When can I say I speak a language? - Richard Simcott | PGO 2020

Very often people question when we can see a person speaks a language. They ask how it is possible for someone to say they speak a language after very little time studying it, especially polyglots. Are they just faking it for numbers? There are a number of factors that come into play when we talk about speaking languages and it's good to explore what we mean by speaking. Setting definitions and context is really key to sensible dialogue to reach agreement, even if that does not become your own personal point of view. During this talk Richard Simcott will discuss the factors involved and aim to share personal conclusions, which you may accept or reject. As a bare minimum the goal is for you to understand a considered response. Richard Simcott is a British polyglot, who has studied over 50 languages. HarperCollinsdescribed him as one of the most multilingual people in the United Kingdom, and the Goethe-Institut has named him Ambassador for Multilingualism. He works as the Languages Director at The Social Element & Polpeo. He has many years of consulting experience using languages with diverse clients and offering his expertise on multilingual and multinational projects. He is the original founder of the Polyglot Conference and The Language Event and manages a popular Facebook page called Speaking Fluently. This video was recorded at the Polyglot Gathering Online 2020 (https://www.polyglotgathering.com).