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Photo_of_Chris
bullet Name: Chris Needs

bullet Occupation: DJ at Radio Wales, Actor

bullet Languages: Welsh, English, Spanish, Dutch and a bit of German

Which languages do you speak?
I speak Welsh, English, Spanish and Dutch. I am currently learning German.

Which countries have you lived in?
I have lived in Spain, and Gibraltar, Belgium, Holland, and Jersey

How did speaking languages prove an advantage to you when you lived abroad?
It was vital as without them, I couldn't ask for a sandwich, a drink or couldn't get work!

Tell us more about the jobs that you had abroad.
I worked as a piano/vocal entertainer in all of those countries. I obviously needed languages for this.

Which is your favourite language and why?
I think that my favourite is Spanish because I feel so at home there. I miss Spain, especially the Costa del Sol.

You obviously love language learning. When did you develop this love of languages?
I learnt to love languages when I was six or seven years old. I started learning them at home by myself. My uncle worked as a translator in shipping docks in Belgium and could therefore speak lots of languages. When he came to visit, he used to teach me words in other languages.

Did you take languages at school? If so, which ones?
No, I didn't take languages at school

You have spoken Welsh from a young age. Did this make it easier for you to pick up more languages?
Yes, speaking Welsh definitely helped me to pick up other languages.

What benefits has speaking languages bought to your life?
Languages have given me opportunities to work abroad and being able to speak the languages of the different countries meant that I wasn't dependent on anybody to translate for me.

Having a show on Radio Wales as well as being an actor, you must be a very confident person. Have languages improved your confidence?
Yes, languages have given me so much confidence as it is a skill that gains much admiration and it is a skill that impresses people!

Would you say that languages would be an advantage for a career in radio/television?
Yes, as languages have given me the chance to television and radio work abroad and do some fabulous jobs overseas. The group Il Divo came into Radio Wales the other day and they agreed to record some jingles for my show as I asked nicely in Spanish!

What message would you give to those young people who are thinking of dropping a language in school?
Don't! Languages are they key to the world and they enable us to mix with people from other countries and cultures!

What is the best thing about learning a language?
It keeps my brain cells alive! Learning other languages has given me a great sense of achievement They have helped me to discover new cultures -food, people and weather!

Last updated: January 5 2006
E-mail: llinos.jones@ciltcymru.org.uk