# Which person can speak the most languages? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 21, 2006, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-person-can-speak-the-most-languages/373610 "2006-09-21T20:20:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![diggleblop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@diggleblop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggleblop)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2006, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-person-can-speak-the-most-languages/373610/1 "2006-09-21T20:20:31Z")
Who is the person known to speak the most languages and how many does he/she speak? ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2006, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-person-can-speak-the-most-languages/373610/2 "2006-09-21T20:36:02Z")
Before you can answer the question, there needs to be criteria for how well each language needs to be spoken before it counts. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Doctor\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Who)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2006, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-person-can-speak-the-most-languages/373610/3 "2006-09-21T20:51:28Z")
I agree with **Shagnasty**. Here, however, is [Wiki’s list of polyglots.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_polyglots) That should get us started. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2006, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-person-can-speak-the-most-languages/373610/4 "2006-09-21T21:11:48Z")
[QUOTE=Shagnasty] Before you can answer the question, there needs to be criteria for how well each language needs to be spoken before it counts. [/QUOTE] …and what constitutes a “language”. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2006, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-person-can-speak-the-most-languages/373610/5 "2006-09-21T22:01:28Z")
We also need clarification whether the person needs to be currently alive. The OP was in the present tense, but that might not have been meant to be restrictive. ---
**Author:** ![diggleblop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@diggleblop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggleblop)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-person-can-speak-the-most-languages/373610/6 "2006-09-26T00:10:15Z")
Yeah, I mean which person (currently alive and on record) can speak the most languages. Language meaning, a way different people communicate verbally with each other. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-person-can-speak-the-most-languages/373610/7 "2006-09-26T01:26:46Z")
[QUOTE=diggleblop] Language meaning, a way different people communicate verbally with each other. [/QUOTE] That’s a terrible definition of “language”, but it’s your OP so if that’s the question you’re asking, good luck with it. I doubt there is a factual answer, though. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-person-can-speak-the-most-languages/373610/8 "2006-09-26T01:58:42Z")
I’ll start the bidding with Sir Richard F. Burton (1821–1890) - 29 European, African and Asian languages. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Doctor\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Who)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-person-can-speak-the-most-languages/373610/9 "2006-09-26T02:14:00Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] I’ll start the bidding with Sir Richard F. Burton (1821–1890) - 29 European, African and Asian languages. [/QUOTE] … Look back at the OP’s clarification. Richard Burton (as per your post) is most definitely dead. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-person-can-speak-the-most-languages/373610/10 "2006-09-26T02:16:58Z")
I speak fluent Rigellian. I’m speaking it now. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-person-can-speak-the-most-languages/373610/11 "2006-09-26T02:20:41Z")
[QUOTE=Doctor Who] … Look back at the OP’s clarification. Richard Burton (as per your post) is most definitely dead. [/QUOTE] “I got better!” - RFB ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-person-can-speak-the-most-languages/373610/12 "2006-09-26T02:33:45Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] I’ll start the bidding with Sir Richard F. Burton (1821–1890) - 29 European, African and Asian languages. [/QUOTE] Damn you! I know that! Do you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting to use that fact in a discussion. Shit. ---
**Author:** ![diggleblop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@diggleblop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggleblop)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-person-can-speak-the-most-languages/373610/13 "2006-09-26T02:37:07Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] That’s a terrible definition of “language”, but it’s your OP so if that’s the question you’re asking, good luck with it. I doubt there is a factual answer, though. [/QUOTE] Are you serious? I mean, number two of Websters says exactly what I stated: **2 a : form or manner of verbal expression;** Please explain how you think it’s “terrible” definition. Also, please explain how you don’t know what I mean? Speak to me in a language I can understand. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-person-can-speak-the-most-languages/373610/14 "2006-09-26T02:43:01Z")
I nominate myself, but I am 100% certain a large number of dopers can do better. I speak one language natively, three more fairly fluently, a fifth conversationally, and #s 6 & 7 haltingly. I can communicate at a fairly elementary level (say, a year or two of college language X) in about three more, for a total of: one four five seven (or) ten depending on how you count. I assume you’re going for speaking ability rather than reading, which is a different ballgame. (I know people who can read over a hundred different languages, though I am not one of them!) But all of these languages are Indo-European (and thus have similar grammars and a large overlap in vocabulary). It really is true that the more languages you learn, the easier they are to pick up. #2 was hard. #3 was sort of hard. #4 was pretty easy. Oh, and I have an obvious American accent in all of them. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-person-can-speak-the-most-languages/373610/15 "2006-09-26T03:24:09Z")
It’s polite to read links before you post. **Doctor Who’s** Wiki link lists: > [@](#): > > Ziad Fazah born June 10, 1954, claimed to speak 63 languages. > > Rolf Theil Endresen, Norwegian linguistics professor (over 50 languages) > > Carlos do Amaral Freire has mastered more than a hundred languages, published translations from 60 languages, but is a fluent speaker of 30. He still studies one or two new languages every two years. > > István Dabi, Hungarian translator, translated from 103 languages > > Ferenc Kemény (Francis Kemeni), Hungarian translator, understands 40 languages, writes in 24 languages out of them, speaks 12 languages out of them All of them are listed above Sir Richard Burton. ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-person-can-speak-the-most-languages/373610/16 "2006-09-26T03:31:25Z")
My ex siter-in-law can converse fluetently in english, croatian, bosnian, russian, sapanish, french, italian and japanees…and she is a REAL NASA rocket scientist. does she win? tsfr ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-person-can-speak-the-most-languages/373610/17 "2006-09-26T03:38:24Z")
[QUOTE=diggleblop] Are you serious? I mean, number two of Websters says exactly what I stated: **2 a : form or manner of verbal expression;** Please explain how you think it’s “terrible” definition. Also, please explain how you don’t know what I mean? Speak to me in a language I can understand. [/QUOTE] The problem here is how do you define one language from another? Are Serbian and Croation different languages? How about the “dialects” of Chinese? Standard American English (if there is such a thing) and Black Vernacular English? That definition is just fine for defining language in general, but it doesn’t do us much good in trying to figure out how many languages someone speaks, because we don’t know what counts as a separate language. ---
**Author:** ![diggleblop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@diggleblop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggleblop)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-person-can-speak-the-most-languages/373610/18 "2006-09-26T03:45:07Z")
A language in the sense of what I’m asking is this, if one group of people speak to each other and understand each other, that’s a language. If they speak the same language to a group of people living say…30 miles away from them and that group doesn’t understand them, then that must mean that group speaks a different language. If the actual words don’t make sense to another group living in the same area, then it’s is considered a different language. Dialect doesn’t count. What I mean by that is, British and American people both speak English and a lot of words may be altered, but it’s still English. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-person-can-speak-the-most-languages/373610/19 "2006-09-26T04:49:38Z")
[QUOTE=Exapno Mapcase] It’s polite to read links before you post. [/QUOTE] **Exapno Mapcase** : I did read the link, thank you. I apologize if my post was rude; that was certainly not my intent. I was trying to respond taking into account both the OP and post #2. The Wikipedia article only lists “highest **claims** ,” and in most cases it doesn’t attempt to define how the languages are counted and thus whether they meet the criterion of the OP: actually speaking the languages. I think most professional lingusts could reasonably claim a pretty high place on that list. I was thinking of [V. V. Ivanov](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vyacheslav_V._Ivanov) when I mentioned someone who could read over a hundred; I would back him against István Dabi in a translation fight any day. I suspect he is also fluent in at least a dozen, but I don’t know how to verify that. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-person-can-speak-the-most-languages/373610/20 "2006-09-26T05:01:37Z")
[QUOTE=diggleblop] Are you serious? I mean, number two of Websters says exactly what I stated: **2 a : form or manner of verbal expression;** Please explain how you think it’s “terrible” definition. Also, please explain how you don’t know what I mean? Speak to me in a language I can understand. [/QUOTE] Because it does not address the thorniest issue of all-- the divison between a dialect and a language. If I speak Croatian and Serbian, does that count as two languages? If I can sign ASL, that is not included in your definition. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-person-can-speak-the-most-languages/373610.md?page=2)