In response to Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett's article on the benefits of learning languages (At last, a proper excuse for monoglots to learn another language: it helps keep your brain young, 12 July), readers have shared their own experiences and insights. The article highlighted the cognitive advantages of multilingualism and the joy of embracing new tongues.
French Father-in-Law’s Phrase
Malcolm Bower from Gunnislake, Cornwall, recalled hearing a similar expression from his future French father-in-law, who opened a very good Bordeaux with the comment “C’est le bon dieu en culotte de velours.” Years later, Bower attempted to impress the principal of an upmarket professional college for young ladies with the phrase, describing a particularly good bottle she had ordered. Given the presence of middle-class ladies, she gently corrected him with the more genteel “en habit de velours.”
Willingness to Look Foolish
Barbara Hull from York, a lifelong teacher of French, fully supported Cosslett’s comment that “in order to truly embrace learning another tongue, you have to be prepared to look foolish and vulnerable.” Hull taught adult education French for over 50 years and always began her classes with the caveat that a willingness to “act the goat” is the greatest predictor of success. She noted that most foreign language classes in the UK are predominantly female, and even in her volunteer role chairing French conversation groups for u3a, the gender mix remains the same. “Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose,” she added.
Accent and Double Entendre
Richard Haszko from Sheffield shared his own experiences trying to speak French in France. He was repeatedly told that his French couldn’t be understood until he started speaking it in what he thought was a comic French accent. On another occasion, he attempted to explain a joke involving a “double entendre,” which met with great confusion. He was then informed that the French don’t say “double entendre”; they say “double sense.”
These reader responses underscore the importance of embracing vulnerability and cultural nuances when learning a new language.
