Benjamin Franklin (1706 - 1790) (Polyglots) Language Learning Forum

Benjamin Franklin (1706 - 1790)
Tags: Polymath \| Political Leaders \| Biography \| History \| United States \| Foreign Languages
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Topsiderunner
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06 July 2008 at 4:09pm | IP Logged

Ben Franklin isn't known primarily or even secondarily for his linguistic skills, though according to his autobiography he did speak several European languages, including French, Italian, Spanish, and Latin. The following is an interesting excerpt from the book, which unsurprisingly, highlights his practical side:

Quote:

I had began in 1733 to study languages; I soon made myself so much a master of the French as to be able to read the books with ease. I then undertook the Italian. An acquaintance, who was also learning it, used often to tempt me to play chess with him. Finding this took up much of the time I had to spare for study, I at length refused to play any more, unless on this condition, that the victor in every game should have a right to impose a task, either in parts of the grammar to be got by heart, or in translations, etc., which tasks the vanquished was to perform, upon honor, before our next meeting. As we played pretty equally, we thus beat one another into that language. I afterwards, with a little painstaking, acquired as much of the Spanish as to read their books also.

I have already mentioned that I had only one year's instruction in a Latin School, and that when very young, after which I neglected that language entirely. But, when I had attained an acquaintance with the French, Italian, and Spanish, I was surprised to find, on looking over a Latin Testament, that I understood so much more of that language than I had imagined, which encouraged me to apply myself again to the study of it, and I met with more success, as those preceding languages had greatly smoothed my way.

From these circumstances, I have thought that there is some inconsistency in our common mode of teaching languages. We are told that it is proper to begin first with the Latin, and, having acquired that, it will be more easy to attain those modern languages which are derived from it; and yet we do not begin with the Greek, in order more easy to acquire the Latin. It is true that, if you can clamber and get to the top of a staircase without using the steps, you will more easily gain them in descending; but certainly, if you begin with the lowest you will with more ease ascend to the top; and I would therefore offer it to the consideration of those who superintend the education of our youth, whether, since many of those who begin with Latin quite the same after spending some years without having made any great proficiency, and what they have learnt becomes almost useless, so that their time has been lost, it would not have been better to have begun with the French, proceeding to the Italian, etc. ; for, tho', after spending the same time, they should quite the study of languages, and never arrive at the Latin, they would, however, have acquired another tongue or two, that, being in modern use, might be serviceable to them in common life.

Edited by Fasulye on 08 July 2012 at 6:37pm
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William Camden
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Message 2 of 6

07 July 2008 at 10:30am | IP Logged

Interesting. Franklin seems to have been an early enthusiast for modern languages as opposed to the classics.

Latin, though still widely taught, was in decline in the 18th century, certainly in Europe. Coincidentally, 1733 was also the year that Latin ceased to be the obligatory language for legal documents in England.

Edited by William Camden on 07 July 2008 at 10:30am
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victor
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Message 3 of 6

07 July 2008 at 9:35pm | IP Logged

Very interesting. Thank you for sharing!
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obara
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Message 4 of 6

16 August 2008 at 10:31am | IP Logged

Classical languages like Sanskrit, Latin etc. are meant for study for enjoyment of literature in its source language, because translations may not bring the effect of the original.
Modern languages can be practiced and they are helpful for our day to day life.
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Raincrowlee
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16 August 2008 at 12:11pm | IP Logged

obara wrote:

But you have to realize that when Franklin was studying, there wouldn't have been as big a difference between the two. Franklin was posted as a diplomat to France, which would have made that useful, but he says that his main goal was to read books. Books are static things -- there isn't that much of a difference between a book written a thousand years ago and a book written yesterday. A book in Latin would have been the same as one in Spanish -- something he could not have read until he mastered the language.

Also, all things considered, it's possible that there weren't translations of all the books he read, and only could read some of them in the original if he wanted to read them at all.
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Fasulye
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Message 6 of 6

08 July 2012 at 6:39pm | IP Logged

Wikipedia describes Bejamin Franklin as a polymath but I would invite you to read the article yourselves:

English Wikipedia: Benjamin Franklin

Fasulye

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