Group of students having a conversation (Photo by Alexis Cichy)
Language is something ubiquitous to human existence. Human thoughts are formulated, organized, and transmitted primarily through the medium of language. In the greatest sense, language tries to systematize and make sense of the unruly world that so ironically allows it to exist. Ideally, the nature of language would be regular and logical; the structure of it would follow strict rules and be a catalog of sorts containing endless objects, descriptions, actions and the like. In reality, language is something that reflects the characteristics of its creators: inconsistency, uniqueness and the ever-present ability to change.
Because of language’s dynamic characteristics, there is bound to be no fully encompassing definition for it. This coupled with the fact that there are a multitude of languages in existence gives rise to difficulty in communication among the many peoples of the world. It is then imperative to know a multitude of languages and understand relationships amongst them.
Multilingualism has been all the rage in the United States in recent years. Americans have come to realize that the world has become increasingly dependant on international cooperation and diplomacy. The economics and political harmony of the world depend on efficient international communication. This in turn has proved to be a catalyst for multilingual education. More and more does it become necessary for one to be fluent in a language other than his or her own. To be an important citizen of the world having an array of languages is a must.
At Hanks High School, language learning is something not only highly encouraged but mandatory. In order to fulfill the typical graduation plan, a student must receive two foreign language credits. In fact, the Ysleta Independent School District compels the very same: “All students who enroll in our schools will graduate from high school fluent in two or more languages, prepared and inspired to continue their education in a four year college, university or institution of higher education so that they become successful citizens in their community.”
Though options at Hanks of learning a new language are limited to French and Spanish many students take advantage of this opportunity.
“I take French 1,”said sophomore Jacqueline Chavez. “It is a class in which I learn much.”
Though there is no all-encompassing definition that truly serves language justice it is still something to contemplate about. Today the different characters, letters, words, symbols, enunciations and even mannerisms all making up distinct languages are a product of human ingenuity. Originating independently from various hearths, one universal language is an impossibility. Curiously though, these very different forms of communication are ultimately one and the same. Learning many languages then becomes something to strive for. Even learning seemingly trivial dialects and tongues is something worthwhile. By doing this, one does not only gain the ability to interact with others he or she may not have otherwise, but also gains a new perspective on life. A perspective built upon the unification of the fragments making up one large mass of human thought.
