Learning New Languages

@Scholars_Stage asked an interesting question on Twitter:

If one were to learn a living language purely for reading its poetry, novels, and the like, and not because one has any interest in going to said country in person, what language should one choose? And why?

— T. Greer (@Scholars_Stage) September 24, 2021

Lately, I’ve been fascinated with learning a new language. I’ve learned french in elementary and high school but I barely remember any of it. I can understand Tagalog, the first language of the Philippines, but I struggle to read or speak it.

I’ve never thought of learning a new language for the sake of reading its literary corpus but I love this idea. No matter how good a translation is, there will always be some meaning lost. Some of my favorite blog posts to write are words with no direct translation in English. Not only will learning give me access to their literature, but also their movies, music, and of course the people.

I feel like being able to understand a different language will open up a whole new universe.