The International Association
of Hyperpolyglots
HYPIA
Est. 2016

Interview with
Mia Urosevic
Name: Mia Urosevic
Nationality or Ethnicity: Serbian
Where do you live? Belgrade
Languages: Spanish, English, Turkish, Romanian, French, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian
Member since:
2017-10-11
1. What’s your story? How did you get into all these languages?
I studied languages in my bachelors degree, because I thought it would be great to become a professional translator and maybe later, when I saved enough money, to go around the world and travel. In Former Yugoslav countries, there are several modern-day languages that are mutually intelligible, which makes it easier to pick up regional languages. But I went beyond that to study languages such as Turkish and Romanian which are not Slavic. I like to travel a lot regionally and practice all my languages.
2. Which language do you wish you could spend more time practicing?
Turkish is quite different from the other languages I know, because it is not Indo-European, so it is one that I tend to lose if I don't actively practice it. My French could also use some brushing up, but I do manage well nonetheless.
3. What are some languages you’d like to learn in the future?
I would like to explore languages outside of my "comfort zone," including Mongolian, Igbo, and a Pama-Nyungan language. By this age, I already find Slavic languages and Romance languages quite boring.
4. So let’s be honest, what’s the sexiest language?
Very hard to say, because each language is beautiful in it's own way.
5. What’s the greatest pleasure you get from speaking so many languages?
I feel like every travel experience of mine is more enriching when I can speak the local language. I think that people who travel to a new place without speaking the language are really missing out.
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?
It makes me sad to think about this, but languages die every year.
7. What is your message to young (and not so young) people out there who are interested in studying multiple languages?
Please learn new languages! It is the most enriching thing you can do!