Do you also speak English? – Why English as a second language is generally better in certain countries

 

[women showing confusion*]

Several years, I attended a conference in Valencia, the third largest city in Spain, and needed to talk to a bank in regards to a credit card issue. I entered a local management branch and asked the question “Does anybody speak English or French?”. Of the more than 20 executives, college graduates I presume, only one said that she could speak a little French. The less said about the Spanish taxi driver who could not even read an address, the better. By contrast, almost all Israelis, from taxi driver to bank executives,  speak quite passable English, some of them almost fluently. This contrast leads to the question of why in certain countries most people know, as compared to study, a second language, English being the most common and most useful, while in others the second language is truly foreign. As I see it, admittedly based on intuition, the following four factors influence absorption of English and other second languages to one degree or another:

Resemblance – Learning a foreign language, especially for adults, is a daunting jump into the unknown. Clearly, if a person’s native tongue and the second language have the same alphabet, even with small variations, the latter feels already seems a bit familiar. If the two languages share some roots, e.g., French/English and German/Dutch, people find it significantly easier to study and remember vocabulary, a vital step in learning language. Yet, having a different alphabet or different roots do not in themselves make a language unapproachable but merely add an element of difficulty.

Government policy – Most national education systems include English as part of their curriculum. However, the starting age, number of hours, training of the teacher and quality of the materials vary significantly. Clearly, the ideal is to start teaching a foreign language as early as possible since small children enjoy superior language learning capabilities. Ideally, locally produced learning materials are better as the cultural references better reflect the experience of the learners. Some governments use their power to influence television programming, choosing to produce and broadcast English language learning programs for various ages. English road signing as a matter of policy also increases exposure to the language. In this manner, English becomes a second language, not a foreign language.

Exposure – Regular exposure to a second language creates natural opportunities to use it. While many countries still dub movies and TV programs, those ‘forced” to hear the original English, even with subtitles, improve their listening and reading comprehension to one degree or another. The Internet era has clearly elevated English to an essential language in navigating the Net and accessing information. Searching, whether for information or products, clearly involves some English as the machine translation of sites in many languages can be extremely confusing. Academics in almost all fields depend on English language sources, whether written or oral presentations, to stay up to date. Regardless of their origin, the language of communication of most tourists is English, especially in countries with exotic languages. Where English is prevalent and useful, people see the need to learn it.

Willingness – The subjective element has an important influence . Specifically, people in some countries, in particular those that had great empires or are geographically isolated, feel great pride in their heritage and assume that others should speak their language as a matter of respect. They view speaking a foreign language as unnecessary and, to a certain degree, degrading. Clearly, not every citizen shares this attitude but often a large percentage of population do feel this way. By contrast, native speakers of statistically irrelevant languages, such as Hebrew and Islandic, know that outside of their country (and a few cities abroad in the case of Hebrew) they must speak English. It even becomes a matter of pride and high style to insert English in their native languages. A look at the store signs in Israel shows how highly English is esteemed. People have to be open to using a foreign language to make it a true second language.

Looking at the spectrum of use of English throughout the world, we can see, on the one hand, countries where the English-speaking tourist has no problem managing with a sprinkling of the local language and large portion of English. On the other hand, there are places where tourists have to resort to sign language and pictures, such as in many parts of China and even a few countries in East Europe. The reasons for this variance are far from simple and involve government policy, the international reality and intrinsic attitudes. The result, among others, is that not all countries are created equal in tems of foreign language accessibility.

* Picture captions help the blind fully access the Internet.

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Christmas in the Holy Land – Not what you imagine

 

[Santa at the beach*]

The Middle East has this sometimes-nasty tendency of rendering clear terms complex . Nothing is simple, even holidays. For example, in Europe and North America (Canada, Mexico AND the United States), South America and many countries in Asia, people and business are in the Christmas cycle of purchasing gifts and food for the holiday, finishing projects before the office closes and making final preparations for the seasonal trip or family visit. Outside, in the Canada, the United States and Northern Europe, it is quite cold, even snowing, adding to the seasonal feeling and complicating all driving. Those cheery pictures from Christmas movies have an element of reality.

Alas, in the birthplace of Christianity, the reality is rather different in terms of weather and holiday feeling. First of all, Israel is “enjoying” a rather balmy December, around 22C (in the 70’s in Fahrenheit, with nary a rain cloud, not to even mention snow flake, to be seen. It is true that December can be cold in some years but “cold” is far above zero here. As for Christmas, aside from in the Christian villages of Israel, a traveler in Israel could be forgiven for not realizing that Christmas is in a few days as there the TV channels are not broadcasting any ads urging you to purchase this or that annd Christmas music  is as common as Artie Shaw clarinet solos. Admittedly, the Russian retail chains do have various Christmas decorations on sale, including chocolate Santas, but that touch is far from omnipresent. On the other hand, Jews, Christians and Muslims all enjoy the star of Hannukah, the suvgoniot, fried jelly donuts, and enthusiastically discuss the price of commercial ones and the recipes of home ones. I personally feel that latkes, potato pancakes, are a more justified calorie intake but as they say in French, chacun son gout, to each his own. In short, Christmas in the Holy Land is quite different than elsewhere.

That said, Christmas in Israel is an opportunity for tourists. The warm weather allows comfortable touring throughout the country and even getting a tan on the beach. Try that in Germany or the UK. If you want to purchase anything, stores are open as usual. The tourist can get a few minutes of “Christmas” atmosphere by going to the German Colony in Haifa (recommended) or Abu Gush or Nazareth in the Galilee. This year Hannukah and Christmas are basically at the same time, allowing visitors to enjoy the Jewish candle countdown during the eight days of the festival of light. Children can experience Festivigal, an Israeli long-running children’s music show that runs during the holiday. For those scrooges seeking a non-holiday atmosphere, Israel is perfect, how ironic.

Businesses trying to function during the December dead day may find Israel is a source of relief. Except for Christians on December 24-25 and those going on vacation, all service providers are on a “business as usual” mode, meaning it is possible and even convenient to find any service you want. Sunday is even a standard working day in Israel, rendering the weekend much less catastrophic. You can say that one person’s holiday is another person’s opportunity.

For those with a historical, spiritual or religious bent, a trip to Israel can provide fascinating perspective on the past and present in terms of the complex relationship between ethnicity and faith. In the Middle East your tribe is your religion. While people enjoy cross-cultural friendships and some people are of mixed religions, when matters get tense, as does happen from time to time, you trust “one of our own”. It is possible to see this dynamic in any mixed village or city, including Jaffa (Yafo), Haifa and Rami. Faith in the Middle East is not merely matter of religion but also and possibly more importantly of personal identity. On the bright side, msot of the time Israel shows what happens when people respect each other’s faith and do not impose their own. All religions, including Christianity, are thriving. That message is relevant for the whole world. Thus, Israel provides a unique view of the world some 2000 years ago as even now at least in terms of social interaction.

So, a trip to Israel in December can be shocking, entertaining and/or educational, depending on the person’s expectations. The atmosphere of the holiday season in the Holy Land is certainly completely different that of Europe and North America. On a positive note, it is less kitschy and much warmer, temperature-wise at least. Those seeking professional services at a non-holiday rate during the last week of September should definitely consider a provider from this region. Finally, those seeking understanding of the origins of Christianity and tensions of the modern-day Middle East should definitely see it with their own eyes. Israel is not what you imagine. If you cannot make this year, have a happy holiday however you celebrate it.

* Picture captions help the blind fully benefit from the Internet.

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The real oases of Israel

 

[Desert oasis*]

Israel traditionally is a magnet for tourists. They come to touch the portkeys, as Harry Potter would say, to their spiritual past, whether Jewish, Christian, Muslim or Bajai. Whether it involves the Wailing Wall, church at Capernaum, Dome of the Rock or Bahai Gardens, the touch with these old stones creates a magic connection for many visitors.

For those open to and seeking the modern Israel, the magic is its omnipresent oases, not those in the desert but in the surprises hidden in its people. What makes physical oases so special is neither their greenness nor the sandy color around them. It is the sudden wealth that appears from nowhere, from deep under the ground. Likewise, Israel is an extremely heterogenous country with people from all countries of the world and all backgrounds. Even the tourists in their air-conditioned buses cruising the country from one old rock to another notice how excited and energetic people are. The constant babble of Hebrew and Arabic, among the many languages, creates an almost monotonous background. However, even a monotonous short conversation reveals unexpected wealth.

Unlike many countries, outside appearance simply does not reflect the person. For example, as part of the introduction to the course I teach, I ask my engineering students, in the early to mid 20’s, to tell me about something special they have done (in their short lives). In response, I have met national swimming champions, winners of international karate championships and professional divers, to name just a few surprises. Just recently, the head of the Israeli Translators Association, Uri Bruck, gave a fascinating and detailed Zoom lecture on the history of the English translation of the Bible. I have known him for many years but had no idea that he was so knowledgeable in the subject and had delved into it out of curiosity, not as part of any religious studies.  In fact, it is quite common in Israel to discover the person next to you in line in the supermarket wearing old jeans and a faded sweatshirt is the head of a hospital department or institute of academic learning. Appearances can truly be deceiving.

Granted, like the slug jelly beans in Harry Potter (again), the surprise  is occasionally less than pleasant. A seemingly innocent comment can trigger a wild tirade from a taxi driver. However, far more often, the modern Israel is filled with omnipresent oases, the unexpected fruit riches of its people. These discoveries are, in my mind, more interesting and palpable than its famous old rocks and clearly render any trip to Israel unforgettable, as Nat King Cole would say.

* Always add caption to pictures to allow access to the blind. 

Picture credit:Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/papafox-7788876/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=3281084">Peter Fischer</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=3281084">Pixabay</a>

Camels and Israel

One of the strangest tourist purchases in Israel is a wooden camel with the word “Jerusalem” printed on it.  First of all, there are and were no camels in Jerusalem.  Secondly, its continued sales suggest that tourists view Israel as a great desert, a smaller version of the Sahara if you will. The reality is that Israel is a small country with a rather wide variety of landscapes, flora, fauna and climates.

The coastal region is flat and humid, albeit with some sand dunes where developers have not yet received building permits. Inland, north and south are very different. The Galilee gently rises from coast, reaching its peak at Mount Hermon, some 9,000 feet above sea level and dropping to the Sea of the Galilee, some 700 feet below sea level.  Rain is plentiful by local standards, meaning that flora thrives most of the year. The summers can be hot, but are far less humid.

Continuing eastwards, the Golan Heights, barely an hour’s drive from the Galilee, is a high volcanic plain, punctuated by gorges and flowing rivers (streams in other countries).  Hot in the summer and cold, even snowing, in the winter, it is a place rich with plants, including wineries, and animals with few human inhabitants.  My wife and I recently spend a weekend there and enjoyed the view and noise, specifically the tweets of all the birds at our window unaccompanied by rumble of vehicle motors.

In the center of the country, a steep road leads to Jerusalem, some 2000 feet above sea level, surrounded by mountain forests. Eastwards, the rolling hills of Judea and Samaria reflect a somewhat dry climate, green in the winter and brown in the summer but attractive in any case.

Traveling southwards, somewhere past Gadera, the Negev desert begins, reaching its arid peak at the Dead Sea. Yet, even here, the landscape is not uniform.  The northern part does receive some rain, creating incredible but short lived fields of flowers. The horizon is broken by protruding rocks, dry steam beds and crevices.  The closer to Eilat, the Southern tip of Israel, the drier and sandy the view becomes. However, at various oases, such as Ein Gedi, date palms flourish.

Of all the places I mentioned, the only real place you will find camels is in the Negev, where you can actually ride a camel, a surprisingly pleasant experience. That is why the Jerusalem camel is so absurd. On the other hand, a wooden rock hyrax, a much more common site, would be much harder to explain.