Summary

The article discusses the enriching experiences and benefits of being a polyglot, including deeper cultural connections, unexpected acts of kindness, diverse perspectives, and the ease of learning additional languages.

Abstract

The article "The Magic Of Being A Polyglot" delves into the transformative power of multilingualism, emphasizing how speaking multiple languages can lead to life-enhancing experiences. It illustrates scenarios where language proficiency has facilitated profound connections, such as receiving free accommodation in Korea and exclusive invitations in Japan. The author argues that polyglots enjoy a unique form of camaraderie at events like the Polyglot Conference and suggests that language learning becomes progressively easier and more enjoyable with each new language acquired. The piece also touches on the practical advantages of being multilingual, such as increased job opportunities and the ability to navigate new environments with ease.

Opinions

The author believes that speaking multiple languages opens doors to experiences that would otherwise be inaccessible, such as deeper interactions with locals and gaining insights into different cultures.
Polyglots are often recipients of unexpected kindness from individuals who appreciate their efforts to learn and speak the local language.
Multilingualism provides access to a wide array of perspectives, allowing for more authentic and nuanced conversations.
The Polyglot Conference is highlighted as an inclusive event that brings together language enthusiasts, regardless of the number of languages they speak, fostering a sense of community among attendees.
The article posits that learning languages becomes easier over time, as one discovers personalized learning methods and gains confidence in their ability to overcome linguistic challenges.
The author asserts that being multilingual equips individuals with the ability to adapt and thrive in various situations, including finding employment and receiving support from locals when traveling.
The author encourages readers to embrace language learning, suggesting that it is a skill that becomes more manageable and enjoyable with practice.

The Magic Of Being A Polyglot

If you’re not one yet, you’re missing out

Picture this.

You go to Japan and start talking in Japanese to the locals you meet. Then, suddenly, a French person joins the conversation just as the others are leaving. You switch to French and talk for a while.

In the evening, you go out with friends and meet new people, one of them is Korean and discovers you can speak the language. You’re now having a one-on-one conversation in Korean and, as you’re about to leave, you meet someone from Spain to whom you end up talking for another hour in Spanish.

This exact experience has happened to me countless times and the beauty of it is that the content of each is widely different from the previous one.

Yes, most people speak English nowadays. It’s convenient and all, but can you be sure you’d have the same conversation if you were exchanging in English? You just can’t.

Being a polyglot opens countless doors to you. And here are the most incredible ones:

Unexpected kindness

Yes, this probably wouldn’t be the first one to come to mind but my experience has shown this to be the most impactful. Let me tell you two short examples.

I was in Korea for 2 months in 2010 and suddenly changed my plan to stay in Gwangju. Due to this sudden change though, I didn’t have a place to stay. While I was worrying, a Korean friend I had met just two weeks prior came to me to let me know his father had had an unused apartment for years and that I could use it until I’d go back to France. For free! Being able to speak Korean had given me the opportunity to become close to someone and find this opportunity I would have never even imagined otherwise.

In 2017, I was traveling in Kyushu, in a rather small town called Saga. I knew nobody there but wanted to talk and meet people living there. So I went to a standing bar where I started talking to a man and woman from there. We talked about all kinds of things, including Japanese alcohol. I mentioned I like shochu and the next day was invited (again, for free!) to a bar specializing in that type of alcohol.

Did those experiences change my life? Maybe not. But I can still clearly remember my friend’s apartment in Gwangju and the woman who invited me in Saga. They transformed a good experience into an incredible memory.

Discovering countless points of view

This one might be more obvious but it is still an understatement to say you discover many points of view.

Being able to speak multiple languages gives you credibility.

Because you have learned a language and, as a result, gotten to know a lot about the culture, native speakers are more open to giving their true opinion, showing their true colors.

Hey, I know it doesn’t always feel good, but I can assure you it is incredible to be able to get real opinions when you live in a country like Japan — where people often don’t say what they really think.

When talking to a group of people in a common language, someone might turn to you to say what they really think in their native language just to avoid that one closed-minded person’s reaction to it.

You are part of an “open-closed” group

There are many polyglots in the world but we’re all spread out in different countries. Once a year, though, the Polyglot Conference happens and many polyglots travel to the other side of the world just to live that experience with the rest.

The Best Way To Get Inspired To Learn Languages

My (incredible) experience at the Polyglot Conference 2019

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But do you know what’s great about the Polyglot Conference? There are many monolingual or bilingual people. Despite the name, you don’t have to speak 5 or 10 languages. You just have to be curious.

It’s a small group that anybody can join. YOU can join it too!

You can go anywhere and do anything

Languages are useful in any situation. You can travel to a country and find a job much more easily. You can travel and get tips from the locals. You can talk to anybody about pretty much anything.

You can even go to a country you don’t speak the language of! The fact that you speak many languages will support you and act as proof that you can learn this country’s language. People will put much more trust in you without having to put much extra effort.

You understand “languages”

After studying many languages, you come to realize how easy it is. Yes, easy. Learning languages seems hard at first but as you learn new languages, you discover the method that works best for you, the steps that feel most natural to you, the aspects you want to focus on first.

What seems crazy to the vast majority of people, such as learning Chinese characters, writing in “reverse order” like in Arabic, or speaking a language with 6 tones like Vietnamese (or 9 like Cantonese!), all become tiny challenges that you can overcome without trouble.

Learning a language is easy. Just like any other skill you might want to learn, it seems hard at first but the more you learn, the easier it gets. And the more fun you’ll have, switching from one to the other.

Will you become multilingual and join the club?

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