Why dont Americans speak more languages
 

We get pissed off because other Nationals"refuse" to speak English. I hate this mentality. We expect foreigners to learn English the minute they come to the USA or to know it even before they get here. We also expect everyone to speak to us in English when we go abroad. Can you imagine if someone from another country came here and said "oh the Americans were so rude. They pretended not to speak French or Spanish"

Dave-The average American can barely read and write nowdays let alone speak a foreign language. The other problem is Americans think everyone should speak English so why bother...

Im not so sure about that. I think the the days of the ugly American are over. People are doing more research on a foreign country before they go there and part of that research is learning a few phrases in the local language. This must be appreciated by locals! Also I have friends from othere countries and what they have always said about coming here was that people generally are very hospitable even if they didnt speak English.

X, you say the average American can barely read or write "nowdays". What does "nowdays" mean? Don't you hate when you post a message to put people down and then you end up making a fool out of yourself? Doh!

Get off your high horse DB you twit! Look at school tests scores for crying out loud. And McDonalds has to put pictures of food on their cash registers because their workers are so illiterate. The illiteracy rate in this country is appalling!!!

I have never met an illiterate person. The "average" American most certainly is not illiterate. You say to look at the test scores...I can't help but wonder how I'd do on those tests if I had to take one today. I'm 42 and I think of everything that has happened since I had to take a standardized test - history is happening every day, borders are changing, countries are merging and dissolving, power is shifting, the whole computer age has exploded. My child's 5th grade teacher was amazed at some of the questions on her class's tests. They dealt with marketing strategies and global commerce. <BR><BR>The reason most Americans don't speak more languages is that they don't have to. They can travel for 15 hours and at the end of their travels English is still being spoken. There is an influx of other cultures here, but we can't be expected to learn every language that's spoken in every home in our cities. <BR><BR>People learn languages out of curiosity, a sense of adventure, a quest for knowledge, a chance to live and work in another country. That's good enough for me.

I always find it interesting that people think that knowledge of a second or third -- or more -- language is the barometer by which intelligence is measured. Certainly we've all run across the person who knows multiple languages but couldn't find his way out of a closet. Conversely, who doesn't know a genius or two who only knows his native tongue?<BR><BR>I agree; it would be great if we all spoke more languages. I also think it would be great if we all knew more physics.

I disagree with you Kit. I think that people who speak and take the time to learn another language have a broader scope than those who are monolingual. I also think that they are more open minded people and are more tolerant of others.

No one has yet mentioned the biggest reason there's a bit less impetus for Americans to learn other languages: English is considered the international language of business, and is the closest the world has to an accepted international language.<BR>If you grow up in France or China or Japan and aspire to become a leader in science or business, learning English is practically a must.

First most Americans have to learn to speak English, then they can figure out other languages.

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A raz&atilde;o &eacute; simples, mas tem causas hist&oacute;ricas que deveriam ser apuradas com alguma seriedade. Por um lado os norte americanos n&atilde;o precisam, por outro t&ecirc;m a arrog&acirc;ncia de serem o centro do mundo ( o que n&atilde;o &eacute; verdade).<BR>H&aacute; o factor pregui&ccedil;a e a iletracia que marginaliza milh&otilde;es de americanos. No fundo &eacute; uma quest&atilde;o cultural...

We don't have to learn other languages. Even in China, I had little trouble finding someone who understood English.

Take a look at a map of Europe. On the continent you can travel just a few hours and get to a country that speaks French, Dutch, Italian, German, Spanish, Russian, etc. Americans can't take a quick weekend in a foreign speaking country and practice their language skills.<BR><BR>I'm sure if Americans were challenged to use foreign language more, then we would be more proficient at it.

But most Europeans dont just hop into a car and go off to another country for the weekend. Its not that easy! I think we inherited a "you learn my language" from the English. Its a shame that we didnt at least keep their accent. Instead it developped into a flat monotone pitch which sounds worse the further from the east cost you go.

Which language do you propose that we learn?<BR><BR>I have taken 2 1/2 yrs of Spanish and have spent a total of 2 weeks in Spanish speaking countries. It is moderately useful in Arizona.<BR><BR>I have taken 1 1/2 yrs of Japanese. I have spent 2 weeks in Japan. with luck, I will maybe spend another 2 weeks there before I die.<BR><BR>I have taken 1 year of 'tourist German' and have spent a total of 7 weeks in German speaking countries.<BR><BR>I have taken no French, but have spent 7 weeks in France.

Good point Steve.<BR>I believe most who speak a language oher than their own, have a reason for doing so. We were in French Polynisia last year. So many people there speak three languages, their own native native language, French (they are owned by France) and English. (They have many tourist who speak English and tourism is one of the ways they make a living) They are taught in school and yet Tahiti was the only Island with a high school. The other Islands only have grade and junior schools. My point is, they have a reason for learning other languages, most of us in the United States do not use a language other than our own and when we do learn one, we use it so little we forget it.

Having travelled and seen Americans in action I have learned you don't have to speak the language of the country. You just have to talk louder until they understand what you are saying.

One of you mentioned that, first, Americans should learn how to speak English, themselves. I couldn't agree more! It's rather discouraging to see how we butcher our native tongue. One of the most maddening things I often see is that people are clueless for something as simple as using a plural noun. How the hell do you come up with using apostrophes & possessives with the plural? This is a national plague, andis pathetic. On signs, on the internet, it's everywhere. "Rug's For Sale" Aghhhhhhh!!!<BR><BR>As for lack of a foreign language, I do think that far more of our kids nowadays study a foreign language in school, and at a younger age, than ever before. Unfortunately, most of them don't stick with it when they leave school. C'est bien dommage, n'est-ce pas?

Here is one that gets me crazy-<BR>on a manicure shop window..<BR><BR>WE DO NAIL.<BR>:0)<BR>C

A couple of my favourites (Canadian spelling not an error) were said on national news : "nucular" rather than nuclear and "it's a mute point."

On a plumbing truck -<BR>No job to big or to small

Gosh whilllikers, you mean it's not nucular? But yo hablo muy bueno el espa&ntilde;ol. Mommma told me my langtuage skills would come in handy some day. Now I'm gettin to visit some forgein countries.

Everyone is saying that some Americans can barely speak or write English correctly. I'm sure there are people in other countries who do not speak and write their language correctly either. I seriously doubt its not just an American problem.

"I seriously doubt it is not just an American problem."...???? eh?<BR>Case in point.

How can American students gain proficiency in another language, or any other subject for that matter, when there are so many distractions in our schools- music, plays, sports, field trips etc.etc. A very "weird" thing occurs in French schools- students attend them to take academic courses.(Imagine that) If you want to play the flute or play soccer you do so outside the school setting. Academics is taking a back seat in American Schools. Dave's original point of Americans not knowing another Language only scratches the surface of a much bigger problem: LAZINESS and looking for the easy way out!(learning a Foreign Language takes time and effort). Good old New York State is leading the way in the "Dummying of America." Anytime you hear about the "tough, new standards" in education it's time to get out the bullshit repellent. The state is only succeeding in making it tough on the kids already struggling. The Regents is being watered down so much that it's a joke for the more advanced students. Look at how the number of American doctors and engineers are decreasing. Sure a lot of foreigners are learning English- it will be a smooth transition when they take over.

OPPS! I guess I should proof-read. You caught me, I'm one of the dummies!

You simply can't be anecdotal with an entire population, but I'll try! In my own schooling, which was probably typical of the public school system, you could not "fit in" everything that may have interested you. That is, if I wanted to take advanced math and science courses beyond what was required, I had to leave language, art and music courses on the sidelines. Choices had to be and were made, which was my earlier point (and someone else's too.) On this forum, people lacking multiple language skills are ignorant; on some other, nontravel forums, those who can't explain Bernoulli's principle or a Type 9 sentence structure are the village idiots. I think we often define ignorance by what we already understand, instead of the reverse.

Nicely stated, kit.<BR>There is still intelligent life left out there.

Ever hear anyone bash the Irish for not knowing anything beyond English?

Excellent point Kit.<BR><BR>As others have stated, most people who speak multiple languages do so as a matter of necessity, not choice. For most Americans, there is little or no necessity to speak any language other than English. Remember that only about 10% of Americans even have a passport. How often would the other 90% ever need to speak a foreign language?<BR><BR>I've studied French for a number of years. However, because I have so few opportunities to use the language, I find myself having to take refresher courses in an attempt to retain the knowledge that I have. <BR><BR>Anyway, like it or not, English has become the international language of business. I recall a conversation with a business colleague of mine in Korea. When I asked him what language he used when he had to communicate with our other colleagues in China and Japan, he replied English.

From my time there, it seems that many Irish speak a second language. Take a look at the Irish job ads and you will find many positions for multilinguists. Of course, Ireland is much closer to other European countries and so the need is greater than in the U.S.

O.K. dt. So are you suggesting we actually PAY for our children's education? As in....private schools? <BR>Now, seriously. Would that leave any money to travel to Europe or for that nice car you're driving?<BR><BR>Kit: I am actually curious how much time you have volunteered at your childrens' school. It's soo easy for Americans to mouth off. So much attitude, so little discipline and commitment.<BR><BR>Agree about the comments above about European schools. Check out the competition in Japanese schools, especially the elite private ones. <BR><BR>About Ireland, it's a model of economic recovery. High tech jobs flourish. And they have put a tremendous amount of money into their public school system, elementary and higher-ed.<BR><BR>There is really NO substitute for literacy.

Another reason for our monoglot nation is the fact that most American school districts do not offer foreign language study until high school. That allows a maximum of four years of study, if your school even provides it that much. My high school only offered three years of foreign language study. Europeans begin foreign language studies at the elementary age, and are proficient by the time they begin high school level courses.

They (those who don't) are just plain lazy. They ask on the European forum, "When I go to Paris, they all speak English - right? I won't need to know any French at all will I?" Yet, they would hardly be of any assistance whatsoever to anyone from France visiting in their hometown.

We have foreigners from all over the world visiting our country that do not speak a word of english. And we do not ridicule them, we kindly assist them. And, I smell a rotten canadian instigating this infantile thread.

I can definitely see some similarities on this post from a really nasty posting last year by a few uneducated & envious brazilians and canadians. These two countries have always been extremely jealous of the USA. And for good reason. We have everything they could only dream of. If you do not like Americans, that's too ------ bad! Stew in your own envy & misery!

I think Kit, Maureen and Marc must monolingual morons. They are probably the type that yell in English at the Parisian waitors and then come back home saying"They were so rude to me over there"

Even if we learn a language in school, there are often few oporutnities to practice it and we lose it. I had years of French and found it useless in French-speaking Canada; my husband, as an adult, decided to learn Spanish from tapes, Spanish-version Sesame Street, and People magazine in Spanish. He had fun, but we don't have immediate plans to visit a Spanish-speaking country. When we were in Egypt last year, we bought an Arabic phrase book, all practiced some phrases, and found everyone spoke English. My teenage son noticed that at the Mena House Hotel outside of Cairo there was not one word in Arabic in the entire room, including the phone book. So we are fortunate to find our English and very limited other languanges more than enough to communicate and hopefully not offend. (By the way, my son's years of Latin was useful in Rome when reading inscriptions on things, but, of course, not real helpful when ordering food.)

To it's a small world: I couldn't agree more with the last line of your post- no substitute for literacy. That's why it is ludicrous that many American schools continue to shove Foreign Languages down the throats of students who are barely literate in English. Ok, expose students who are struggling to 1 year of language study, but DON'T follow New York- where most students have to take 2 years and/or pass a Proficiency exam. As I said earlier, these so-called "tough standards" are only "tough" on the students already struggling. It's a joke for better students who will face a watered-down state test(Regents) later in High School. When scores improve, the State will cry out,"Gee, look how well we're doing." For the flag waiving patriots who start wimpering whenever a US Institution is criticized- start taking a good look at our High Schools and requirements. Foreign Language study is great for some students- for others, conquering English should be a priority. dt