Re:The Mystery of People Who Speak Dozens of Languages
by davidgay on Thursday August 30, 2018 @02:43PM
(#17879513)
Well for Martina Hingis that's not too surprising:
- Czech parents (and lived there till ~7) - moved to (German-part of) Switzerland: the local language is Swiss German, but school is in German (i.e., everyone speaks both of those) - everyone in Switzerland is taught one of the other official languages, usually German in the non-German speaking areas, and French in the German speaking areas (fluency will vary, but for instance I had 7 years of German by the end of high school) - everyone learns English these days ;)
I would expect that most children who moved to German-speaking Switzerland at a youngish age would be fluent in at least 4 languages...
Re:The Mystery of People Who Speak Dozens of Languages
by pjmlp on Thursday August 30, 2018 @03:13PM
(#17879810)
Yet many end up speaking in English between themselves, because they don't bother to continue learning the other canton languages after the compulsory period.
It is ironic that I know better French than some Swiss German and Swiss Italian friends, and better German than some Swiss Romande friends.
Now, for example, Martina Hingis, a former tennis player for those who are too young or too nerdy to know, speaks five languages according to Wikipedia. Well, she actually has interviews on Youtube showing impressive fluency in English, German, Swiss German, French, and Czech. I am absolutely fascinated by this.