By studying these stories that form the foundation of the Spanish language, we not only see how similarities between English and Spanish come about, but we also learn about the history of the language we’re learning, which makes us more conscious and respectful speakers.
My enthusiasm for the study of language led me to pursue a degree in linguistics, and I did so at McGill University in Montreal. At first, the idea of leaving the United States to go to university was daunting to me. It was so much extra work to get a study permit, a Canadian phone plan and a Canadian bank account. I knew it was the right choice, though, because moving to Montreal would allow me to take on a new language: French!
My knowledge of Spanish made learning French a lot easier, since Spanish and French are Romance languages, meaning they both developed out of Latin and therefore have very similar structures. Today, after years of studying French and Spanish, I’m lucky enough to speak three languages on a daily basis! I’m a teacher, and I teach English and Spanish to kids who speak French only at home and at school. I also work on a linguistics study, where we talk to immigrants in Montreal and study how their children learn French when they move here. I work mostly with Latin immigrants, a lot of whom are asylum seekers coming to Canada because their home countries are no longer safe places for them to live.
I’m honored to be sharing my trilingual experience of Montreal with your class! Montreal is a fantastic city, and I’m excited to hear your thoughts about it, too. I can’t wait to give you a virtual tour over the course of this fall. We’ll talk street art, Quebecois food, and, of course, language!
A bientot!
