Email This StoryLariat Letter
Sept. 22, 2009I'm pleased that the topic of languages appeared on the opinions page of the Lariat on September 9, 2009, and that the editorial there, "Foreign Language Requirements Abound with Inconsistencies," advocated the study of another language for all Baylor students.
What concerned me was the assertion that two semesters of study is sufficient. In support of this assertion, the editorial described language study as difficult and questioned the usefulness of advanced language study for majors in certain fields.
The editorial was accompanied by a cartoon that alluded to Dante's Commedia (or, Inferno), citing a line in English translation (the original reads: Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate). The cartoon suggested that language study is a hopeless endeavor. But is it?
The mission of Baylor University is to prepare students for "worldwide leadership and service."
A single year of language study does not give students the depth of knowledge and skills necessary to function and flourish in a global environment.
There are a number of pragmatic arguments in favor of language study: language students improve their skills in their native language, they achieve higher standardized test scores, they gain admittance to more prestigious graduate programs, and they find better jobs.
But there are also other arguments for the value of studying languages and cultures or, in the words of a recent report from the Modern Language Association, fostering "translingual and transcultural competence."
Studying another language, like studying history, philosophy, or mathematics, helps students develop analytic skills that enable them to participate effectively in their communities, ranging from neighborhoods and churches to local, national, and international organizations.
Knowing another language enables you to understand events on the global stage, and to read a variety of firsthand news sources.
You gain entrance into a wealth of artistic appreciation through film, music, and other media. Studying a language helps you to understand diverse cultures and perspectives.
Visiting a country without knowing the language means remaining a tourist rather than becoming a traveler in the richest senses of that word. It is difficult to explain the personal transformations that can come about through developing competence in another language.
For many students, such transformations mean nothing less than developing a fuller sense of what it means to be human.
Some Baylor students have recently drawn upon their language skills to compete successfully for prestigious Fulbright grants. It is my sincere hope that more Baylor students will apply for Fulbrights and other such awards. Many students have been able to build upon their existing skills in language and awareness of cultures through immersion experiences abroad in programs like Baylor in China, Baylor in Spain, Baylor in Germany, Baylor in Mexico, and Baylor in Paris.
Thanks to growing interest in languages at Baylor, the Department of Modern Foreign Languages plans to expand our course offerings in Arabic, Chinese, and Italian.
Learning another language may not be easy, but I hope I have suggested why it is a worthwhile endeavor.
And so I say: give us more language study, not less. Baylor students deserve to participate, contribute, and serve as true global citizens in the world of the future.
Dr. Heidi Bostic, Chair, Department of Modern Foreign Languages
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