One of the beautiful reasons for people to learn a language is of course.. LOVE. For this Valentine’s Day we spoke to a couple learning each other’s language at Taalhuis. Tilbe is studying Italian with Iris and Elisabetta, Vincenzo is learning Turkish with Filiz.

How did you meet?

Tilbe: in 2019 I came to Leiden for my Masters and Vincenzo was there finishing his PhD.

Do you also speak Dutch?

Tilbe: Yes, we followed a course until B2 level, but fully remote.

Vincenzo: When we started to study each other’s languages, we thought it would be nice to have a course in person, to meet people. We also allowed ourselves to take more time to learn each other’s language, to enjoy it by going to school and talking to other people who are also learning the language.

Different than with learning Dutch? A different purpose?

Yes, haha, we wanted to get it done.

Do you remember your first Turkish / Italian word?

Vincenzo: I think “Merhaba”

Tilbe: I quickly learned “buono” and used a lot, thanks to delicious dinners prepared by the parents.

And do you have a favourite word?

Vincenzo: There are many words I like. One is “güzel”, I like the way it sounds.

Tilbe: Marrone. Vincenzo’s small nephew taught me colours in Italian via stones at the beach; word “marrone” reminds me of that beautiful summer day.

What is your common language?

Vincenzo: English, but we sometimes speak one of our languages. We were just practising  Italian during the dinner.

Tilbe: In a couple of years I hope to be able to switch the common language to one of our mother languages.

What do you miss if you don’t speak each other’s mother language?

Tilbe: When you start learning the language, you start exploring the culture and the unspoken details. It’s also a step towards the family.

I feel emotionally close to the Italian culture, but if I make these steps in the language, I hope to fit in even more. The literature, music; so many things you’re missing out if you don’t speak the language.

Vincenzo: A lot! Phone calls with friends! There was a moment I started to understand a bit and it changed the experience.
In general the more you speak the more you understand your partner’s world. When we’re with family or Turkish friends it changes a lot to speak, even if you don’t understand the full conversation.

Are there specific examples when the language gives an insight to the culture?

Tilbe: Through Vincenzo I get exposed to Italian songs. Now I have the tendency of checking the lyrics, and when I understand a few sentences, some of them touch me in the heart.

Vincenzo: I read some Turkish authors, not in Turkish, but because I know the language, I understand why things are written in a certain way. Turkish is very ‘pictorial’, things are described as objects. For instance there’s a novel (Yaşar Kemal – İnce Memed) that starts with a description of the landscape and Kemal uses the phrase “the skirts of the mountain”. This does not make sense in English, but in Turkish refers to the part of a mountain that meets the valley. I find it very poetic.

How long do you plan to keep learning each other’s language?

Vincenzo: I would like to get to B2, it takes time, but the goal is really to be fluent.

Tilbe: As much as I can. After a certain level it will become easier, since I will be able to read and follow more material.

For sure the coming years will be full of language courses!

Vincenzo: And we’re happy with the school, the students, the teachers and the building also. It feels like a community.

Tilbe: You gather with people of a similar mindset, very open to different cultures.

Thank you so much and “piacere” and “memnun oldum”. One last question, since we spoke quite a lot about songs. Do you have any Italian or Turkish love songs you can suggest for the readers of this blog?

Yes! Il cielo in una stanza by Mina  and Toprak Yağmura (Akustik) by Canozan & Zeynep Bastık