A LOVE F OR LANGUAGES Text by YASH SHETTY and MELODY XU
POLYGLOTS REFLECT ON LINGUISTIC EXPERIENCE
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ULTILINGUA. تولجيلوب. ब हु भा षी . π ο λ ῠ́ γ λ ω σ σ ο ς . बहुभाषग्रन्. Polyglot. Regardless of what language you use to describe one, a polyglot is an individual who is capable of “speaking or writing several languages,” according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary. While many at Palo Alto High School are multilingual, a few determined students like junior Lea Muminović Hadžić and senior Neil Rathi have taken the next step in becoming true polyglots.
Lea Muminović Hadžić Paly junior Lea Muminović Hadžić said she does not remember a time when she was not a polyglot. Hadžić is fluent in five languages: Bosnian, Swedish, English, French and Spanish — that is, if you leave
32 NOVEMBER 2021
Photo illustration by YASH SHETTY (photos) and BLAIR MIGDAL (art)
out American Sign Language, which she lose interest,” Hadžić said. “So I think it’s picked up for fun in the early months of important when you’re learning your lanthe COVID-19 lockdown. guage to really do things you love — read Born and raised in Sweden with Bos- books, watch movies.” nian parents, Hadžić’s native languages For example, social media usage — in were Bosnian and particular, running Swedish. Hadžić lived a Selena Gomez fan It’s important when in Sweden up until last page on Instagram year, where she first you’re learning your — was essential to was exposed to several Hadžić’s process of non-native languages language to really learning English. inside the classroom. “I didn’t do it do things you love “In Europe, it’s a [run the fan account] lot of small countries — read books, watch for the purpose of with a lot of different movies.” practicing a language languages,” Hadžić but looking back — LEA MUMINOVIĆ HAŽDIĆ, junior now, I realized that said. “It’s not forced to learn a lot of languages even though I started but it becomes neceslearning English [at sary, and something people want to do.” home], my English came from being on soHadžić credits her ability to retain cial media,” Hadžić said. language to starting young; it is commonHaving a grasp on not one, but five ly known that the younger an individual languages comes with perks in and out of is, the easier it is for their brain to absorb the classroom. Upon learning about the and retain languages. Her advice to those Louisiana Purchase in AP U.S. History, learning languages is to go beyond simply Hadžić took her education of the subject studying grammar. one step further. “Sometimes just studying the techni“I was really interested in learning calities and grammar can get very nitty and more of the French perspective,” Hadžić gritty and very tedious, and sometimes you said. “So I searched up Napoleon’s diaries
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