Lyrics, more lyrics, and even more lyrics

Why do we learn a new language? How do we learn a new language? Prof. Keating in the, cheesy, movie "Dead Poets Society" tries to answer a similar question: "Why do we study poetry?" I find his answer, "to woo women", unsatisfactory. For one thing, if it were true, poetic geniuses like Solomos or Pessoa, would have spread their genes most efficiently. Ιn reality it is the likes of Genghis Khan, who can rightfully claim that they are the "fathers" of humanity (pun intended.) Secondly, and more importantly, who would fall for poetry when there is music around?

Going back to the original question, foreign languages entered my life very early
(I will skip the infamous "cat/dog" story that my mother can narrate much better than I, remind me to explain more when we meet again in person.)
It must have been around 1984, I was ten years old, and my parents "encouraged" me (a mild expression) to take French lessons. The strongest memory I have from these days is a bipolar me either vehemently refusing to interrupt my early afternoon sleep to attend class (classes usually took place after school between 2pm and 8pm) (that was more frequent during the winter semester) or me going there half an hour earlier during the Spring semester to meet with my classmates and play children's games in the courtyard of the historic building of the "Institut Francais d'Athenes, Annexe du Piraie" (French accent signs omitted) (Spring is really nice in Piraeus), an activity which frequently caused the eruption of the French director, a great pedagogue no doubt.

The most pressing question that our sorry teachers had to answer to a bunch of 10-year-old monsters was "why do we have to learn French?" The obvious answer "to be able to appreciate first hand the glorious French civilization" did not work great at that age. It still does not work great for me. So, the most 'philosophical' of the teachers, usually the ones with more years in service and less idealism left, fell back to the obvious cliche "if you ever travel to France, how will you be able to ask for directions in the street? You want to visit France some day. Right?" At that point most discussions stopped because even 10-year-old boys can understand when stupidity has crossed a limit.

Curiously enough, such discussions infrequently come up during the English language classes (guess why :)) and particularly for students entering adolescence. Why? Because music enters their life! You know, that thing where suddenly, whoever you talk to seems to be talking about, e.g., this or the hair of these guys? And who can claim that he can appreciate music fully without understanding the lyrics? Can you imagine yourself listening to, e.g., "Listen to your heart" (the choice is NOT arbitrary :)) and singing out loud "Λιστεν το γιουρ χαρτ"; No way! You need to understand what you are singing! QED!

Long story short, regardless of me being a rather conservative, I did not go to any concerts, and atypical adolescent, I managed to learn a bit of French, English and even some German. But music was part of my life. And because I was atypical I listened to many different songs, e.g., like this one, or even that one.

Years have passed, and I have marched to the beat of my own drum which to many people may sound like noise but to me it has a mostly melodic sound. The current challenge is to adjust to life in Zurich and for that I have to put to good use my poor to pathetic knowledge of French and German. But my theory is still there to help me like a true Platonic idea, alive in its own world!

Trying to locate the central post office in Zurich in "Kasernenstrasse" (see an earlier post) my linguistic memory attracted me to the right direction to the old barracks (Kaserne = Barracks in German) remembering (I doubt it has anything to do with Plato's anamnesis) the beginning of the German lyrics.

Bei der Kaserne, vor dem grossen Tor

steht 'ne Laterne und steht sie nach davor

da wollen wir uns wiedersehen

bei der Laterne wollen wir stehen

wie einst Lili Marlen 

My theory is so great that it applies even to the digital world! Trying to buy the necessary first household items for my new apartment, I chose the French version of a pathetic online site which supported only the "official" Swiss languages (German, French, and Italian.) The word "rabais" ('discount' in French) was prominently displayed. Spot on again!

Padam, padam, padam

Des "Je t'aime" de quatorze-Juillet

Padam, padam, padam

Des "Toujours" qu'on achete au rabais

What is the conclusion? You may be able to appreciate the big divas of music at the age of 14, quote Plato or even have your own original ideas on the purpose of language, but as the last lyric states (due to the financial crisis) you will always have to buy stuff on discount!

Shop online my friends!