Language

Yesterday was a day of language.  Not the foul sort that sometimes escapes when things go wrong - just the way people speak.

First, there was a conversation with one of my fellow drivers.  For some while now, he's had the notion to emigrate to Thailand, where he sees the possibility of making a living for himself by teaching Thais to speak English.  When he first announced this to us, there was some teasing about his own command of the language, but he took this in good part.  Yesterday, out of nowhere, he entered into deep discussion with me of how he's getting to grips with the technicalities of English, so that he will one day be able to explain it to others from a position of understanding.

Then there was a phone-in on the radio about the new requirement for people moving to this country to have a command of written and spoken English before they come.  Many points of view were expressed, such as how possible it is to learn English in their own land, or whether this might be easier once one was here, and surrounded by the language.  Some disquiet was also expressed about the way that people from the EU face lower demands than others.  There is also the fact that some people are quite content to live and work in 'their own' community, without bothering to learn English at all - which is all right until something goes wrong, such as losing their job, serious illness, and so on.  It was a very thought-provoking programme.

And in the afternoon, as I went off to another job, I flicked the switch to see what the radio might have for me, and I discovered a feature about a Mancunian who had devoted himself to learning Welsh.  He has translated classical Welsh poetry, as well as writing his own, and is now sufficiently competent that he can perform live translation of committee meetings, rendering one sentence into English at the same time as he's listening to the next one in Welsh.  And on top of all that, he's taking part in the Eisteddfod!

I found myself overwhelmed on a hot day, and was glad to retreat to the (English) newspaper, and the (English) crossword!