“Until I was six years old, Metterlink continued, I was raised by a continuous series of Irish governants who spoke English, according to my uncle, better than the English themselves. I spoke French with my uncle and his partners; I learned Flemish from the servants. So, from a young age, I understood the danger of categorical statements, since there were at least three ways to say something.

YYY: In the armed forces, I was taught about seven languages. The rest I knew before.