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May 14, 2023Liked by James Harris

As someone fluent in German, with half-decent French and some knowledge of bits of other languages, I certainly agree with you that learning another language is a Good Thing. But it does set you apart a bit, adding perhaps to the sense of alienation from your own culture that you hint at. I dealt with it by opting not to use my language skills in my career, training to teach English and Drama rather than MFL, and not pursuing a career in translating and/or interpreting. I sometimes feel a bit of regret about that, though at the time it was definitely motivated by a desire to belong more to the culture I grew up in.

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