UNE NOUVELLE LANGUE par Rich Paschall

What if you could wake up tomorrow and be able to speak a new language? Suppose you did not have to work at it at all. There would be no boring repetition of words and phrases. You would not have to study the rules of grammar. You would not have to learn to conjugate. You would not bring home lessons to write out. The language would just be there at your command. Your speech would be fluent and your understanding clear. What language would you choose?

My best guess is that most people would consider the language of their ancestors. If they came from Poland, then Polish might be their first choice. In a city like Chicago, with a large population of Polish immigrants and descendants, this would make perfect sense. If you have a relative that speaks the language, wouldn’t you be pleased to speak to them in their own language? Your Polish grandmother would be so proud, and you, of course, would take great joy in this.

My elementary school was largely populated by kids of Irish descent. The Irish priests and an Irish American Bishop, who was also pastor, of course, attracted a large student body made up of blond and red-haired children. I can not say I ever heard any Gaelic, however. I suppose some spoke it. Many had a brogue so thick, that I could not understand them. Still, I can not say I was interested in knowing the Irish language.

Another Fest – Beer or Bière or Bier or Cerveza or Piwo – no matter, just point

For much of my life, I lived in a German American neighborhood. My maternal grandmother spoke German and would sometimes gossip (I thought it was gossip, anyway) with other old German-speaking neighbors. The parish we lived in after the grade school years, was largely German American. It was started by German immigrants who built the church. For decades there was a mass in German. I thought it would be cool to know this language. I was encouraged to take Latin in high school, however. “Veni Vidi vici.”

This proved to be a big disappointment as we grew up and took part in German fests. There was Mai Fest and Oktoberfest and Rosenmontag and more feasts than you can imagine. We learned songs in German and sang along at dances, festivals, and anywhere a band was playing. Unfortunately, my conversation was limited to Guten Tag, Auf Wiedersehen und zwei Bier bitte!

Sprechen sie Deutsch?

Years later as many Hispanic groups arrived and there were many more Spanish speakers, it seemed to me that learning Spanish would make far more sense. The old Germans I knew were dying out, my grandmother was gone and I had less occasion to speak German.

Now there is a large Spanish population from Puerto Rico, Mexico, and a variety of Spanish-speaking countries. I have neighbors from Guatemala and Colombia nearby. There are ethnic restaurants all around and in the summer, Spanish music fills the air in our area of the city. There are so many cultures I could learn if I just knew this one language. It seems like a logical choice. Roomie often encouraged me to study Spanish.

What is the second language of your community?  Is there even a second language?  Perhaps you are in an area where you only hear English and there is no immigrant population or descendants to pass along another language. Even if this is so, would it not be great to learn another language and travel to countries where this language is spoken.

Drink local – Germany

In recent years, the desire to automatically know German, Spanish, or even Polish has given way to another. All of the above would be interesting and certainly useful. Whether I would travel to countries where these languages are spoken, or use them right here in our local communities, I still have a different interest in a language. I would never have thought to learn it a dozen years ago. Friendship has become the determining factor, however.

A previous job of mine brought in interns from other countries, particularly France. As a result, I made a number of friends from France, and I even got to know other friends and family members of these co-workers. It was not just that I learned some of the cultures.  Yes, we went to French restaurants and talked about their local communities. Of course, we talked about French politics and sports. I learned about the regions that were home to many of my young French colleagues.  But in the process, something important happened.

French cuisine and fine wine

Now one of my best friends in the world is a Frenchman. We have gone on many adventures here and in Europe. I have visited his home and the home of his parents. We have visited all across Alsace. For a dozen years, France has been on my vacation list, although I missed the trip in 2020 due to the pandemic. It turns out that the language I would like to know tomorrow when I wake up is French. It is not about the neighborhood I live in, the ancestors I have, or the neighbors who have recently moved in. It is not about my grandmother. It is not about a particular parish. It is not about countries I may someday visit.

The language I would like to know is all about my friends. In fact, it is about one of my best friends, and it does not matter that he is fluent in English. Some of my closest friends are French and I wish I could more fully participate in our adventures whenever we meet. Is there a better reason than friendship to know another language?

Categories: Family, Friendship, language, Rich Paschall

Tags: community, French, friendship, German, language, Learning, Polish, Spanish