Unfortunately an imperfect knowledge of a foreign language is of little use, as it does not give any real freedom of intercourse. Foreigners do not open their minds to one who blunders about their meaning; they consider him to be a sort of child, and address to him “easy things to understand”.
Even people of mature and superior intellect, but imperfect linguistic acquirements, are liable to be treated with a kind of condescending indulgence when out of their own country, as if they were as young in years and as feeble in power of thought as they are in their knowledge of foreign languages.
Accordingly, the greatest impediment to free intercourse between nations is neither distance, nor the difference of mental habits, nor the opposition of national interests; it is simply the imperfect manner in which languages are usually acquired, and the lazy contentment of mankind with a low degree of attainment in a foreign tongue, when a much higher degree of attainment would be necessary to any efficient interchange of ideas. It seems probable that much of the future happiness of humanity will depend upon a determination to learn foreign languages more thoroughly.
P. G. Hamerton
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