Learning a second language as an adult is one of the hardest things someone can do, and I have great respect for those who are capable of carrying on even the most rudimentary conversations in a second language. I was brought up bilingual, and cannot remember ever not being fluent in both English and Spanish, but children can do that easily and I take no personal credit for it.

I have studied two languages as an adult, French and classical Greek, the former I have retained just enough to vaguely translate street signs and children's books, and it is grammatically very similar to Spanish! Of the latter I recall little other than the alphabet. The Greek was an attempt at self-teaching, the French was from both high school and college days. At one time, I was able to translate (with the help of my Larousse) a monograph by Elisee Reclus for my MA requirements in Geography, today I can't remember enough to read a Montreal newspaper or follow a French film. This, and my failure to learn a musical instrument or read sheet music, I consider the greatest flaws in my education.