Icelandic lessons

One of the important lessons from the volcanic catastrophe that has been plaguing Europe is that Americans cannot speak Icelandic. At all. The offending volcano’s name, Eyjafjallajökull, makes me very glad this week that I write a column and do not host a radio show.

But the degree to which we all fear the onomatopoeic eruption of syllables speaks to a deficit of American cultural proficiency that must be immediately addressed in foreign and domestic policy initiatives. Foreign policy has been notoriously unimportant to American voters, and this has fostered a political environment that wakes up to national security threats only when they show up on our end of one of our very convenient ocean buffer zones.

In the next century, Americans will experience an attitude adjustment with respect to the world beyond our borders. Otherwise, “declinists,” who predict the demise of American hegemony and leadership, will see their somewhat depressing predictions come true.

How exactly does a failure to pronounce the name Eyjafjallajökull necessitate urgent policy measures to prevent the collapse of a world system favorable to American interests?

It may be hyperbolic to say so, but it starts with the fact that volcanic ash anywhere means lost profits and celebrity schedule adjustments everywhere. The Atlantic and the Pacific aren’t so vast anymore. It took massive amounts of volcanic ash to disrupt frequent trans-oceanic flights that are now taken for granted in international business.

It’s also problematic, though, that American interest in the rare natural phenomenon has deteriorated to stories about celebrities (who are finally experiencing the endless waiting and frustration that characterize all air travel for normal folks).

If we want the world to continue to care about America, it’s time for Americans to start giving caring about more than pro wrestlers and bands. Cultural proficiency means that when there is a giant cloud of volcanic ash, the response isn’t, “But the drummer is going to be late for a big concert in California!”

The character and level of interest would certainly be even more disturbing if the event had taken place in any other part of the world.

It’s easy to see why, when many American schools still offer German, French and Spanish but fail to teach Arabic or Chinese.

Our paradigm shift must start with language education: Americans must become proficient in the languages that will drive the world in the coming decades.

Initiatives should expand to include cultural ambassador programs that would bring musical, theatrical and other groups from abroad as official emissaries to the U.S. This approach could be especially effective with respect to an often misunderstood region of the world, such as Sub-Saharan Africa.

Even the most culturally proficient populace may never be able to handle Eyjafjallajökull, but this deficiency is good reason to start the push toward an America that is more knowledgeable about the languages, cultures and issues across the oceans.


E-mail: swilensk@indiana.edu