Analysis: There are several tools available to help language users experience the joys of playing around with multiple tongues
Ireland is a multicultural society, as evidenced by the variety of languages we hear around us all around the country. This can be exciting and/or scary; you might want to close your ears or you can decide to indulge in the richness of multilingualism at your doorstep.
Speaking several languages represents a reality for a majority of people across the globe (60% of us speak at least two languages) and is becoming the norm with migration, globalisation and information flow. A friend from South Africa recently explained to me the luxury of being able to think and communicate in multiple languages. In South Africa, 11 national languages are spoken, providing individuals with the opportunity to switch between codes during conversations.
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From RTÉ Radio 1's Today With Claire Byrne, children to begin learning languages from 3rd Class
It's a pity that the joys of playing around with multiple tongues remain somehow elusive in a land where every child has to learn two languages. In my years teaching French, I have encountered very few Irish speakers and too many students who fear syntax and dread grammar in any language.
I am originally from the South-West of France and learned Spanish and German in school, but my proficiency in both languages is quite poor despite years of classroom instruction. My passion for language learning does not come from any specific knack for it. I am not like the extraordinary Michel Thomas whose spectacular linguistic abilities saved him during the Second World War and who subsequently developed his own language learning method. My accent remains strong after 30 years in Ireland, leading people to inquire about my origins after only a few seconds of speaking. I would never make it as a spy.
But I enjoy creating spaces where people can learn and have built bespoke material with TU Dublin colleagues to help students learn languages. In 2002, I co-wrote Faisons Affaires with Dr Eamon Maher where we created our own Hiberno Emily in Paris (but our protagonist made a big effort to learn French). We then ventured into the digital realm and created another character (Didier Larmousse) designed to evoke empathy in a young adult audience. I absolutely adore his character and still daydream of making him as famous as the Italian plumber!
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From RTÉ Radio 1's Morning Ireland in 2020, how Irish became the fastest growing language on the Duolingo app
Then there is the owl… I have been using Duolingo for several years and am thoroughly impressed by its interface, gamification elements, and social features. It offers an extensive array of lessons at no cost and provides numerous benefits such as social and cultural connections as well as cognitive advantages. It can help keep the brain sharp and engaged by encouraging pattern recognition and problem-solving. It allows us to experiment with many different languages and provides access to less commonly taught languages such as Japanese, Arabic, Swahili, and even High Valyrian (from Game of Thrones).
Currently, 1.44 million people are learning Irish on the app (myself included), while Spanish is the most popular language with 33 million learners/players. As we navigate through multicultural Ireland, we can learn words and phrases in 39 different languages. It will not teach you a language painlessly (some sentences are odd, and it is still essential to attend class), but it keeps us away from mindless scrolling on other platforms.
In conclusion, language learning should not be taken too seriously; instead, we could celebrate our mistakes when attempting to pronounce difficult words and embrace the playfulness of awkward communication!
Just like the international artist (and TikTok sensation) St Levant sings; طيارة دغري ع بلادي وأكيد / I'll show you around / Bienvenue dans mon quartier / Sur son bracelet, c'est du Cartier / Elle veux que tu parles en français (Tu vas rien comprendre). Speaking multiple languages in a light and playful manner will become part of our linguistic experience and we can thank the owl for that!
The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
