Christopher Hughes MBE
@chrislinguist.bsky.social
Translator, language teacher & linguaphile for over 25 years. Briefly discussed Basque with The Princess Royal. Author of 'A Course in Modern Geg Albanian' - www.albarolanguages.com
Pinned
What’s the Point of Learning a Language?
For me, it’s always started with a feeling. A leap into somewhere unfamiliar. A desire not just to visit, but to understand. Not just to speak, but to connect. It’s never been about ticking boxes, …
albarolanguages.com
I didn’t learn languages to get somewhere; I learned them to be somewhere. I’ve done it for the taxi rides, the balcony conversations, the glances of shared understanding. Not to perform, but to belong. To connect. That’s the real point. And it changes everything. albarolanguages.com/2025/06/21/w...
If Mandarin gets more young people excited about languages in school, fantastic; let's ride that wave. But let’s also stop treating Latin as a museum piece. Beyond the declensions lies a powerhouse for vocabulary, critical thinking and cultural literacy. All school languages shape modern minds.
February 15, 2026 at 4:12 PM
If Mandarin gets more young people excited about languages in school, fantastic; let's ride that wave. But let’s also stop treating Latin as a museum piece. Beyond the declensions lies a powerhouse for vocabulary, critical thinking and cultural literacy. All school languages shape modern minds.
In a world where understanding matters more than ever, learning another language is far more important than remembering vocabulary and grammar. It's about seeing another point of view, making new connections and embracing difference. It's a bunch of skills that makes you better at whatever you do.
February 10, 2026 at 9:58 PM
In a world where understanding matters more than ever, learning another language is far more important than remembering vocabulary and grammar. It's about seeing another point of view, making new connections and embracing difference. It's a bunch of skills that makes you better at whatever you do.
I didn’t learn languages just to collect certificates. I learned them for the friendships, the (mis)adventures, the roadside chats, the shared meals, the families, the feeling of belonging somewhere unexpected. Every new language throws open the door to a life you wouldn’t otherwise live.
February 8, 2026 at 10:56 AM
I didn’t learn languages just to collect certificates. I learned them for the friendships, the (mis)adventures, the roadside chats, the shared meals, the families, the feeling of belonging somewhere unexpected. Every new language throws open the door to a life you wouldn’t otherwise live.
You never learn just one language, once you start. French unassumingly led me to Catalan and Romanian. German unlocked Dutch and Swedish. Spanish opened the way to Italian and Portuguese. One language always nudges you towards another. Start anywhere. You don’t need to be a “linguist” to go far.
February 5, 2026 at 8:54 PM
You never learn just one language, once you start. French unassumingly led me to Catalan and Romanian. German unlocked Dutch and Swedish. Spanish opened the way to Italian and Portuguese. One language always nudges you towards another. Start anywhere. You don’t need to be a “linguist” to go far.
Each time you learn a new language, you discover a tiny bit more of the world. You meet another people on their terms. You experience moments you never knew you were missing. You realise that your worldview is just one of many. You get the chance to live a fuller and richer life.
February 1, 2026 at 6:51 PM
Each time you learn a new language, you discover a tiny bit more of the world. You meet another people on their terms. You experience moments you never knew you were missing. You realise that your worldview is just one of many. You get the chance to live a fuller and richer life.
In the age of AI, school languages matter more than ever. Algorithms can process words, but only humans convey meaning: empathy, judgement, culture, lived experience. Learning languages at school builds the cultural intelligence and human connections that real meaning depends on.
January 31, 2026 at 6:29 PM
In the age of AI, school languages matter more than ever. Algorithms can process words, but only humans convey meaning: empathy, judgement, culture, lived experience. Learning languages at school builds the cultural intelligence and human connections that real meaning depends on.
Languages stretch your horizons in ways you don’t expect. Mandarin presented me with an entirely different worldview. Basque fascinated me as a living pre-Indo-European language. Icelandic still speaks to its medieval past. Each one reminds me how vast, deep and connected our world really is.
January 26, 2026 at 8:47 PM
Languages stretch your horizons in ways you don’t expect. Mandarin presented me with an entirely different worldview. Basque fascinated me as a living pre-Indo-European language. Icelandic still speaks to its medieval past. Each one reminds me how vast, deep and connected our world really is.
School French, German & Spanish can change your life. Not through textbooks, but by opening a window onto other ways of thinking, living & connecting. That early curiosity can carry you across borders, into friendships, careers & worlds you never planned for. albarolanguages.com/2026/01/24/a...
All It Takes Is a Spark: How School Languages Open Doors for Life
If it hadn’t been for the spark lit by school French, German and Spanish, my life would look very different. That is not an exaggeration or a romantic flourish added with hindsight. It’s patently t…
albarolanguages.com
January 25, 2026 at 11:00 AM
School French, German & Spanish can change your life. Not through textbooks, but by opening a window onto other ways of thinking, living & connecting. That early curiosity can carry you across borders, into friendships, careers & worlds you never planned for. albarolanguages.com/2026/01/24/a...
The world makes more sense when you can speak another language, when you can temper your views to meet another culture head-on. Another language opens up the other side of the argument. Another language conveys respect and friendship, in a world that sorely needs more of both.
January 22, 2026 at 8:20 AM
The world makes more sense when you can speak another language, when you can temper your views to meet another culture head-on. Another language opens up the other side of the argument. Another language conveys respect and friendship, in a world that sorely needs more of both.
If it weren't for the spark lit by school French, Spanish and German, I'd never have learned Albanian, Farsi and Mandarin. I'd never have experienced the opportunities and cultural revelations those languages provide. A new language will transform your world, and unlock door after door.
January 15, 2026 at 10:29 PM
If it weren't for the spark lit by school French, Spanish and German, I'd never have learned Albanian, Farsi and Mandarin. I'd never have experienced the opportunities and cultural revelations those languages provide. A new language will transform your world, and unlock door after door.
Translation will never just be about words. It’s about context, connection, care and consequence. In a world rushing towards speed and scale, human translators will always be those who genuinely convey meaning, and the responsibility that comes with it. albarolanguages.com/2026/01/09/w...
Why Human Translation Still Matters in an Age of AI
We are living in an age dazzled by velocity. Faster processing, faster outputs, faster answers. New tools appear almost every day, each promising to scale what once took time, judgement and human e…
albarolanguages.com
January 12, 2026 at 7:39 PM
Translation will never just be about words. It’s about context, connection, care and consequence. In a world rushing towards speed and scale, human translators will always be those who genuinely convey meaning, and the responsibility that comes with it. albarolanguages.com/2026/01/09/w...
Learn a new language and the world widens. You borrow other people’s senses, scale new mountains of thought, hear music differently, feel life more deeply, taste culture, earn trust, build friendships you never knew you were missing. Whatever your gift, a language takes it further.
January 9, 2026 at 10:01 AM
Learn a new language and the world widens. You borrow other people’s senses, scale new mountains of thought, hear music differently, feel life more deeply, taste culture, earn trust, build friendships you never knew you were missing. Whatever your gift, a language takes it further.
One of the great things about learning another language at school is that passing an exam is not the be all and end all. Regardless, it will open your mind, connect you with new people, pique your curiosity, introduce you to new cultures, and elevate your experiences. We all benefit.
January 2, 2026 at 7:59 PM
One of the great things about learning another language at school is that passing an exam is not the be all and end all. Regardless, it will open your mind, connect you with new people, pique your curiosity, introduce you to new cultures, and elevate your experiences. We all benefit.
As one year ends and a new one begins, consider this: learning a new language isn’t just another resolution - it’s a portal to another world. Step through it, and the people you meet, the places you visit, the life you live will quietly reshape themselves around you.
December 29, 2025 at 12:54 PM
As one year ends and a new one begins, consider this: learning a new language isn’t just another resolution - it’s a portal to another world. Step through it, and the people you meet, the places you visit, the life you live will quietly reshape themselves around you.
Why learn another language? To glimpse life through other eyes, widen your world, and encounter ways of thinking you’d otherwise miss. Languages spark connections across careers, cultures and lives - not as an extra, but as an upgrade in life. You can level up with a language.
December 23, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Why learn another language? To glimpse life through other eyes, widen your world, and encounter ways of thinking you’d otherwise miss. Languages spark connections across careers, cultures and lives - not as an extra, but as an upgrade in life. You can level up with a language.
Another language opens another world: smiles offered freely, doors quietly unlocked, people you didn’t know you were waiting to meet. It leads you far beyond the classroom or textbook, to histories, cultures, moments and exchanges that gently widen your sense of what’s possible.
December 14, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Another language opens another world: smiles offered freely, doors quietly unlocked, people you didn’t know you were waiting to meet. It leads you far beyond the classroom or textbook, to histories, cultures, moments and exchanges that gently widen your sense of what’s possible.
Your school French is far more than another subject. It's your advantage in multiple careers, your gateway to richer experiences, your introduction to Spanish, German, Arabic, Chinese and many more, your multicultural awakening. It transforms your entire interaction with a world beyond your own.
December 11, 2025 at 10:33 PM
Your school French is far more than another subject. It's your advantage in multiple careers, your gateway to richer experiences, your introduction to Spanish, German, Arabic, Chinese and many more, your multicultural awakening. It transforms your entire interaction with a world beyond your own.
People sometimes ask why I bother with other languages when “everyone speaks English.” But the truth is, millions don’t. And even when they do, their hearts beat in their own words. Learn a language (or two), and you’ll find doors opening to deeper interactions and genuine human connection.
December 5, 2025 at 6:29 PM
People sometimes ask why I bother with other languages when “everyone speaks English.” But the truth is, millions don’t. And even when they do, their hearts beat in their own words. Learn a language (or two), and you’ll find doors opening to deeper interactions and genuine human connection.
On Romania’s National Day, why not let Romanian surprise you? It’s a Romance gem with French echoes, Spanish and Italian cousins, Slavic twists and a culture just as colourful. If you fancy Romance with a spark of the unexpected, today could be the day to begin. albarolanguages.com/2024/01/24/r...
Romanian: Romance with a Twist
After most of the ‘major’ Romance languages (Spanish, French, Catalan, Portuguese and Italian) had firmly embedded themselves in my heart and mind, there was one more, winking at me and beckoning a…
albarolanguages.com
December 1, 2025 at 6:52 PM
On Romania’s National Day, why not let Romanian surprise you? It’s a Romance gem with French echoes, Spanish and Italian cousins, Slavic twists and a culture just as colourful. If you fancy Romance with a spark of the unexpected, today could be the day to begin. albarolanguages.com/2024/01/24/r...
Who’d have thought that your school French, German or Spanish would lead to unique opportunities, enhanced experiences and broader perspectives? Those vocab lists and set phrases open doors. Chinese and Arabic become new options. Languages exceed your expectations and take you to new destinations.
November 28, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Who’d have thought that your school French, German or Spanish would lead to unique opportunities, enhanced experiences and broader perspectives? Those vocab lists and set phrases open doors. Chinese and Arabic become new options. Languages exceed your expectations and take you to new destinations.
Linguistics hooked me from a library shelf and never let go. It’s the science that reveals how language shapes thought, culture and connection. Add it to the curriculum & you give students a toolkit for thinking & communicating more deeply. #NationalLinguisticsDay albarolanguages.com/2024/06/01/e...
Exploring Linguistics: Where Science and Languages Meet
As with so many of my lifelong passions and interests, my first encounter with linguistics came from a book. It was back in the days when my parents would take me to the library once a week to pic…
albarolanguages.com
November 26, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Linguistics hooked me from a library shelf and never let go. It’s the science that reveals how language shapes thought, culture and connection. Add it to the curriculum & you give students a toolkit for thinking & communicating more deeply. #NationalLinguisticsDay albarolanguages.com/2024/06/01/e...
From French and Spanish to Albanian and Farsi, languages have opened doors for me, grown understanding and taught me to see the world in full colour. Cutting them from schools and universities doesn’t just shrink the curriculum, it shrinks the life choices that all students should enjoy.
Languages: The Educational Superpower We Can’t Afford to Lose
Across schools and universities, language departments are under threat. Courses are being cut, departments downsized, and opportunities to learn languages are diminishing. The justification? Langua…
albarolanguages.com
November 24, 2025 at 6:17 PM
From French and Spanish to Albanian and Farsi, languages have opened doors for me, grown understanding and taught me to see the world in full colour. Cutting them from schools and universities doesn’t just shrink the curriculum, it shrinks the life choices that all students should enjoy.
When you learn French at school, you're not just learning a language. You're learning a different way to engage with humanity. You'll find learning Spanish and German easier. Even Chinese and Arabic are accessible. It's your first step on a voyage across the world, through history & beyond borders.
November 20, 2025 at 11:17 PM
When you learn French at school, you're not just learning a language. You're learning a different way to engage with humanity. You'll find learning Spanish and German easier. Even Chinese and Arabic are accessible. It's your first step on a voyage across the world, through history & beyond borders.
Another language is for you if you’ve ever felt the world has more to say than the words you already know; if you’re hungry for perspectives that surprise you, connections that move you, and stories that reshape you. Say yes to the unfamiliar. Let a language take you on new adventures.
November 18, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Another language is for you if you’ve ever felt the world has more to say than the words you already know; if you’re hungry for perspectives that surprise you, connections that move you, and stories that reshape you. Say yes to the unfamiliar. Let a language take you on new adventures.
From the streets of Brussels to cafés in Bragança, plazas in Murcia to bars in Pristina, every language I’ve learned has opened a new world, a new way of seeing and belonging. University language departments provide a major key to those worlds. Let’s keep as many doors open as possible.
November 16, 2025 at 3:48 PM
From the streets of Brussels to cafés in Bragança, plazas in Murcia to bars in Pristina, every language I’ve learned has opened a new world, a new way of seeing and belonging. University language departments provide a major key to those worlds. Let’s keep as many doors open as possible.