Fri
13
Feb
2009
I wanna know what you've got to say
As everybody knows, long time ago in the ancient city of Babel, mankind came quite close to perfection. By speaking one language, with unity of intents, they built a very high tower, and got quite close to god...so close in fact, that god himself at one point "confused their languages and scattered humanity troughout the Earth", some say because the tower of Babel nearly reaching Heaven posed a serious threat, some say because the tower was meant to worship "false divinity" and this offended god; whatever the reason, the amazing thing is that, apparently, when men manage to understand each other by means of a common language, the results of their work can be quite impressing.
Think about it.
What makes it so difficult for most of us to start a business in another country, take common decisions on politics, education or economy (as a European, I am impressed by how the EU parliament
manages to work, with more than 20 countries and languages represented), move abroad, learning a foreign song, watch a foreign movie with no subtitles, learn about new cultures, or even date
somebody from another continent?
Simply put, the answer is: the fact that we do not speak the same language; two people will function perfectly in their respective countries, think, talk, act, behave with no hesitation and then,
when meeting, a wall will arise between them.
Even simple things like saying "Hello, how are you doing" would be difficult.
It's all about Language: the key to better understanding, knowledge, fun, and ultimately, a better life. I've always had a keen interest on languages and linguistics (the latter being the more
technical study of a "system" that allows us humans to communicate in details inspite of distances and time); from the obvious curiosity about diffrent alphabets, to the idea that I could
possibly sound different, and still mean the same thing, languages never ceased to amaze me since my high school days, when I received the first rudiments of english grammar.
When talking about languages, one immediately thinks about the possibilities that each one of them could offer, and the peculiar features that they involve: most of the times, a language is truly
the mirror of a society, with its habits, values, and why not, nevrosis. But there is more to that: whether you are looking for a new travel destination, trying to improve a language you already
know, pondering a diplomatic career, a new life somewhere else, or if are just curious, speaking more than langauge, more often than not, opens unexpected doors.
Dark Side of The Cat
Year II
