My flat mates each represent a different continent and we all speak a language that's not English. As an experiment to understand the importance of a common language in communication, we declared today, 'language day', in our flat. None of us are allowed to speak to each other in English. For the whole day.
So far, what I've noticed is that we all prefer silence, rather than speaking our native languages. Perhaps because it's pointless, in a way. Our ancestors struggled to express themselves appropriately and hence invented words that facilitated a dialogue. A common language binds us together. It is relational on a much deeper level than two animals using body language.
At the dinner table last night, we each proposed a toast in our native tongue. My Dutch house mate said something in Dutch with a sweet smile on his face. We drank heartily in celebration of our friendship. Later, we found out that he actually said, "Screw you all!"
