Where Can Learning a Language Take You?

Why Languages Matter

Where can learning a language take you?

We spoke to Stephen Fry about his passion for languages, and why he believes language learning is so important.

Please can you introduce What is your profession what I did was picked up by yourself and tell us a or career? broadcasters in Britain who bit about yourself? asked me and my troupe to I write books, act in films, perform on television, and it My name is Stephen Fry and plays and TV shows. I do just grew from there. I’m 63 years old and an actor, stage performances and writer, broadcaster sort of a generally busy myself. How many and what person. languages do you speak? Can you tell us what the best aspect of your I am familiar with French, profession/career is? German, Spanish, Italian, Latin and a little Greek and Goodness. The satisfaction Dutch. and fulfillment when it goes right is hard to overstate. When did you start There’s a lot of (I hope learning languages invisible) slog and effort and and why? disappointment along the way but when something At school like everybody else! you do is appreciated and I just clicked with Latin and admired well… Ancient Greek, and French and German followed. I How and why did you get was hopeless at Maths and into your line of work? science, but the structure and rhythm and sounds Good fortune really. A of other languages always student performer and writer, appealed to me and seemed

Time to start your language learning journey! go.pearson.com/whylanguagesmatter natural. I had a special love Go for it! There’s intrigue me. When I was of philology and etymology - I young, they would speak loved to see the patterns that “nothing to lose it sometimes if they didn’t connect different languages. and everything want me or my brother to understand. Nothing What are your favourite to gain. encourages learning a things about being able language more! to speak a second (or ” multiple) language(s)? Were there any Were there any moments or events that obstacles or factors that The cultural insights, the inspired you and led you put you off learning a rapport with native speakers to learn a language? language at any point? of that language, the feeling If so, what where they? that one can have a stronger When I fell in love with the bond with people as a result operas of Mozart and Verdi, I have always wanted to learn of speaking their language - it really strengthened my Russian, but I have been put and indeed asking them to desire to be more familiar off by the difficulty (especially help strengthen it. Most of with Italian, for example. of verbs of motion). Just lazy, us enjoy being asked by a Similarly, I wanted to read but that’s something I really non-native speaker if they are and understand Rilke, the regret. getting it right. German poet and the best way was to polish up my What advice would How has learning a German a bit more. you give to someone language affected your who is thinking about life – both personally Were there any people learning a language? and professionally? who inspired you to learn a language? Go for it! There’s nothing to I’ve made friends from other lose and everything to gain. countries, been able to visit I was lucky to have good those countries and not teachers and my parents, What skills does worry about getting lost! both German, enough to someone need to be able to learn a language?

© tomertu If you can speak your native tongue, you can speak any tongue. Unless there’s a specific cognitive deficiency, anyone can learn a language. My grandfather spoke so many, but not French and he used to shake his head with disappointment in France if he saw children chattering in the street. “Look,” he would say, “they are four years old and speak better French than me!” And that’s what you

Time to start your language learning journey! go.pearson.com/whylanguagesmatter How important do you think it’ll be to learn an additional language in the future? Why or why not?

© Yulia Grigoryeva People always go on about Chinese and the reason is always a business one. Well, have to remember — if some Do you think learning that is for some people Spanish or German child can another language is of course a good enough speak the language, then I important? Why or reason, but really, I think it’s can too. Admittedly there is a why not? wider than that. The more ‘language acquisition window’ we understand each other as linguists call it, during which It’s like learning to drive or the better we are likely to languages and their structures play a musical instrument. get along, the more likely we are absorbed as easily as a You don’t absolutely need are to thrive and see each suntan, but that doesn’t mean to drive or play to have a others’ points of view. As one should put off when the complete and happy life, but the great linguist Chomsky window has closed. The brain the extra quality, the richness puts it, ‘the miracle of the can still do it. and the capabilities are rich world’s languages, what an and rewarding. alien observing us would see, What excites you is not how different they all the most about are one from the other, but language learning? The feeling of how similar. They all come power and from the same place and The feeling of power and “ they all solve the business splendor when you get splendor when of describing the world and it right. It’s like flying or you get it right. sharing it, communicating swimming, it’s an extra gift it with others in very similar that enables you… It’s like flying or ways. They remind us not how different we are, but What do you think swimming. how alike.’

are some of the best PEUK B0067 | Version 1.0 MFL Jan 2021 DCL1: Public tricks or practices to ” learn a new language and maintain your knowledge of it?

I like to pretend I’m a commentator, like a sports commentator, so you look out of the window and commentate on the birds, the traffic, the people walking by in the language of your choice. It’s silly and fun.

Time to start your language learning journey! go.pearson.com/whylanguagesmatter