UAE | Leisure
'Speak dating' programme breaches language barrier
One innovative linguist has set up a language exchange programme in the UAE: "speak dating"
- By Alice Johnson, by Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:00 June 19, 2010
- Image Credit: HADRIAN HERNANDEZ/Gulf News
- The 'speak dating' concept was created by Benedicte Hennebo, after she found it difficult to practise and learn Arabic when she moved to Dubai two years ago.
Dubai: What would you do if you want to learn a new language? Get a date, perhaps.
When Belgian Benedicto Hennebo moved to Dubai two years ago she found it difficult to learn Arabic.
Then she came up with an innovative language exchange programme called ‘Speak dating' to overcome language barriers.
The programme is about finding the right language partner — someone with whom you can learn languages, while also teaching others your languages.
"It's facilitation so that people can find their language match or pair. We are looking at being facilitators between people wanting to learn other languages," she said.
"We try to make the matches so that after the event they will continue to see each other, perhaps for coffee, and have conversations."
A novel way to learn
One of the main difficulties when moving to a new country can sometimes be the language barrier. If you don't speak the language of the country you've moved to, it can be a daunting task trying to learn and finding a person to practise with.
One innovative linguist has found a solution to this problem by setting up a language exchange programme: "speak dating".
The programme doesn't have anything to do with dating in the romantic sense, but is about finding the right language partner — someone with whom you can learn languages, while also teaching others your languages.
The concept was created by Benedicte Hennebo, after she found it difficult to practise and learn Arabic when she moved to Dubai two years ago. The Belgian national is fluent in English, French, Dutch and Italian, having studied linguistics and literature at university.
"I tried to learn Arabic but then I found it really difficult to practise, because everything is made easy for you here and it's easier to speak English," she told Gulf News at the speak dating event held this week at The Shelter, Al Quoz.
Teach and learn
Hennebo works as a marketing manager during the day and organises the language exchange in her spare time. So far The Shelter has hosted two of the free monthly events.
"It's facilitation so that people can find their language match or pair. We are looking at being facilitators between people wanting to learn other languages. We try to make the matches so that after the event they will continue to see each other, perhaps for coffee, and have conversations," she said.
The set-up is simple. Each table has a devoted language, ranging from English, Italian, Spanish and French to Urdu, Arabic, Hindi and Russian.
On entry, participants put down what language they can teach and what language they would like to learn. During the first 45 minute session, some will be teachers, while others are students. Then students and teachers swap roles, hence exchanging languages.
Nahla Kafafi, 27, an Egyptian, was teaching Arabic and wanted to learn French. "It's a very friendly environment and it helps build your self-confidence," she said. The Arabic "teacher" spent 12 years studying French and lived in Brazil and Germany before moving to Dubai.
For Omar Ba, 31, a Mauritanian, speaking five languages isn't enough. He attended the speak dating session to learn Spanish, and can teach Arabic, French, English, Pulaar (Fula language) and Serer (spoken in Senegal).
The languages spoken at the events were decided upon after a Shelter survey, and also vary depending on which participants attend the evenings. "Speak dating" evenings are held once a month at The Shelter.
On hand
As the Arabic table was free, this writer decided to become a ‘student' for the night. The idea is to only speak the language designated to the table you sit at, but for me, Nahla's Egyptian Arabic was far too fluent.
We used English to communicate outside of the Arabic discussion, and I noticed she wanted to learn French. We spoke in French for a little while, until I discovered she'd studied French from 12 (compared to my two years) and was in fact a far better French speaker than me.
Moving on to a different Arabic table, I discovered my ‘teacher' lives in the same building as me. Having lived in Dubai for three years and having found it difficult to learn or practise Arabic, now I have a friend close by who is willing to teach me while I help him improve his English.
Multi-lingual greetings
English: Hello, how are you?
French: Bonjour, ca va?
Italian: Bonjourno, come stai?
Arabic: Assalamu ‘aleikum. Kaif haalak/Kaif haalik?
Russian: Privet, kak dela?
Spanish: Hola, como estas?
Hindi: Namasthe (greetings), Kaise hai?
Urdu: Kaise hai?
Tagalog: Kumusta, kumusta ka?
Website: On hand
For more information, go to www.shelter.ae or look up The Shelter on Facebook.
Would you be interested in speak dating? Do you think learning in pairs is easier? Or do you prefer more conventional ways of learning languages?
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