I have decided to interview a John Carroll student whose primary Language is Gujarati to learn about what it was like to learn English and to find out about his experiences. I found it interesting how Gujarati is still important to him today. Also, I liked seeing how happy and proud he was to know multiple languages. This is my Interview with him.
Q: What is your full name?
A: My full name is Faizan R. Multani.
Q: Does your name have any meaning in your language or special importance?
A: Yes, It means prophet, but not a prophet like from God. It is more like a money prophet.
Q: What grade are you currently in here at John Carroll?
A: I am a senior here, but for the past three years I went to Calvert Hall. Over the summer I transferred here to John Carroll.
Q: What is your primary language?
A: My primary language is Gujarati.
Q: How many languages do you know in all?
A: I know about six altogether. In addition to knowing both English and Gujarati, I know a few other Indian languages. In India there are a million different languages, so it is common to know more than one.
Q: What language do you take in school?
A: I took Spanish back at Calvert Hall, but I am not currently taking a language here at John Carroll.
Q: Where were you born?
A: Actually, I was born in Philly.
Q: How old were you when you began to learn English?
A: I was about five years old or so.
Q: Was it difficult to learn English?
A: I would have to say no, not really.
Q: Do you like knowing more than one language?
A: Yes, I guess.
Q: Has knowing multiple languages provided new or unique opportunities for you?
A: Yes! It definitely helps my ability to relate to more people. Overall though, there is nothing that really sticks out to me.
Q: What are the benefits of knowing multiple languages?
A: Well, you can talk in front of people without them knowing what you are saying. My cousin Quasay and I talk in our primary language when we make fun of people in from of them and we don’t want them to hear.
Q: Do you still speak your primary language at home or with family and friends? Why or Why Not?
A: Yes. It just makes sense to because that is our first language, although, I do not always speak it with my cousin Quasay. Most of the time I talk to him in English, that is, unless we are together with all of our family which is already speaking Gujarati.
Q: What influenced your parents’ decision of to America?
A: I guess work.
Q: Can you write in any of the languages?
A: After learning how to speak languages, I also learned how to write them. For example, I know how to write in Arabic.
Q: How many languages?
A: I can only write in Arabic which my dad taught me. Also, of course I can obviously write in English. I have to know that especially because of school.
Q: Do you enjoy learning languages? Was it fun to you?
A: It kind of was and kind of wasn’t. Most of the languages I learned when I was younger so it basically came for the most part naturally. This made it more fun because it didn’t necessarily seem like work to me. Later, when I was older, my dad made me learn Arabic. That was more difficult and wasn’t quit as fun because it was more challenging.
Q: Have you ever visited India? Why or Why not?
A: No, and I just haven’t been yet. I don’t exactly know why though.
Q: Do you think you will ever visit India? Why?
A: Yes. I think I will be visiting this coming summer.
Q: How much family do you have in the U.S.? How much family do you have left back in India?
A: Most of my family is in India, but almost all of my uncles are here in the U.S.!
Q: How did you learn English and your primary language?
A: I learned my primary language first and later learned English through school and television.
Q: What was the hardest language to learn?
A: Arabic
Q: Does knowing multiple languages help you learn new ones?
A: Yes, definitely.
Q: Will you seek a profession where you would need both or multiple languages?
A: No not really. At least, I will not search out a job because of it.
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