Multilingual Bliss: For some, a passion Learning languages is more than just a hobby.
- Michael Marcoux, a senior government & politics and Russian language major, poses at the Language House.
By Octavia Sykes
Special to La Voz
Some students develop a strong desire to learn foreign languages outside the classroom to the point of becoming multilingual.
While many high schools and college majors require students to take foreign language classes, many students do not take the opportunity seriously.
Around 25 percent of Americans are multilingual and most of those Americans were raised in other countries, as reported by the Daily Sundial. Yet, 66 percent of European students are multilingual, which raises questions concerning why more Americans are not multilingual.
Yet, for Iman Ng, a senior government & politics and Arabic studies major, language learning is a way of life. Ng, who is fluent in many Arabic dialects, Dutch, and two Chinese dialects, sees language learning as enjoyable.
“It is a lifelong process,” Ng said. “It is an adventure.”
Ng is the chairman of the Writing and Translation Club. As a member of the Language House and Russian cluster, Ng is required to speak Russian consistently.
Senior government and politics and Russian language major, Michael Marcoux suggests learning language in a non-mechanical way, “so you can start off sounding like a human.”
He believes that school language course may not teach practical conversational language, which may leave many students with an apathetic attitude toward language.
Marcoux undertook a lot of his language learning on his own using various book series. He suggests that if languages were taught in a more functional approach, students may be more inclined to speak fluently.
Both Ng and Marcoux encourage people to learn more than one language.
“You can still get away with just knowing English,” Marcoux said.
Many Americans do not see the need for learning another language, according to Marcoux, who personally sees knowing only one language as boring.
Marcoux and Ng intend to use their language skills after college to land careers. Language is not only an enjoyable hobby for Ng, he sees language as more than a tool to make money.
“[It] allows you to view others from a culture other than your own,” said Ng. “It’s the best icebreaker there is.”
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