Yiannis Economou, a translator from Greece, can speak an amazing total of 32 languages.
The 50-year-old can speak 16 of the languages fluently and can translate 16 more to a very high level. In fact, by the time he completed secondary school, he was already fluent or near-fluent in 8 languages.
Some of the languages Economou speaks include English, German, Spanish, French, Swedish, Italian, Polish, Russian, Bulgarian, Turkish, Arabic, Hebrew, Portuguese, Chinese, Kurdish, Armenian, Persian, Serbo-Croatian, Danish, Hindi, Urdu, Romanian, Czech, Finnish, and Sanskrit. Making him one of the most advanced polyglots in the world.
Born in Crete's largest city, Heraklion, he studied linguistics at the University of Thessaloniki and then went on to Columbia University in the United States, where he completed a post-graduate degree in Middle Eastern languages.
He then began his working life as a translator for the European Commission.
But it isn't just modern languages that Economou is an expert in. He has the ability to speak ancient languages, some now no longer in use, including Ancient Greek, Latin, Ancient Iranian, Ancient Persian, Classical Armenian, Gothic, Ancient Bulgarian, and Hetitic and Lubik.
Appearing on Alpha television in Greece, Economou said of his abilities:
"It's a struggle, I'm not a machine. I'm flesh and bones, I forget languages, I get confused. When I speak Spanish I can use a Portuguese expression but it's a fight and it's worth giving it. When I learn a language, I do everything related to the culture and history of the respective country."
He also stated that he doesn't tend to keep track of how fast he is learning a language or laying down deadlines:
"I don't look at my watch. It's like when you have sex: you enjoy it rather than looking at the time."
While Economou's abilities make him among the top polyglots in the world, there is a tiny group of individuals that have learned more languages. Ziad Fazah who grew up in Lebanon and now lives in Brazil, is currently regarded as the world's top polyglot. It is claimed that he can speak a total of 59 languages, though some suggest this may still be fewer languages than polyglots who have existed earlier in history.
h/t: Greek Reporter
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