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Think about how complex it would
be were you to devise a whole
new language. And then consider
how many languages humans, in
fact, have invented! Would it
surprise you that in the island
nation of Papua New Guinea,
there are more than 800? Or that
in Africa, more than 2,000? Or
in Asia, almost 2,300? How many
might there be worldwide?
Linguists estimate close to
6,900. (WHO/UNICEF)
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“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.”
—Nelson Mandela
If you have traveled in another
country where the populace speaks a
language other than your own, for
sure you have discovered one of two
things: (1) It is an enormous
advantage to speak the local
language; or (2) It is an enormous
disadvantage not to speak the local
language. No ifs, ands, or buts.
Perhaps nothing quite encapsulates
how the Peace Corps values the
learning of the local idiom better
than former South African President
Mandela’s outlook, quoted above.
When the Peace Corps sends
Volunteers overseas, one of the most
intensive aspects of early training
is always learning how the locals
speak. Working at the grass-roots
level inevitably becomes more
effective if a Volunteer can
communicate with people in their own
language, rather than relying on
knowing English or using an
interpreter.
Why learn another language? Well,
it’s fun and satisfying to be able
to converse with others in their
native tongue. In a practical way,
it’s extremely helpful to be able to
read road signs, store labels,
menus, train timetables—and, of
course, the literature in another
land. But probably most important,
it shows people that you respect
them and their culture by having
made the effort to speak their
language. Even saying “hello” or
“two eggs over easy” in the local
language goes a long way toward
opening doors, rather than relying
on English—or whatever your native
tongue may be—somewhere else in the
world.
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Language Resources |
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Would you like to read great
stories about the challenges of
mastering another language?
Check out former Peace Corps
Volunteer John Deever's
experience with young students
in Ukraine in
“Mr. John and the Day of
Knowledge.” Or share Peter
Hessler's struggles, laboring to
understand and memorize the
nuances of Chinese in
“Running,” a chapter from
his Peace Corps memoir River
Town .
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How about actually learning
phrases and vocabulary in the
language of your choice—right
here online? Visit the
Peace Corps lessons for
Mandarin Chinese, Jordanian
Arabic, Malian French, Kazakh
Russian, Ukrainian, Thai, and
Chichewa (from Malawi). Your
students will swell with pride
when they can greet each other
and ask for items over lunch in
the language of a country served
by the Peace Corps.
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Peace Corps Exposition for
Seattle-area Educators
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The Peace Corps, the National
Peace Corps Association, and the
Seattle Area Peace Corps
Association are hosting a Peace
Corps exposition on Sunday, May
4, in Seattle to increase
awareness of returned Peace
Corps Volunteer activities in
local communities in the greater
Seattle area. This expo, with
the participation of schools,
communities, and
community-service organizations,
will bring attention to how
returned Volunteers bring their
international experience home
and now make a difference in
their own communities.
As a Coverdell World Wise School
educator, you are invited to
join us at this exposition to
learn even more about the impact
of the Peace Corps in
communities both internationally
and here at home.
more
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