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Vol/52 No/1 2013 FEBRUARY/MARCH The Linguist 19 PRIZEWINNERS 2012 Wenger also emphasises the importance of 'getting in the way of thinking' of another country to develop a 'mutual understanding'. As far as adoring young fans are concerned, such a message gains tremendous credibility when delivered by one of the most respected individuals in world football. This is a social responsibility that Arsenal has recognised for more than 25 years. A quote played frequently to Double Club pupils again comes from Wenger: 'The fact that I learnt languages allowed me to be where I wanted to be – in English football. If you want to achieve your dreams, you can do it, and languages can certainly help you get there.' Arsenal's Spanish midfielder and Vice- Captain Mikel Arteta, who is also proficient in multiple languages, offers this advice for pupils: 'It's great to try to learn different languages. It's very important – I have the chance to speak several languages and it has helped me a lot in my life. I hope you enjoy it, learn a lot, good luck!' With an increasing number of participating schools and the continued support of specialist partners in the field of language learning, the scheme has gone from strength to strength. Pupils from as far afield as Scotland and Wales have benefitted from the resources. At the start of 2012, we received funding from the Premier League, which is being used to subsidise the programme for schools based in the neighbouring boroughs of Islington, Hackney and Camden – allowing Arsenal staff to have a stronger presence in the schools and to assist more actively in the programme's delivery. Arsenal Double Club won the Threlford Memorial Cup 2012 for fostering the study of languages. For more information, contact Steve Eadon at seadon@arsenal.co.uk. MOTIVATIONAL A student works with Double Club Spanish materials (above, left); and French player Bacary Sagna at Haverstock School schools were required to submit their own verses to the song Together in the Language of Sport. The winning school in each language performed the song at a London recording studio and shot a video at Emirates Stadium. Almost 8,000 pupils from more than 350 schools have participated and the programme continues to grow. It now extends beyond the UK, with Double Club pupils from British schools visiting Belgium and Germany in the form of a school exchange, the latter in partnership with German side Hertha Berlin. Participants experienced school life in another country, attended a European football match and welcomed their foreign counterparts to the UK in return. Many people who hear about the Double Club scheme for the first time are both excited and surprised – excited by the opportunity to offer linguistic skills to young people and surprised that a football club cares so deeply about the subject and is able to offer such a fun yet simple educational scheme. Using Arsenal – or football – as a tool to enthuse young people in their learning makes perfect sense. It makes even greater sense for Arsenal to run a languages programme, considering that this season's first team includes 16 different nationalities and the club has a multilingual Manager in Arsène Wenger, who speaks six languages. Wenger has said: 'If you learn the language of another country, you never hate that country.' It's a very simple message and one that will no doubt resonate with linguists worldwide. Youhotsky Cup for best group entry (CBS) Follick Award for best candidate (CBS) Simeon Potter Award CPD Prize for best candidate (CBS) Nuffield Trophy for best group entry (DPSI) Jaffar Hamid Cup for best local government candidate (DPSI) Corsellis Cup for best health candidate (DPSI) Susan Tolman Award for best law candidate (DPSI) Susan Tolman CPD Prize for best overall candidate (DPSI) Schlapps Oliver Shield for best group entry (DipTrans) Richard Lewis Trophy for best overall candidate (DipTrans) Fred Brandeis Trophy for best English to German candidate (DipTrans) Peter Newmark Award for best literature candidate (DipTrans) David Crystal Award for fostering the study of languages Threlford Memorial Cup for fostering the study of languages AND THE WINNERS ARE… The Manchester College Tomasz Fledrzynski Tomasz Fledrzynski Cable Language Gaya Noble Philippe Muriel Almut Gadow de Mayor Almut Gadow de Mayor American University in Kuwait Romina Vucic-Pranic Katja Klier Huseyin Cahit Baylav & Katja Klier Svetlana Carsten Arsenal Double Club Languages © A RSENAL F OOTBALL C LUB /S TUART M AC F ARLANE