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From: avi@pegasus.UUCP (Avi E. Gross)
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: RE: English-only Speakers as Unclutured Slobs
Message-ID: <1023@pegasus.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 1-Mar-84 23:56:34 EST
Article-I.D.: pegasus.1023
Posted: Thu Mar  1 23:56:34 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 3-Mar-84 10:16:58 EST
References: <349@hogpc.UUCP> <723@ihuxq.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Information Systems, Lincroft NJ
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English-only speaking people may not be "uncultured", but they definitely
only have one culture. Different languages (if chosen carefully) can have
radically different attributes, such as syntax, and grammar -- as well as a
rich new set of metaphors and expressions. It is sometimes good to realize
that the order of verbs and nouns is not a natural law of physics (German),
the alphabet can be radically different (Hebrew, Aramaic, Yiddish, Ladino,
Japanese), or the letters can all be pronounced differently (Hungarian,
Romanian, Spanish).

It is quite interesting to see how other languages are much more sensible
than English in some ways, but that many concepts are not present. What does
it mean when a language has the same word for a "greeting" and for peace?
What insights do you gain by reading documents in a language as it eveolves
for thousands of years?

Knowing other languages and cultures can definitely add to your culture. I
did not get around to learning English until I was seven, by which time I
spoke six languages. I have been taking language courses ever since.
Learning the newer ones, often reflects on the others and actually
reinforces insights gained in studying the othes.

This does not mean that it is always useful to have this knowledge in your
head, but it often is. I rarely get bored on a subway. There is always a
conversation I can tune in to. I have been able to treat a Hungarian man for
a heart condition, and help deliver a Puerto Rican womans baby -- because I
understood their language much better than they did "mine". Yes, I wish they
would spend the time to learn the language I consider my own (I once taught
English in grades 8, 9, 10 -- it was quite an experience). However, this is
no reason for me to stop trying to absorb aspects of the rest of the world.

As was pointed out by Rick Paul, learning most computer languages is childs
play after this. Their grammar, vocabulary and syntax is usually trivial.
This does not mean that being born and raised with one language is terrible.
It just means that you have not been exposed to the rest of the world. I
feel that it is just as important in my life as my degrees in Chemistry,
Mathematics and Computer Science. I very rarely have ANY reason to use any
of the Math and Chemistry, and most of the Computer Science I learned in
school has nothing to do with the stuff I had to learn here to do my job.
UNIX was a breeze to learn after dealing with VMS and the Exec of UNIVAC.

The moral of this long flame, is that the mind has to be exercised to be
creative. Your native language is just too familiar to really stimulate you.
Yes, I do believe that people who consider it beneath themselves to learn
about the rest of the world are missing out on a lot of the fun, and
probably are not (on a statistically valid sample) as flexible and creative.

These are purely my own views, as usual.
-- 
-=> Avi E. Gross @ AT&T Information Systems Laboratories (201) 576-6241
 suggested paths: [ihnp4, allegra, cbosg, hogpc, ...]!pegasus!avi