Polyglot investigation

Polyglot  investigation

Desire, motivation, necessity

”But wishes are only granted in fairy tales.”

― Simone Elkeles, Perfect Chemistry

I am sure that at different stages of life everybody thought about learning a foreign language. Reasons vary. Perhaps you got an interesting job offer abroad, and the only obstacle between you and a significant income boost is the language barrier. Maybe you have daydreamed about effortless chatting in French while meandering the streets of Paris on holidays. Or imagined addressing top Italian designers in their native language when buying some smart clothes in Milan.

With such positive thoughts in your head you sit down to study, get your teeth into knowledge and … nothing. Nothing happens. The language is completely strange, even hostile, an alien who has come to invade your brain. You try to figure out the language structure and grammar, but just get a headache and red eyes. And when it comes to words and pronunciation… Mama mia! You swear that the words were made up to break your tongue—though there are no bones in the tongue—or blow your mind. A couple of weeks later, or sometimes even sooner, you become less confident in your desire to get that job, go to France, or buy those damn clothes.

From my perspective, desire isn’t always the main driver. Succeeding in learning a language is influenced by a myriad of factors: necessity, motivation, time, challenge, the right mood, and, yes, even the season (a cold depressing rainy day hardly inspires study). Yet, when stars align, and all these elements converge in a parallel universe of sorts, everything suddenly clicks.

Скажи мне прежде, как звать тебя?

First, sir, I pray, what is your title? (Shakespear, Pericles)

Luckily (or unfortunately, who knows?), scientists haven’t agreed on the exact number of languages a person should know to be called a polyglot or multilingual person. Some assume that 3 languages are enough whereas others claim that you can proudly bear that title only after having mastered between 5 to 10 languages. Moreover, it’s unclear what ‘knowing’ a language means. Different people mean differently. Some believe it’s enough to be able to communicate on a general level, to navigate a basic conversation. Others are sure you have to be able to think in the language. As the Latin saying goes, ‘quot homines, tot sententiae’ (as many men, so many opinions). In 2008 Richard Hudson invented a new term – hyperpolyglot (http://dickhudson.com/hyperpolyglots) to describe fluent in 12+ languages. Yet, in reality, there are those who have mastered over 20 languages. Can you imagine?!

Who is the first one?

So, who stands out as the most accomplished among them? To my mind, it’s quite hard, if possible at all, to rank polyglots. For sure, there are multilingual people famous all over the world, but what about the unsung heroes—shy and modest people who don’t share their language talents with the rest of us? I remember once reading an article about a waitress fluent in 5-6 languages, who thought of them as merely an addition to her professional skills set, not something extraordinary. And she was happy.

Here, my goal is not to give you a detailed report on all-time polyglots—there are endless lists on Wiki. Instead, I am going to share interesting, peculiar, eccentric, or even scary facts about a few of them. For instance, Irish writer and poet James Joyce, known for his stream of consciousness method, not only mastered such languages as English, Gaelic, French, Italian, German, and Norwegian, but also incorporated phrases from more than 50 languages in his Finnegans Wake.

Vladimir Nabokov is famous for his scandalous Lolita. He wrote two versions of the novel in Russian and English as he was fluent in both languages. He also spoke French.

Then there is a darker tale of Moskvin who mastered 13 languages. He was a respected Russian academic and linguist till the day of the arrest. He stored dolls in his flat, which is not a crime, of course—only his dolls were made from corpses he had exhumed, a macabre hobby he pursued for 20 years.

Giuseppe Caspar Mezzofanti, an Italian cardinal, spoke 40 languages fluently and had some knowledge of 30 more languages. A few sources say he spoke 38 languages and had knowledge of 40 dialects. While some sceptics doubt his linguistic abilities, others whole-heartedly believe in his extraordinary gifts. In addition to this hobby of his, Mezzofanti had interests ranging from archaeology, astrology, ethnology, to numismatics.

And let’s not overlook Ghil’ad Zuckermann, an Israeli linguist and revivalist—a person who tries to revive dying or dead languages—with various degrees from different universities. He speaks thirteen languages among which are Yiddish, Hebrew, Italian, and Mandarin.

I am particularly inspired by Kato Lomb who was a Hungarian interpreter and translator. Moreover, she was one of the first simultaneous interpreters in the world. She knew about 28 languages, and by ‘knew’ I mean she could at least comprehend written texts. Out of these 28, she was able to interpret in 10. What’s even more astonishing is that she learnt many of them on her own, developing her language learning methods and principles.

But Lomb’s tale is not just an outline; it serves as a guiding star to all of us with a passion for languages. It reminds us that learning a language goes beyond a mere academic exercise—it’s a doorway to understanding different cultures, histories, and perspectives. What begins as simple curiosity can foster solid connections with people worldwide.

The stories of polyglots like Kato Lomb remind us of the profound abilities of human’s brain and our incredible capacity for learning and adapting. These language enthusiasts didn’t limit themselves to their native languages; they boldly dove into unknown linguistic waters, exploring the vast oceans of human communication. Their accomplishments prove the idea that language is not just vocabulary and grammar. Language is the soul of culture, the heart of interaction, and a bridge connecting peoples through time and space.
In today’s era of globalisation and high-tech marvels, the ability to speak multiple languages still remains valuable and important, facilitating deeper understanding, collaboration, and friendship. So, whether your aim is to boost your career, find love, or satisfy your linguistic hunger, remember: each language you touch is a rainbow path to another realm.

In conclusion, let’s take a moment to appreciate the tapestry of languages that enrich our lives. Stay curious, open-minded, and flexible. Stay adventurous. Stay creative. Be alive! The journey of a thousand languages begins with a single word.