We have prepared some exciting prizes for our top three contestants:
• Winner: Kindle, City’super voucher and a YP certificate
• First runner-up: Instax camera and a YP certificate
• Second runner-up: City’super voucher and a YP certificate
Taurus
I’d choose to be fluent in the language of my two pet turtles. For years, my greetings of “Hello!” and “How have you two been?” have been followed by a painful, stone-cold silence.
Although I may lack claws and definitely don’t have the vocal range to enable full communication with my turtles, I’d hope that my turtles would be able to recognise my valiant efforts in trying to speak with them. After all, my pet turtles have always been in the background of my life, silently accompanying me through every high and low. It would be fascinating to understand and hear about our world from such a unique perspective.
Personal reasons aside, being able to communicate with turtles would be incredibly advantageous, not only to humanity but also to marine animals themselves. Apart from enabling researchers to further explore the linguistics of turtle communication, my fluency could also reveal profound insights into animals’ emotional and social lives, allowing us to see them in a different light.
My heightened ability to understand and represent turtles’ interests could eventually even lead to improved protections and welfare mechanisms for them, benefiting them in the long run.
At the end of the day, being fluent in the language of my pet turtles would enhance my relationship with them – and it would just be a really cool skill to have. With the long lives that turtles live, perhaps they could impart their age-old wisdom to us too and help us live longer and happier lives.
Cancer
The Greek alphabet has been used for more than 3,000 years – its written language is older than any other still being used in Europe. Because of that, fluency in Greek would serve as a gateway to unlocking English proficiency and the deeper meaning behind Greek stories.
English owes a significant debt to the Greek language because many words in English are derived from Greek roots. Many English scientific terms come from Greek. From scientific terminology such as “biology” and “psychology” to everyday terms like “telephone” and “television”, Greek influence is pervasive in the English lexicon. These borrowed words not only enrich our language but also reflect the enduring impact of Greek civilisation on fields ranging from literature and philosophy to medicine and technology.
Moreover, the allure of Greek also lies in its rich history, cultural impact and relevance in modern media. Learning Greek would enable me to engage with the cultural heritage that has shaped literature, art and our collective imagination.
For example, a popular anime series Attack on Titan explores themes of sacrifice and the relentless struggle against overwhelming odds. While the anime is of Japanese origin, its narrative draws parallels to Greek mythology’s portrayals of epic battles, tragic heroes and the existential threat posed by powerful adversaries.
As a huge Attack on Titan fan, mastering the Greek language could help me uncover hidden layers of meaning and symbolism in art, enhancing my appreciation of the intricate storytelling techniques employed in the anime.
Capricorn
Most people would want to learn Korean, Japanese or Spanish, but not me. I would choose to be fluent in the cat language.
At home, I have a cat. His name is Brother, and he loves to yowl outside my parents’ bedroom door in the morning, which wakes them up earlier than they would like. Irritating sometimes, isn’t it? Besides that, there are so many other times when he disrupts the silence at home.
But when I think about it, it’s actually quite sad for him. My cat lives in this house with four humans. Even though he can probably understand us, he’s stuck in his own bubble because he can only meow and purr, but never speak English or Cantonese.
If I spoke the cat language fluently, I could solve all of my cat’s needs that he can never express. When he is feeling unwell, my parents and I would know sooner and send him to the vet.
I would also have someone else to talk to at home. My cat wouldn’t just be a cute pet any more. He would be an actual brother to me – just like his name.
This is much better than being able to understand any human language. We don’t need to know French or any other language as much as we need to speak in the language of our pets. It’s about addressing their needs and helping them feel understood. Besides, imagine being the only one who completely understands these cute fur balls! All in all, absurd as this wish is, if I could speak to cats, I would.
Libra
If I could be fluent in a language that I don’t already know, I would probably pick French. French is easier to learn because I already know a bit of Spanish. If I am fluent in French, I might be able to comprehend more European languages such as Portuguese and Italian. In addition, quite a number of English words actually come from French, so I can understand more about English by learning French.
According to Britannica, French is the fifth most spoken language by total speakers. If I ever visit Europe, people in countries bordering France may already know a bit of French, and I can communicate with them. French is also useful in other countries like Canada. I can make more friends around the world using this language.
Learning French can also help me gain more understanding about the culture of France, which is very interesting. French food is delicious, and I would be very happy if I could read the menu. French songs are fun to listen to, and understanding the lyrics can help me to better appreciate the music.
The language may also be useful for my career path, as some jobs may require applicants to speak French, and the top universities in France may require foreign students to speak French too. Knowing the language would give me an advantage.
French is a very useful language when it comes to finding friends, universities and jobs, and it is also an interesting language to learn. That is why I would try to learn French.
