Speaking in Tongues?

The ability to communicate (not just with my father, before the receiving punishment I was currently then waiting for, in the room - see blog April 26^th and earlier) is often underrated. I used to believe I was a good communicator, when working as a professional entertainer and operating a small production company. It was not until I took on a job, where sometimes my life has literally depended on the necessary skill of good communication, that I truly realised how appalling I was and in some ways still am. I am not speaking strictly of communicating in my first language. English. Admittedly, there are those people to whom languages come naturally. The possession of a ‘good ear’ (I sort of had that), a good memory (I still have that) and the opportunity to practise a foreign language are three essential components to learning languages (ah, there’s the rub). Sadly all three were not really available to us with any consistency. The segregation of foreign language speakers, into their own little enclaves (don’t believe it when they say we are a multi-cultural society, New Zealand included), restricted diversity and exposure to the different languages. The Slovakian family next door, only spoke English with us, The Dutch family up the road, only spoke English with us. (Bas, in fact, used to laugh at my attempts to understand). The Italians, only spoke a type of English, (and don’t mention the Irish families). Sure there were many different cultural families around us growing up, but apart from the odd food festival, the only diversity we saw was in some of the vegetables that were at the greengrocers, which we never saw our mother buy (“Strange foreign muck”, I’m sure I heard her say more than once).

They say the best time to grasp any language is to learn it in your early years. This is something that many foreign students (elsewhere in the world) do in their schools, everyday. In Australia today, there are also many students learning a foreign language (mainly English). Unfortunately there are also many learning English, who make it sound like a foreign language. But in Australia today, apparently, one in seven people currently say ‘good morning’ in a language other than English. But only one in twenty-five English-speaking people born in Australia, speak a language other than English. You have to admit that does show a certain laziness. I have a few times attempted to ‘acquire’ another language. Unfortunately, not with application of purpose, but with whatever is the fastest way to temporarily speak another language. Hence, I hear certain words in other languages, but don’t speak fluently. I often claim it is due to the inconsistency of my work, which prevents me from attending regular classes I would need, but, lets be honest. It is also from my own personal laziness. I always seem to think there is something else I should be spending my time on. And there is for now. That is to finish relating the incident of the kite, the stilt and my injured brother (see blog April 2^nd 2012).

(Continued tomorrow)