You Do Your Thing, I'll Do Mine

LITTLE ENRAGES me more than disrespect for the vocation of others. I was deeply offended last week by a gentleman who engaged me in casual conversation. “What subject do you do?” he said. “French and Spanish” I replied. Out of mutual politeness, I asked him the same question. “Chemical Engineering” he said.

This, naturally, did not bother me, for while I cannot begin to understand the subject, I do appreciate that it is certainly a noble and useful occupation. I was only dismayed by what he said afterwards; “I think I’ll go further [in life].”

He wasn’t joking either. Indeed, he will go further, but only if we are measuring how far we go into the field of chemical engineering. The University’s motto is Generatim discite cultus; “Learn each field of study according to its kind”. No subject is better than another.

As a linguist in a science-based establishment, I am constantly faced with the same three displays of ignorance and arrogance. One, everybody speaks English, two, languages are useless, and three, linguists don’t have any work (I got that last one a lot during reading week). Naturally, this is all complete nonsense. I appreciate that you cannot cure a disease by talking to it (although some psychologists may disagree) but similarly, you must understand languages are vital in business, government, broadcasting and so on. After all, when you get your big discovery, how are you going to explain how it works?

Perhaps it is a difference in thinking processes. Scientists are trained to analyse every little detail, while linguists are encouraged to look at things more contextually. Whatever the reasons may be, this intellectual snobbery must stop. After all, if everyone did the same thing, then nothing would ever get done. Well, one thing would get done… a lot.