Michael Youlden - Babbel Magazine

Mandarin, Spanish, English and Arabic may be the “super languages” of the modern era, but minority languages like Catalan, Breton and Cornish are crucial for the diversity of our cultural DNA.

Along with his twin brother, Matthew, Michael Youlden has learned over a dozen languages since the age of eight. So when it comes to making a resolution to learn a language – and how to stick to it – you might want to take his advice.

Since we were eight, my brother and I have learned languages together. Now that we each speak more than nine, I can look back and say: having a study partner is helpful, but having a rival is really motivating.