Omnilingualism: My Superpower of Choice

Many years ago, my friends and I were sitting at a pub when the question was posed: "If you could have any superpower, what would it be?" The usual responses were given (super speed, the power to fly, the ability to see through women's clothes, etc.), but then when I said that I wanted the ability to speak and understand any language, I was mocked. Imagine the shame!

The nerdiest of my friends (whose superpower seems to be an encyclopedic knowledge of superheroes) piped up and said that there was already such a superhero: Cypher. (My friend's so nerdy superheroic, in fact, that he knew Cypher's real name: Douglas Ramsey.)

What I didn't know is that the power to speak all languages has an official name: Omnilingualism. Woah! That totally beats multilingualism. What's more, Cypher isn't the only superhero with this ability: Starfire reputedly has the power of "linguistic assimilation," and Traveler from the Heroes graphic novel is also able to speak all languages. Others include Brainiac and Captain Marvel II.

Since there are enough superheroes with omnilingualism as a superpower, I shouldn't be embarrassed for naming it as my power of choice. Although shooting lasers out of my eyes or ice blasts out of my fingertips is cool, too, I'll stick with my original superpower.

English in the EU

There was a good article in this week's edition of The Economist on the rise of English within the European Union.

English is becoming the lingua franca not because of supremacy of English-speaking nations, but by the desire of speakers to "choose the language that excludes the fewest people in the room," thus choosing the language that is understood at least minimally by the most number of listeners. In many cases, this is English.

Such parochialism may be linked to a fall in language-learning, accelerated since 2003, when foreign languages became voluntary in England and Wales for pupils over 14. That robs them of such benefits as the humility and respect for others that come from learning another language.

Charlemagne, The Economist, Feb 12th 2009

The Economist laments the downside for the British and Irish, who will have fewer and fewer incentives to learn a foreign language. This effect parallels language learning in other English-speaking nations around the world, too, since why torture someone's ears with gringo Spanish when they speak perfectly good English already? (That was a rhetorical question, I already know why!)

Multilingual U.S. Presidents

Rosetta Stone - makers of the well-known language software that is a bit beyond my price range, but I'd be willing to review it if someone were to send me a copy (hint, hint) - has dug deep into the annals of American history to uncover presidential polyglots. At the top of the list (and not just because the list is chronological) is Thomas Jefferson, who was fluent in at least six languages (English, French, Italian, German, Latin and Greek).

At first I was impressed that so many American presidents were multilingual, but then I counted again and realized only 13 of 44 presidents were on the list. That seems to me to be a low percentage. So many world leaders from other nations speak multiple languages in order to better represent their countries on the world stage. Still, the tide might be changing because, as the article points out, demographic trends show more frequent usage of other languages besided English at home. Soon it will be a de facto requirement to know Spanish in order to get elected.

Click here to read the full article and view the list of multilingual presidents.

California Adopts World Language Standards for Schools

California's on a roll! Putting foreign languages on par with math and science, there are now content standards for foreign language instruction in grade schools. The standards present "the knowledge, skills, and abilities that all learners should acquire during thirteen years in the California public school system." What's interesting is the effort made to create standards that are not language-specific and instead are flexible enough to accommodate all languages and learning stages.

"In today's global economy, it just makes good economic sense to encourage all of our students to effectively learn about the different languages and cultures of people with whom they will be interacting."

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell

These standards can be used to help develop your own learning curriculum, if you are so inclined. There are benchmarks for progress, from Stage I (signs, words, phrases) to Stage IV (cohesive texts composed of multiple paragraphs). There are also five categories for learning: Content, communication, cultures, structures and settings. The stages plus the categories yield a large matrix of expectations and lessons. For instance, in Stage III Content, I should be able to "address topics related to self and the immediate environment," such as farm animals and the weather.

The Department of Education news release can be read here, and the draft of the World Language Content Standards for California Public Schools, including the matrix of learning objectives, can be downloaded here (Word doc).

California Law Requires Language Services for Patients

In a move that should generate some backlash (and racial slurs) from anti-immigrant groups, California has passed a law that requires California heath plans to offer free language services to patients who are not proficient in English. (Click here to read a news article from San Jose.) I find it crazy that there needs to be a law to enforce this, HMOs should already be providing the service, but nevertheless I applaud the California government.

Understanding what a physician or pharmacist says to you is incredibly important. If you misunderstand instructions or explanations, you run the risk of endangering your health, and it is difficult to argue with the belief that a person ought to be healthy - in fact, it is a basic fundamental human right. By providing proper interpretation, ambiguities can be cleared up and the best possible care can be provided.

"So what?" you could ask. "It's their fault for not learning English. Why should we be paying for that?" Well, because illness is a public issue, not a private one. If my neighbour is sick then I too am affected, either directly through transmission or indirectly through increased costs to the system. Therefore, if you can avoid unnecessary illness through better communication, then it is both economically sound and compassionate.

The Best Tips for Learning a Language: Bonus Techniques

Let's face it, learning a language takes time and effort - there's no getting around that. Until there are fancy computer chips that can simply be plugged into our brains, we will have to do the work ourselves. Nevertheless, by heeding some wise advice from others we can make the process faster, easier, and more enjoyable.

The following is a curated collection of tips and hints from a variety of sources, including personal experience. You can pick and choose from among these, or you can try them all at once. However, I would strongly recommend that you read the first group of tips that deal with language-learning essentials.

Bonus techniques

Here is a miscellaneous collection of techniques that are above and beyond the other tips presented.

1. Do something creative with your newfound vocabulary. Make a craft, write a song, paint a picture, cook a meal... whatever stimulates multiple senses at the same time. Learning through play is a powerful method that all children know instinctively, but as adults we've all forgotten.
2. Translate something from your target language into your native language. You'll be doing this anyway in your head while reading newspapers or websites, but the physical act of putting pen to paper triggers more sensory pathways, and the extra effort involved really drives home the learning.
3. Shadowing is a method devised by the famous polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. It involves walking briskly while reciting your lessons, which makes you look something like a lunatic. To see the method in action, there is a video posted on his website.
4. Superlearning involves slow Baroque music, rhythmic breathing, and a pre-recorded audio track of words for learning. If you believe the Superlearning website, one can learn 1,000 foreign words in a few hours.

Feel free to suggest your own tips and tricks by leaving a comment!

Other tips in this series

This post is just one in a series of tips on language learning. Please read the other sections:

• The essential tips
• For basic functional skills
• For conversational skills
• For mastering an accent

The Best Tips for Learning a Language: Conversational Skills and Accents

Let's face it, learning a language takes time and effort - there's no getting around that. Until there are fancy computer chips that can simply be plugged into our brains, we will have to do the work ourselves. Nevertheless, by heeding some wise advice from others we can make the process faster, easier, and more enjoyable.

The following is a curated collection of tips and hints from a variety of sources, including personal experience. You can pick and choose from among these, or you can try them all at once. However, I would strongly recommend that you read the first group of tips that deal with language-learning essentials.

For conversational skills

1. Translate ideas, not words. This is the #1 tip for conversations: Don't get hung up on using exactly the right word. Instead, break up your thoughts into chunks and try to get each chunk across as an idea. For instance: "Yesterday I went for lunch with your brother" can be broken up into three ideas: "Yesterday," "I went for lunch," and "with your brother." If you focus on making sure your listener understands each section then you won't lose them as you could if you were to try to translate one word at a time.
2. Get a buddy who is a native speaker. If you don't know a native speaker, cast about for a language-exchange partner. There are services online that will match you up with someone in your area. If you live in a small, rural town in middle America and you want to learn an exotic language like Tibetan or Quechua, then your options are limited and you will have to resort to virtual buddies, available through many language-learning community sites (LingQ.com, Palabea, Livemocha, etc.). Otherwise, meet face-to-face if possible because you won't learn as fast if you can't see the non-verbal signals.
3. Find a pen pal. Writing is a different skill set than merely making yourself understood. A basic vocabulary and lots of hand gestures will get you by in person, but you will be incomprehensible on paper. It will be a slow, arduous process but you will quickly learn the niceties of salutations and letter etiquette, something that isn't easy to find in textbooks. As a bonus, have your pen pal send your letters back with corrections so that you can learn from your mistakes.
4. Video chat with native speakers if you're feeling brave enough, confident enough, or you have no sense of shame.

For faking mastering an accent

1. Invest in audio resources, but be aware of differences between local dialects. If you are trying to go undercover in Morocco, listening to audio CDs from Saudi Arabia is going to be ineffective.
2. Listen to music and watch movies in your target language to get a sense of rhythm and accent. Go ahead and sing out loud, too!
3. Tape yourself talking. Or singing, for that matter. Inspector Clouseau from The Pink Panther could have benefited from this technique so that he could hear himself say "hamburger" incorrectly.
4. Find location-specific word lists. There is a scene in Die Hard with a Vengeance where the German terrorist has a perfect American accent, but gives himself away when he uses the word "lift" instead of "elevator."

Feel free to suggest your own tips and tricks by leaving a comment!

Other tips in this series

This post is just one in a series of tips on language learning. Please read the other sections:

• The essential tips
• For basic functional skills
• Bonus techniques