Posters, t-shirts, CAKE! European Day of Languages arrives at WHS.
The 26th September is approaching, which for linguists means one thing and one thing only: The European Day of Languages! Europe is a hub of linguistic diversity, with 24 official languages, but more than 200 spoken on the Continent. Despite English being such a widely spoken language, the benefits to learning others are undeniable, from an increase in brain size to wider cultural understanding. This is what the European Day of Languages wants to emphasise. Its objectives include promoting lifelong language learning, promoting the rich linguistic and cultural diversity of Europe and demonstrating the important of language learning.
This year, Wycombe High is throwing itself into European Day of Languages, offering three different competitions to get involved with. Our first competition is to design a poster entitled ‘Why Learn Languages?’. The winners will have their work displayed in the Languages classrooms and on Wycombe High’s MFL Twitter account. The second, being run by the organisers of European Day of Languages itself, is the t-shirt contest, in which participants design a t-shirt to encapsulate the Day. Your design could feature on the official 2021 European Day of Languages t-shirt! Our third competition, and probably the most famous here at Wycombe High, is (drumroll please) the Bake-Off! Participants will bake a cake that represents either a European country or language. The MFL Department is extremely excited about this year’s competition, and is fully expecting an even higher standard than last year’s. Keep your eyes peeled for this year’s winners!
Wycombe High’s Subject Leader for Modern Languages, Mr de Souza has spoken to News Crew about this year’s celebration. He said: “When you celebrate the European Day of Languages you celebrate linguistic variety. This is a day where every language is valued, regardless of how many people speak it. It also increases the students’ awareness of different languages and the culture surrounding them, potentially inspiring them to learn one or two (or even more in some cases). After all, to quote a famous Czech proverb ‘You live a new life for every language you speak’.”
This year’s European Day of Languages is shaping up to be a memorable one. With such a range of competitions and ways to get involved, there is no better time to immerse yourself in the fascinating diversity of Europe’s languages. For even more information, or just to have the opportunity to celebrate Europe’s rich tapestry of languages all year round, be sure to follow Wycombe High’s Modern Languages twitter account, @WycHighMFL.