Why learn Greek? HitGreece.com

A message from an American living on the couch of Two Greeks in Europe

Yeah, I’m one of those guys that live on the couch of their friends’ apartment. Of course, it is a temporary living situation, and my friends have been generous enough to let me stay with them as I just have come back from a two and a half month research trip. I also slept on their couch once before, so I guess I am one of the better “guys on the couch” considering they are letting me stay on their couch for a second time. These two friends, my closest friends in Europe, are Greek and the architects of HitGreece. We were discussing what motivates people to learn second or multiple languages, specifically Greek, when they asked me to elaborate on the topic for their website as I am someone that appreciates and loves Greek people and culture.

One of the luxuries of being a native English-speaker is that you can travel to most corners of the world and be able to communicate with someone. Of course, in certain countries the amount of people who can or are willing to converse with you in English will vary. For this reason I have never felt like I had to learn a second language; English is everywhere after all, and I have managed to get by without learning Polish or Dutch, for instance. But being the native English-speaker in Europe you begin to feel like the asshole that makes no effort to learn another language and the asshole who forces other people to speak your language.

This is one very important point. If you are traveling to places like Greece, Italy, France or Spain, knowing just a little bit of their language makes a huge difference in the way they will respond to you, the tourist. You asking a stupid question in English versus you trying to ask it in their language will dramatically change their response. And if you are living abroad, making a serious effort to learn these languages will make your experience more enriched.

It’s not hard to find a Greek person in Europe. And if you happen to befriend one Greek, you befriend eight more. We all joke that “Greeks are everywhere!” And it’s true. In fact, I remember attending a house party and finding that half the people there were Greek. It was one of the best parties I’ve been to, save for the parties I’d throw (my Greek friends will verify).

Now, I have never been formally schooled in the language, but I now know a few phrases and words after sleeping on their couch for so long. I am not fluent, and if you frequently listen to the HitGreece podcasts, than you probably speak more Greek than me. But I have spent a lot of time with Greeks and have heard a lot Greek spoken and I’d like to think that I have experienced a lot of Greek culture first-hand.

Current English lexicons are crammed with words that derive from Greek, and high school jocks are competing in Greek wrestling every day. In elementary or primary school, Greek mythology was perhaps the most interesting subject matter and certainly more enjoyable than learning to write in cursive or analyzing Romeo and Juliet. Admit it, Hercules (or Iraklis) was a badass.

So why learn Greek or any other language? The answer will depend on your own interests and reasons, but it is obvious that learning about and experiencing other cultures changes your own perspective or world-view. I am a native English speaker and I only speak English. I don’t really need to learn a second language, but I am still interested in learning and broadening my sense of languages and cultures. Learning a language is probably the best way to bring you closer to understanding and experiencing that culture. So if you are traveling to Greece or happen to be living on the couch of some Greeks, you’ve got to learn the language to maximize the experience.

So why do you want to learn Greek? Go to the forum to discuss…

Schuyler ‘the guy on the couch’ Drummond