Advice for a high school student interested in "hard" languages?
My question is broader than it might seem, so I believe that asking the question may both get specific information, as well as opening some interesting discussion on improving US global competitiveness and multilateral relations.
A young friend, now a high school senior, wants to be an Arabic linguist, although she isn't all that interested in working outside the US. She's running a 3.5 GPA, straight A's in French and Spanish, and, while not doing some of the classic extracurriculars, is doing a tremendous amount of work earning money for college -- she has a superb work ethic not really challenged by her high school.
My impression is that the US has assorted programs to encourage high school and college students in becoming proficient in the languages we need. I'm having trouble finding information on relevant scholarships, and indeed finding mentors while someone is still in high school.
The best writeup I've found is NSA's, which really wants people that both are proficient in languages but have additional engineering or science skills. She has taken a forensic course (CSI strikes the educational system), doesn't like the bloody part, but did like the computer forensic parts. She is also decent in math, although at the high school level without outside work.
I can mentor her in computer forensics and security. As far as Arabic, I could guide her more about the culture than the language, but she doesn't yet see the linkage between understanding the culture in which a language is spoken. My Arabic is limited to a few polite and useful phrases, although I understand there is a magnificent curse I would like to learn, which translates to something like "may the fleas of ten thousand camels infest your armpits."
Any suggestions? Are there really programs, reaching down to high school level, encouraging language study in general as a critical national need, but especially the "hard" languages such as Arabic, Farsi, various Chinese dialects, Hindi, Urdu, etc.? Given that she is fluent in French, I might advise Swahili as well as Arabic.
Thoughts? We did get her an Arabic CD course for Christmas, which I'd enjoy studying with her. So far, she hasn't opened it.
A few thoughts.
On the matter of learning “exotic” languages, I would suggest looking at British universities, particularly Ox-Bridge. These universities have extra-ordinary programs in the study of classical (Greek and Roman) and Near Eastern languages and cultures. And they don’t suffer the provincialism of American culture that sees these subjects as merely “exotic.” Given the cost of post-high school education in the U.S. and other considerations, a British locale would probably be no more expensive and much, much safer. Of course if her passion is Arabic then she could hardly do better than study in Spain.
If I take the meaning of your phrase “languages we need” then you should probably investigate factories for national security types like Notre Dame or MIT. They probably have the most evolved programs and financial support for such careers. Why not do an informational interview with NSA or DOD and find out where they go for their new hires.
You mention her interest in mathematics which suggests a consideration of linguistics, including natural languages (computer languages). Perhaps you could give her a copy of “Modern Philosophy Of Language” by Maria Baghramian and see if it touches a nerve. She might be interested in knowing that if you are going to talk about languages in general then sooner or later you are going to be reading Bertrand Russell’s Principia. That should satisfy the most ardent appetite for mathematics.
Finally a note on the idea of mentoring. While it would be nice if the department chairman of the Arabic Studies department of her local university lived next door, mentoring is more about companionship than detailed knowledge. What she and every youngster of her kind needs is an adult who will travel along with her through the transitions from child student to adult student. Hopefully she will have several tutors on specific matters in her academic career. More importantly she needs one adult who will listen to her questions, help her evaluate her choices and support her decisions. My take on you is that she could not be luckier than having you play that role.
January 27, 2008 11:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
Good suggestions, which give me some ideas. Right now, her concept is that she can major in a language, but, AFAIK, that usually means both the language and its literature. When I was at American University, it had abundant area studies programs that combined language with area knowledge.
She has indicated little interest in the cultures. Your suggestion makes me think of Edward T. Hall, and his work both on nonverbal communications, as well is fieldwork in the Southwest dealing with clashes between Anglo and Hispanic cultures, both sides acting most honorably by their standards.
It was Hall writing about interpersonal communications distances, IIRC, who mentioned an Arab proverb that you cannot trust one who will not get close enough so that you feel the heat of their breath. He contrasted this with Northern Europeans, especially Germans, who may want to keep the interpersonal distance, except with intimates, at several feet.
I have yet to find one of Hall's works that was not a beautifully written form of storytelling as well as formal information transfer. To my pleasant surprise, I learned recently that he is still alive and active.
--
Howard
*equal opportunity offense to both extremes*
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" [George Santayana]
January 27, 2008 12:53 PM | Reply | Permalink