...tal vez, probabilmente, perhaps...Mais oui!
There is a certain charm about bilingual and bicultural—or multicultural—areas that appeal to me. Throughout history, multiple languages being spoken have served to bring people together rather than driving them apart.
One beautiful example can be experienced on the French isle of Corsica, which appears toward the end of The Unraveling and in my third novel Pygmalion’s Reckoning. While in Corsica, my characters encounter people speaking Italian and French, which may at first confuse my readers. The reality is that although French, the island has had a fascinating history. Being the fourth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, it is located between the west coast of Italy and the north coast of Sardinia. After Germanic control, it became part of the Roman Empire and later was controlled by the city-state of Genoa. It gained its independence and was briefly the Corsican Republic. France gained control in 1755 and now it remains a French territory. Although French is the official language, an Italian dialect known as Corsu, or Corsican, is also widely spoken and taught in the schools.
In Pygmalion’s Reckoning, another Mediterranean island is introduced--Mallorca. Like Corsica, Mallorca has seen its share of conquerors. After being part of the Roman Empire,
with the Moors conquering Spain, Mallorca was under Arab dominance. Later, it was annexed by Aragón and Catalan became the official language. Although Catalán is the official language, Spanish is spoken by residents. English and German is also widely spoken. My characters dedicate most of their time to the capital city Palma de Mallorca, which is on the south coast of Mallorca in the Bay of Palma.
So, before the next interview question appears, yes, the final novel in the IBERIAN TIES TRILOGY is another celebration of bilingualism and multiculturalism.
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