Georgetown College. Georgetown University.

Sydney Plummer enrolled in Professor Andrews' seminar because of her interest in languages. (Photo: Roland Dimaya)

By Kara Burritt

Upon her invitation to enroll in Georgetown University's Ignatius Seminar, freshman Sydney Plummer did not have to consider the diverse course selections very long. For Plummer, who studies foreign languages both academically and in her free time, Professor Andrews' class, "Language Around Us, Language Inside Us," seemed a natural fit.  

Originally from Somerset, New Jersey, Plummer first became interested in foreign languages one summer during her childhood, when she visited her grandparents in Miami and encountered many Spanish speakers. In addition to adding Spanish to her class schedule, she familiarized herself with the language by watching telenovelas whenever she found time. Spanish, however, was just the beginning.

"My desire to learn a lot of languages is very strong," Plummer explained.

Having had prior and current coursework in Chinese, French, and Spanish, as well as linguistics, Plummer welcomed Andrews' sociolinguistic approach to his Ignatius Seminar. Less technical than linguistics, the Ignatius Seminar afforded Plummer insight into her own daily use of language, as well as that of people around her. Themes covered in the class, such as identity-formation through language, demonstrated language's wide-ranging influence on culture.

"It was amazing how much overlap there was with other classes," she said. "I could apply the concepts I was learning to other language classes and could see it in real life."

Plummer's experience in Professor Andrews' class is testament to her reason for originally choosing to attend Georgetown: its renowned foreign language and linguistics programs. Yet, the Ignatius Seminar allowed Plummer to explore her general interest in languages beyond the mechanics of language acquisition.  

For the assigned capstone project, Plummer chose to present research on the condition of synesthesia, which is the involuntary mixing of the senses. For example, a person with this condition might perceive seeing sounds. The topic, which Plummer had first learned about in another class, fascinated her, and she appreciated the chance to learn more about it through the Ignatius Seminar.

She said, "A lot of the questions we tackled in class were ones I had asked in the past, but I had never before had the resources to answer them."

This semester Plummer continues coursework in foreign languages and linguistics. She hopes to take advantage of the university's study abroad opportunities in the future by studying in France and Spain. Ultimately, she would like to work in a job that allows her to travel and apply the language skills she is building.

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