“I’m very interested in languages, although I’ve only studied four of them (other than my native tongue) and only a little of each of those. Despite this, it seems that I have somewhat of a facility for languages, and it seemed clear in my language classes that learning languages was easier for some people than for others. Michael Erard is also interested in languages, but he’s even more interested in talented language learners. This book sets out to study hyperpolyglots, defined within this book as people who speak seven or more languages. In my next life, I want to be one of these. Erard begins by going to Italy to research possibly the most famous hyperpolyglot of all time, Cardinal Mezzofanti, said to speak anywhere from forty-four to seventy-two languages. He also interviews several modern hyperpolyglots and visits the brain of a dead one, in an effort to understand what makes some people able to learn a large number of languages. Is it an inborn gift, or technique, or sheer hard work? He spends some time exploding some things we’ve all been taught about language learning, such as the idea that only children can learn a non-native language properly, and the myth that you must speak like a native in order to be worth anything in a second language. He calls this the “all or nothing” view, and instead proposes a “something and something” view, which is much more realistic, and which has served practical language learners for thousands of years as they learn what they need to for their travels. Erard isn’t able to completely solve the mystery of the gifted language learner, but he does find that method and repetition is responsible for a lot of their success, though their brains appear to have some differences from the average. Engagingly written, this book is quite relevant in today’s world, where travel is increasingly easy, and contrary to popular belief, not everyone speaks English. Besides, learning another language is really good for your mind.”—Amanda, Paulina Springs Books, with locations in Redmond and Sisters, OR. Buy Babel No More from Paulina Springs Books.
Face Out
Babel No More: The Search for the World's Most Extraordinary Language Learners by Michael Erard
April 12, 2012