Power of Being Bilingual

  I had a small epiphany yesterday.  Foreigners are held in a somewhat special light when it comes to language.  They are almost revered for their knowledge of their heart language, especially when they speak English.  People want to hear the other language, just to know it sounds like.  Then, they want to know how to say certain phrases in that other language.
   This is where the power comes in.  The bilingual person suddenly holds in his hands the control of what another person says and communicates.  I have friends that have been told to say some pretty interesting things in Spanish.  For example, a friend once told another friend that in Spanish the word for "gay" was the word for "American."  He proceeded to go around telling people that he was gay...
  Translators can be pretty powerful.  They can change the meaning of a diplomat's speech or the message of a missionary.  There is a large amount of responsibility in the changing of languages.  I don't know how many of you are bilingual, but if you've ever had to translate something on the spot, there is an incredible amount of pressure on you, especially when it's in public.  Part of that pressure comes from the responsibility that is on you to communicate correctly.

Power vs. Responsibility, don't make me quote Spiderman.