Nelson Mandela once said “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.” What Mandela was trying to say was that an emotional connection that can be made when we are open to learning and speaking a language that is different from our own. Most of us learned how to speak by listening to our parents and absorbing their words and attitudes consciously or unconsciously. Our first language is often referred to as our “mother tongue.”
I can barely remember my parents’ first words to me. They probably spoke to me in Spanish. Sometimes they would use English. I also remember watching lots of television programming in English (like cartoons and children’s shows). Sometimes, my mother watched the Spanish soap operas, also known as telanovelas, and I remember being able to understand them. One telenovela I remember was called “Ruby.” The story centered around very beautiful but opportunistic woman who stole her best friend’s fiancé and created all kinds of havoc in her social circle. The story fascinated me and I wanted to see if Ruby would get her “just desserts” after causing so many problems around her.
Once I entered the public school system in the early 1960’s, I focused on English because that was the dominant language of our American culture. In fact, children who were not proficient in English were put in remedial groups and held back a grade level or two. This practice in the education system was probably meant to have everyone assimilate into the larger culture so they could communicate with each other. While this practice may have made sense in earlier times, there were a lot of Hispanic and foreign-born children who were negatively mislabeled or unfairly diagnosed with a mental disorder when they were just trying to adjust to their new country or a new educational experience. There are several studies and articles that have documented the history of language education in America, and they shed light on the negative attitudes towards those who speak other languages. A special report from Education Week outlines the history of bilingual education in America. The article noted “By the late 17th century, at least 18 different tongues were spoken by European ethnic groups, not to mention the scores spoken by Indian tribes. While English was most prevalent, German, Dutch, French, Swedish, and Polish were also common.” The article then points out the number of schools that early immigrant populations established to preserve their ethnic heritage. There is an irony to this information and the movement towards making America an English only country when immigrants from Latin American, African and Asiatic countries began coming to our shores. Our monolingual culture looked at other languages as a deficit, not an advantage that could help to build bridges across cultures.
An abstract about language learning from the National Institute of Health (NIH website) revisits language diversity and offers new research on the attitudes that monolingual speakers had about learning other languages. This condensed article refutes some commonly held myths of confusion and cognitive impairment when a new language is introduced to a child too soon. In fact, the title states its purpose in naming “The Benefits of Multilingualism to the Personal and Professional Development of Residents of the US.” Among the advantages of being bilingual are greater neuro plasticity in the brain as it is being exercised like a muscle when learning a new language. When the new language is practiced, there is a greater sense of confidence and flexibility in the speaker (even when mistakes are made). If the speaker learns the acquired language well, there is also potential for creating a broader social network and having a skill that could lead to a higher income.
The month of May recognizes two holidays about language. May 6th was Interpreter Appreciation Day. This observance occurs on the first Wednesday of May and recognizes the important work that language professionals do by interpreting conversations in real time. Those conversations can be spoken or signed if you are deaf. This is very important work for those who serve diverse populations. Hospitals, courthouses, airports, and businesses may have formal interpreters or competent bilingual staff to assist non-English speakers in understanding directions, how to prepare for a case, a surgery or discharge instructions to name a few scenarios.
Some use the words interpreter and translator interchangeably. They are not the same. Translators differ from interpreters in that they convert written material from one language to another. This includes books, scripts, signs and songs. These language professionals are often unseen but equally important to making learning, navigating traffic and listening to music in other languages accessible.
In the calendar of the Christian church, Pentecost will be observed on May 27th. Pentecost Sunday is observed 50 days after the ascension of Jesus. While Pentecost is a Christian observance it originated in Jewish history and culture. Scripture describes the unity of spirit among religious Jews who were celebrating a festival called Shavuoth which is 50 days after Passover. Remember Jesus observed Passover with his Last Supper. Shavuoth started out as a harvest festival but then became a commemoration of when the Jewish community received their Law (Torah).
The Pentecost narrative begins in the book of Acts, chapter 2. The disciples of Jesus are still in hiding because of the crucifixion and the ongoing persecution of the followers of Jesus. They were praying for guidance. Jewish devotees were in town for Shavuoth but the prayers of the disciples, the rushing wind attributed to God’s spirit and the flaming tongues of fire over each disciple signaled a new era of worship and spiritual unity. This was the Pentecost that celebrates the worship of God in many languages and points to the acceptance of Jesus as Savior to those who believe in him. Each religious pilgrim was able to feel a sense of kinship by their faith in God and in a resurrected Jesus who had sent his spirit to live within us and offer guidance. This was the language of faith.
King Charlamange once asserted “To have another language is to possess a second soul.” I truly believe this. Every morning I read the scriptures in English and in Spanish and marvel at how I can understand both translations of the bible. While I continue to improve my skills in Spanish through study and practice, I trust that God is with me, lending me His grace as I search for a word I don’t know or make a mistake. In my experience of speaking to Spanish patients and visitors at the hospital, I have found that they are appreciative of my efforts to communicate with them. Very often, they will provide the word that I am searching for. There is an openness in reaching out to those who are from different lands. When we approach each other with good will, we build bridges of understanding and that translates in any language.
