are roughly around 6,500 known languages around the world. Meanwhile, a small number out of the 6,500 are either extinct or no longer spoken nor studied. Because of the advancements of today’s technology, more and more people are being enlightened by these so-called ‘lost’ languages. With that being said, the possibility of introducing language courses to students will allow and encourage individuals to culturally be aware of the language. “I think Italian, Russian, Chinese and Japanese would be very useful for students. Chinese mainly because it is the most spoken language in the world,” Lynly Gale, a Spanish learning student, expressed. Although introducing language courses to schools may be beneficial to few students, including these courses to areas where a certain language is more proficient than the other may or may not cause few issues. “I just went to the Dominican Republic and I could communicate with Spanish and English to them, and it was very easy. They didn’t know a lot of English, but they knew common words and phrases and they could comprehend what I was saying,” Lynly added.
The progression of welcoming these uncommon languages and having the right resources, as well as the ability to be able to adapt to them, contributes to the language itself and its community. “Preserve them. Because they’re extinct. Wouldn’t it be fun to learn a language not many are familiar about? Plus, history is precious,” Zamara Cavaleri, a Spanish learning student, commented. Having the ability to be able to adapt to two or more languages may portray anyone as a person who can multitask, not knowing there are a few disadvantages or struggles to any individual. Even people who are naturally expected to have knowledge of their own language can struggle with their own dialects at times. “People assume that if you speak second or more languages, then you are automatically fluent in them. Which isn’t near the case. It takes months or even years to become fluent in a language,” Zamara retaliated. Children, whose parents are originally from another area, are also having the same struggles. In some cases, a few may have been taught with their mother tongue at home, but along the way, they lost the flow of the language due to an outside distraction, including school, or basically any environment where a few people were involuntarily required to speak a language that everyone can understand. Consequently, this leads to a part of languages being forgotten or abandoned. “Because the person who is speaking outside of their mother tongue is learning to speak something than what they are used to, sometimes they become more immersed into the new language for the sake of being able to blend in,” Zamara ranted.
Choosing to learn a new language can also be considered a new hobby to some. Although it takes confidence and a huge amount of patience to learn new lingos, it never stops people from finding new hobbies they can flaunt as a lifetime commitment. The thought alone of taking these old languages allows them to shine and be known to the world. “I like having languages in class because you get to hear it from different people and it shows how they are teaching it,” Breanne Zell, a French student commented. To have the means for gaining knowledge of new languages, “It would most likely benefit students who would like to learn languages and it gives them more of a variety rather than just English,” Breanne added. Seeing as English is the main language that is being used for communication, a few people cannot help but take it upon themselves to learn and possibly acquire knowledge for their own gains. Whether it be as a fun hobby, or simply another reason other than for personal uses, there are no opposing forces that can possibly stop them.
As of today, there are roughly around 6,500 known languages around the world. Meanwhile, a small number out of the 6,500 are either extinct or no longer spoken nor studied. Because of the advancements of today’s technology, more and more people are being enlightened by these so-called ‘lost’ languages. With that being said, the possibility of introducing language courses to students will allow and encourage individuals to culturally be aware of the language. “I think Italian, Russian, Chinese and Japanese would be very useful for students. Chinese mainly because it is the most spoken language in the world,” Lynly Gale, a Spanish learning student, expressed. Although introducing language courses to schools may be beneficial to few students, including these courses to areas where a certain language is more proficient than the other may or may not cause few issues. “I just went to the Dominican Republic and I could communicate with Spanish and English to them, and it was very easy. They didn’t know a lot of English, but they knew common words and phrases and they could comprehend what I was saying,” Lynly added.
The progression of welcoming these uncommon languages and having the right resources, as well as the ability to be able to adapt to them, contributes to the language itself and its community. “Preserve them. Because they’re extinct. Wouldn’t it be fun to learn a language not many are familiar about? Plus, history is precious,” Zamara Cavaleri, a Spanish learning student, commented. Having the ability to be able to adapt to two or more languages may portray anyone as a person who can multitask, not knowing there are a few disadvantages or struggles to any individual. Even people who are naturally expected to have knowledge of their own language can struggle with their own dialects at times. “People assume that if you speak second or more languages, then you are automatically fluent in them. Which isn’t near the case. It takes months or even years to become fluent in a language,” Zamara retaliated. Children, whose parents are originally from another area, are also having the same struggles. In some cases, a few may have been taught with their mother tongue at home, but along the way, they lost the flow of the language due to an outside distraction, including school, or basically any environment where a few people were involuntarily required to speak a language that everyone can understand. Consequently, this leads to a part of languages being forgotten or abandoned. “Because the person who is speaking outside of their mother tongue is learning to speak something than what they are used to, sometimes they become more immersed into the new language for the sake of being able to blend in,” Zamara ranted.
Choosing to learn a new language can also be considered a new hobby to some. Although it takes confidence and a huge amount of patience to learn new lingos, it never stops people from finding new hobbies they can flaunt as a lifetime commitment. The thought alone of taking these old languages allows them to shine and be known to the world. “I like having languages in class because you get to hear it from different people and it shows how they are teaching it,” Breanne Zell, a French student commented. To have the means for gaining knowledge of new languages, “It would most likely benefit students who would like to learn languages and it gives them more of a variety rather than just English,” Breanne added. Seeing as English is the main language that is being used for communication, a few people cannot help but take it upon themselves to learn and possibly acquire knowledge for their own gains. Whether it be as a fun hobby, or simply another reason other than for personal uses, there are no opposing forces that can possibly stop them.
