Shawna LevetThe Many Voices of European: Fun Language Facts to Share with Your Clients
As a travel agent, you may well know that language is one of the most important components of travel. Clients who are seeking that “off-the-beaten-path” experience can use language to connect with locals and sleuth out Europe’s best-kept secrets. Europe is a relatively small continent, but filled with diversity. It boasts more than 225 unique, indigenous languages. From the official languages of the European Union to the many and oft forgotten regional dialects, here are some fascinating facts about European languages you can use to help your clients better understand their destinations!
1. The Languages of the EU
The European Union (EU) officially recognizes 24 languages, making it one of the most multilingual organizations in the world. This means your clients traveling within the EU will encounter not only widely spoken languages like English, French, and German, but also smaller regional languages such as Maltese, Lithuanian, and Slavic.
Although English is still frequently spoken as a second language in many of these countries, it’s important to remind your clients that it helps to brush up on a few key phrases. A greeting or a few questions in the regional language can help open doors with the locals and provide a truly immersive experience for your clients.
2. The Romance Languages
At its height, the Roman Empire controlled much of Western Europe: Spain, France, Belgium, and much more. That influence is still evident today, not only through remaining architecture and culture, but through the “Romance languages,” or languages which originated from Latin. These are: Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Romanian.
While each of these languages are quite distinct from one another, it is easier to learn or understand the others if you know one of them well. You may find structural similarities between them, and some words that are exactly the same. The word cafe, for example, is similar in French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian. If you have some highschool Spanish, you might be able to make some strides in Italian or Portuguese with the help of a phrasebook and some knowledge of pronunciation.
3. The Lesser-Known Languages
As we mentioned at the beginning, the languages of Europe are vast, over 225! Most travelers could probably not even name 225 languages. If your client is visiting a region where a lesser-known language is spoken, you can do some research on their behalf. Let them know if any more commonly known languages are also spoken in the area, and help them find a phrase book. It might also help to do a bit of research on the origins of the language and share any fun facts you find.
Here are a few we thought we’d share with you!
- Basque: Spoken in the Basque Country, spanning parts of Spain and France, Basque is a language isolate, meaning it has no known relatives. Travelers to this region will marvel at the uniqueness of the Basque language and culture.
- Maltese: Maltese is the official language of Malta, an island country located in the Mediterranean Sea between Sicily and the North African coast. Maltese is the only Semitic language written in the Latin alphabet. It’s a beautiful blend of Arabic roots with influences from Italian and English.
- Romani: Romani is the language of the Roma people, often referred to as gypsies. Originally from Northern India, this people group traditionally lived a nomadic, itinerant lifestyle. The Romani language is one of the Indo-Aryan languages, closely related to Sanskrit. Due to the itinerant lifestyle, today there are influences from Greek, Slavic, Romanian, German and more.
Tips for Learning a New Language
There are many ways travelers can prepare themselves to travel to a country where English is not the predominant language. Of course, a language class is always a good start if you have the time. For quick guidance while on your trip there are many great language apps such as Google Translate, Duolingo, and, Phrasebooks.
Translation apps and phrasebooks are perfect for anyone hoping to chat with locals or traveling to a region where little English is spoken.
