If there’s one thing that Brits are historically quite lazy at, it’s learning a foreign language. At senior school, languages such as French and German do get taught, and depending on the school there will be options for other languages, but most of us tend not to pursue any other language beyond senior school level. I know I gave up my efforts in fairly short order.

What is it about us Brits and a new language that renders us so uninterested in learning? I will confess that for my part, there is an element of the aforementioned laziness. I have also in the past tended to doubt my own intelligence on such matters. Sometimes, processing my thoughts in English proves hard enough, let alone translating something into German, and then speaking coherently enough for someone to understand my German tongue.

I do envy people who are multi-lingual. It shows a willingness to learn and adapt, a quality that can only be considered noble. I think there is something to be said for learning a new language from a young age, so that it feels as natural as possible. This can potentially open up unique opportunities later in life. I dare say whatever those opportunities might have been for me, they have passed me by. I guess that is the consequence of being a lazy meerkat, where languages are concerned!

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