Learn 10 Languages
The problem
Our understanding of human wisdom is fragmented by language barriers. Each language represents a unique intellectual tradition, preserving distinct ways of thinking about human nature and experience. This manifests in several critical ways:
1. Languages encode different conceptual frameworks. Untranslatable terms like Greek "sophrosyne" or Arabic "adab" represent entire philosophical frameworks that resist simple translation.
2. Grammar shapes thought. Different linguistic structures - from verb tenses to gender systems - reflect and reinforce different ways of perceiving reality.
3. Literary traditions resist translation. The subtleties of great works, from wordplay to meter, can only be fully appreciated in their original language.
4. Historical consciousness requires linguistic diversity. Understanding how ideas evolved across time and cultures requires engaging with texts in their original languages.
The solution
Learn 10 languages by age 30.
30 is a good round number & it gives me 6 years after graduating from Dartmouth.
Current progress
Languages with foundational knowledge:
- Turkish (native)
- English (fluent)
- French (intermediate)
- Ancient Greek (reading knowledge)
- Ottoman Turkish (reading knowledge)
- Italian (in progress)
- Latin (in progress)
Target languages to complete the goal:
- Russian (tried once)
- German
- Arabic
- [?]
Methodology
I approach each language through two phases:
- Language acquisition - focused study of grammar, vocabulary, and basic communication
- Literature engagement - reading classical texts and building cultural understanding
I try to frontload memorization of grammar and learn as many words as I can quickly.
Timeline
Started: Late 2022
Target completion: 2030