PolyÂglot, as its Greek roots take no great pains to conÂceal, means the speakÂing of mulÂtiÂple lanÂguages. SomeÂwhat less obviÂous is the meanÂing of the assoÂciÂatÂed term hyperÂpolyÂlot. “Coined two decades ago, by a British linÂguist, Richard HudÂson, who was launchÂing an InterÂnet search for the world’s greatÂest lanÂguage learnÂer,” the New YorkÂer’s Judith ThurÂman writes, it refers not just to the speakÂing of mulÂtiÂple lanÂguages but the speakÂing of many lanÂguages. How many is “many”? “The acceptÂed threshÂold is eleven,” which disÂqualÂiÂfies even most of us avid lanÂguage conÂnoisÂseurs. But Vaughn Smith easÂiÂly makes the cut.
You can meet this forÂmiÂdaÂble hyperÂpolyÂglot in the WashÂingÂton Post video above, which comÂpleÂments JesÂsiÂca ConÂtrÂera’s stoÂry in the paper. Smith grew up in D.C. speakÂing not just EngÂlish but SpanÂish, his mothÂer’s native lanÂguage. On his father’s side of the famÂiÂly, disÂtant cousins from BelÂgium expandÂed Smith’s linÂguisÂtic worldÂview furÂther still.
At 46 years of age, he now speaks just about as many lanÂguages, “with at least 24 he speaks well enough to carÂry on lengthy conÂverÂsaÂtions. He can read and write in eight alphaÂbets and scripts. He can tell stoÂries in ItalÂian and Finnish and AmerÂiÂcan Sign LanÂguage. He’s teachÂing himÂself IndigeÂnous lanÂguages, from Mexico’s NahuÂatl. to Montana’s SalÂish. The qualÂiÂty of his accents in Dutch and CataÂlan dazÂzle peoÂple from the NetherÂlands and Spain.”
Unlike his felÂlow hyperÂpolyÂglot IoanÂnis Ikonomou, proÂfiled in the Great Big StoÂry video above, Smith is not a transÂlaÂtor. Nor does he work as a linÂguist, a diploÂmat, or anyÂthing else you’d expect. “Vaughn has been a painter, a bouncÂer, a punk rock roadÂie and a KomÂbucha delivÂery man,” writes ConÂtrÂera. “He was once a dog walkÂer for the Czech art colÂlecÂtor Meda MládÂková, the widÂow of an InterÂnaÂtionÂal MonÂeÂtary Fund govÂerÂnor,” which was “the closÂest he ever came to havÂing a career that utiÂlized his lanÂguages.” HavÂing brought him most recentÂly to the proÂfesÂsion of carÂpet cleanÂing, Smith’s life resemÂbles a beloved genre of AmerÂiÂcan stoÂry: that of the undisÂcovÂered workÂing-class genius, most popÂuÂlarÂly told by movies like Good Will HuntÂing. ConÂtrÂera’s invesÂtiÂgaÂtion adds a chapÂter in line with a major 21st-cenÂtuÂry trend in reportage: the brain activÂiÂty-revealÂing funcÂtionÂal magÂnetÂic resÂoÂnance imagÂing (fMRI) scan.
Under the fMRI scanÂner, “Vaughn works through a series of tests, readÂing EngÂlish words, watchÂing blue squares move around and lisÂtenÂing to lanÂguages, some he knows and some he doesn’t.” The results were surÂprisÂing: “the parts of Vaughn’s brain used to comÂpreÂhend lanÂguage are far smallÂer and quiÂeter than mine,” writes the monoglot ConÂtrÂera. “Even when we are readÂing the same words in EngÂlish, I am using more of my brain and workÂing hardÂer than he ever has to.” PerÂhaps “Vaughn was born with his lanÂguage areas being smallÂer and more effiÂcient”; perÂhaps “his brain startÂed out like mine, but because he learned so many lanÂguages while it was still develÂopÂing, his dedÂiÂcaÂtion transÂformed his anatoÂmy.” Smith himÂself seems to have enjoyed the expeÂriÂence — not that it took his mind off a matÂter of great imporÂtance even to the less intenÂsive lanÂguage-learnÂers: keepÂing his DuolinÂgo streak intact.
RelatÂed conÂtent:
Learn 48 LanÂguages Online for Free: SpanÂish, ChiÂnese, EngÂlish & More
The Tree of LanÂguages IllusÂtratÂed in a Big, BeauÂtiÂful InfoÂgraphÂic
A Map ShowÂing How Much Time It Takes to Learn ForÂeign LanÂguages: From EasÂiÂest to HardÂest
Based in Seoul, ColÂin MarÂshall writes and broadÂcasts on cities, lanÂguage, and culÂture. His projects include the SubÂstack newsletÂter Books on Cities, the book The StateÂless City: a Walk through 21st-CenÂtuÂry Los AngeÂles and the video series The City in CinÂeÂma. FolÂlow him on TwitÂter at @colinmarshall or on FaceÂbook.
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