Lingua of Life
- Peter K F Cheung SBS
- Mar 8
- 3 min read
Updated: Mar 8
FADE IN
Act 1
INT. STUDY - 07:30
Soft light filtering through the curtains. Sitting on a sofa, PETER is about to watch a documentary on YouTube.
PETER (V.O.): Upon waking, I got the idea to search for this 1960 documentary.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): It's a very pleasant surprise that I've found it. In 1960, my Dad and Mom took me to the cinema to watch it.
Then, the voiceover in Italian fills the air. The documentary has no subtitles.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Oh, a language learning opportunity...As a child, I could only understand Cantonese.
Watching.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): See how many words or phrases I can grasp now.
Later, when the documentary ends, Peter can't wait to grab his smartphone and starts practising Italian with the Duolingo app.
Act 2
INT. TOPAS, HKJC - 12:30
Elegant. Arriving, Peter joins LESLEY and WILLIAM at a table facing the racecourse.
PETER: Hi Lesley! Hi William!
LESLEY: Hi Peter! It's been so long.
WILLIAM: ...what's new with you?
PETER: In April last year, my wife and I started learning Korean in SPACE so that we could communicate with our son-in-law's family members.
.
Pausing.
PETER (Cont'd): I also use the Duolingo app to learn Korean, as I'm curious to find out which instructional approach works best for me.
Pausing.
PETER (Cont'd): Finding my experience with Duolingo intriguing, I decided to start learning six additional languages.
WILLIAM: What are they?
PETER (Cont'd): French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Japanese.
Both Lesley and William look shocked.
PETER (Cont'd): I hope to be able to communicate naturally in multiple languages.
Pausing.
PETER (Cont'd): Initially, it's confusing. However, after studying the seven languages for over 300 days, I can now identify their similarities and differences.
Recalling something, Peter smiles.
PETER (Cont'd): Oh yes, my wife passed the term exam in SPACE, but I didn't, which meant that I couldn't continue studying Korean there.
Lesley chuckles.
LESLEY: Funny enough, I was in the same boat 10 years ago.
PETER: Really? Would you give Duolingo a try.
LESLEY: I want to revisit my Korean studies and perhaps learn Italian as well. Peter, you've positive energy!
EXT. PUBLIC SWIMMING POOL - 17:45
Exiting, Peter checks his smartphone. A WhatsaApp message pops up from Cecillia: How are you?
PETER (V.O.): From Cecillia? Sent to me at 5:10pm? I was swimming then.
Taking a selfie, Peter replies with his image and adds Cecilia to his contact list. Soon, he gets Cecilia's response.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd):...missed old friends...forever grateful for my assistance in the past?
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): In 2008, I did launch a project on Facebook seeking support of Cecilia's public good initiative.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): There was no response until recently. And I suspect the recent inquirers have ulterior motives.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Anyway, due to other priorities, I haven't assisted Cecilia on anything for over 10 years...Time really flies.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): One unforgettable memory is dancing the Cha-Cha-Cha with Cecilia during a harbour cruise hosted by a philanthropist who sadly passed away at the age of 69.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Let me reciprocate by sharing my trilingual song "Do Good for You and Me" with her.
Act 3
INT. STUDY - 21:30
Peter inserts an AI drawing titled: "Lingua of Life..." to a draft on his laptop.
PETER (V.O): The word "Lingua" means "language" in Italian. In every word spoken, a story unfolds; in every language, a life is lived.
Thinking.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): To speak a language is to dance to its rhythm, embracing the stories it tells.
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Through language, we don't just communicate; we connect, comprehend, and evolve.
FADE OUT
THE END
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