1. What’s your story? How did you get into all these languages?

I can’t say that I got into the languages, rather me and the languages ran into each other.

I was born in Portugal and lived there until, at the age of five, my family moved to the German-speaking region of Switzerland, where I simultaneously learned German and Swiss German. At the age of nine, we moved to the Italian-speaking part of the country, where I learned to speak Italian and its Swiss dialect. I began learning English in my third year of elementary school and that continued throughout all of my education years, but media, such as YouTube, and friendships with English speakers is what really consolidated my knowledge of the language. I also studied French throughout middle school, high school and university. Lastly, though I took one year of Spanish in high school, I really picked it up much better through friendships with lovely Spaniards and Turkish soap operas (that’s a story for another time).

2. Which language(s) do you wish you could spend more time practising?

Without a doubt it would be German, for two main reasons. Firstly, I find that it is a language that when left unpractised, “rusts” very easily, and getting warmed up again to it can take a while; secondly, because, having such a vast vocabulary, due to very context specific words, I always feel more insecure with this language compared to the others I am also fluent in.

3. What are some languages you’d like to learn in the future?

It would be Russian and Korean. Both languages I have already some familiarity with, due to having taken one year of Russian in high school and having adventured myself in the self-study of Korean in the past. I love the sound of both languages and their different and difficult grammars sound like a challenge that’d be fun to face.

4. So let’s be honest, which language has the most charm for you?

Ah… I always feel the obligation to say that it is my native language, Portuguese, but that wouldn’t be the truth. I cannot resist an enamouring, elegant British accent… nor can I look away when a passionate Spaniard takes the word…

5. What’s the greatest pleasure you get from speaking so many languages?

Human connection. It is a truth that human beings more easily relate to those who resemble them, and language is no exception to this. I get to interact relatively often with people from the countries whose languages I speak and the spark in their faces at meeting someone who speaks their language in a foreign country is undeniable. It creates a connection and complicity between me and them that perhaps we wouldn’t have if we were to be neighbours!

6. Some people say the world is really just going to have a few languages left in a 100 years, do you think this is really true?

I certainly believe it will have less languages, but not that it’ll be reduced to what could be considered just a few. Factors such as social media and globalization have and will keep homogenizing language around the world, making local dialects and languages obsolete or even inconvenient. At the same time, there certainly will be more polyglots, or the same language, namely English, will be spoken by a much larger number of people worldwide, also due to social media and globalization. Furthermore, the world today is witnessing an unprecedented level of international and intercontinental migration, a phenomenon which has always constituted the grounds for new languages or dialects to be born. There is thus a chance for new languages to surge, but the universality of English could prevent exactly that.

7. What is your message to young (and not so young) people out there who are interested in studying multiple languages?

To learn a language, try to be as immersed in it as possible. Of course, do not forget to study its grammar and vocabulary, but know that your knowledge will be consolidated through constant practice and frequent exposure to it. That is how grammar, vocabulary and expressions will best stick to your brain!