[ultramDoctoo]

I believe being able to learn and speak several languages is an inate ability.

Having said that I should mention I am terrible with languages.
My latin (which I studied for 4 years) is a nightmare - to be totally honest I can only remember a few words................

I tried French a few years ago - the lesson in which I was shown the various parts of the mouth and throat from which certain french sounds came from proved to be the lesson that convinced me that the French could keep their language and just leave me alone.

Unless you are a genuis with languages, my experience has been that you learn one perfectly (mother tongue), learn a second and a third and then spend the rest of your life mixing them all up. As Anthony pointed out : " jack of all trades, master of none."

And the cherry on the cake : the older you get, the worse you get.
My son's kind remark : Mama, instead of your Greek improving, it's becoming worse! Children are born to lift your spirits.............

I admire all the expert linguists in this discussion.

Effie