Talk about the Manx language at Polyglot Gathering 2023

This June, the Manx Language will be the subject of one of the many seminars and presentations given at the International Polyglot Gathering in Poland. The Polyglot Gathering is an event that brings together people who speak multiple languages, teach languages or who just enjoy linguistics and learning languages in general. It is attended by people from all over the world.

The presentation about Manx will be given by Jeffrey Micher, an American linguist and polyglot from Pittsburgh. Jeffrey has an MA in Linguistics, an MS in Language Technologies and has taught English as a Second Language in France and the US, and French in the US. He has worked in the field of Augmentative and Alternative Communication, developing computer interfaces for assistive language technology in multiple languages, and carried out research in Applied Linguistics and Machine Translation. Jeffrey started learning Manx online about a year ago, with Manx teacher Paul Rogers, who lives in Peel. Jeffrey became interested in Manx when he discovered a Manx ancestor in his family tree.

As well as Manx, Jeffrey can speak English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Slovak and little bits of many other languages. He will be addressing people with a similar love for languages at the Polyglot Gathering in Teresin, Poland. He wants to highlight the interesting history of the decline and revival of Manx and try to inspire other polyglots to take up learning an endangered language such as Manx. But what makes Manx an appealing choice to add to your list of languages? Jeffrey will be explaining some of the interesting features of the often forgotten sister language of Irish and Scottish Gaelic - the grammar, pronunciation, initial mutation of consonants, and how it relates to other Indo-European Languages. Many polyglots may already speak a Germanic, Slavic or Romance language, but might not have much experience with Celtic languages. Jeffrey hopes to convince some of the language-lovers to try their hand at learning Manx, one of the smallest Celtic Languages, and not only gain an interesting new language but help increase the total number of Manx speakers, where ever they may be, around the world.

You can find out more about the Polyglot Gathering, which is the world's largest event for polyglots and language lovers, here.

[With our thanks to Paul Rogers, for this piece]

Published: Sat, 10 Jun 2023