Why dont Americans speak more languages
Feb 13th, 2002 | 10:37 PM
#62
Guest
Posts: n/a
Olé! Agree with ThinkAbout It. What we Americans may lack in polyglot facility (due fewer opportunities to practice) we make up in our ethnic diversity are and in our encompassing sense of who we are.
Hay muchos aquí que hablan una, dos, o tres otras lenguas. Il faut disputer l'assumption que les Americains sont les seules avec lapreocupation d'étre situeés dans le centre de l'univers. C'est n'est pas ça l'attitude Française?
I need to practice! Are there any polyglot travel chat rooms?
Hay muchos aquí que hablan una, dos, o tres otras lenguas. Il faut disputer l'assumption que les Americains sont les seules avec lapreocupation d'étre situeés dans le centre de l'univers. C'est n'est pas ça l'attitude Française?
I need to practice! Are there any polyglot travel chat rooms?
Feb 14th, 2002 | 02:29 AM
#63
Guest
Posts: n/a
People in other countries speak other languages because in most cases it's the only sensible thing to do, not because they're more virtuous or smarter or open-minded than Americans. Belgium has three official languages--French, Dutch (Flemish) and German (can you imagine Connecticut having three official languages?). Switzerland has four! These are not big countries. And more languages doesn't make them more efficient--if anything, it's the reverse.
Americans can drive 3000 miles and still be in an English speaking country. Someone from France or Italy can't do the same.
Europeans and Asians speak English because it's to their financial benefit to do so. And they want to learn American English, not British English.
By the way, living in Europe, I've found that expat or visiting Americans make far more effort to speak another languague or try local customs than the Brits. Brussels is full of Brits who almost always go to Irish pubs rather than putting a foot into a Belgian cafe or restaurant. They shopped for food at the local Marks & Spencers (until it closed).
And Canadians? Again, those who speak more than one language do so because they have to (and many do so grudgingly). There are plenty of people in BC and Alberta who are clearly monolingual.
I probably shouldn't have responded to what is obviously a trolling post.
Americans can drive 3000 miles and still be in an English speaking country. Someone from France or Italy can't do the same.
Europeans and Asians speak English because it's to their financial benefit to do so. And they want to learn American English, not British English.
By the way, living in Europe, I've found that expat or visiting Americans make far more effort to speak another languague or try local customs than the Brits. Brussels is full of Brits who almost always go to Irish pubs rather than putting a foot into a Belgian cafe or restaurant. They shopped for food at the local Marks & Spencers (until it closed).
And Canadians? Again, those who speak more than one language do so because they have to (and many do so grudgingly). There are plenty of people in BC and Alberta who are clearly monolingual.
I probably shouldn't have responded to what is obviously a trolling post.
Feb 14th, 2002 | 04:54 AM
#64
Guest
Posts: n/a
Americans have such a broad ethnic mix that the number of languages spoken regularly here probably exceeds 90% of all the countries in the world. If you are referring only to Americans born in the USA, they are really no different than most other countries, and better than some countries. Europeans are no more intelligent or diligent than we are - except that it's more natural for them to experience different countries & languages due to geographic proximity, in the same way we experience different States, which all happen to speak English. Secondly, when most of them learn one foreign language, it is likely to be English because of its international use in business and tourism. We don't need to learn English (Well maybe I take that back, after reading some of the grammatical horrors on these boards!)now do we? Nonetheless, most US high schools and college liberal arts programs have a foreign language requirement. Students often don't continue with it afterward, though, because the usually don't really need to speak it.
The above is not apologetics or defensiveness by an only-English-speaking person. Je parle francais couramment et je suis autodidacte. It is just clarifying a generalization that is inaccurate about Americans.
The above is not apologetics or defensiveness by an only-English-speaking person. Je parle francais couramment et je suis autodidacte. It is just clarifying a generalization that is inaccurate about Americans.
Feb 14th, 2002 | 05:08 AM
#65
Guest
Posts: n/a
First of all we are in North America. Canada to the north speaks predominately English and French. Every thing to the south, with the exception of Brazil speaks predominately Spanish.
Canada and the US cover quite a bit of miles geographically. It all has to do with development over the years out of necessity and culture. First of all I speak Spanish as that is what was taught when I was growing up. You also had the option of learning another language. I go to different countries in Europe and try to speak some phrases. But lets see how many languages are spoken within Europe? QUITE A FEW AND I AM SUPPOSED TO KNOW EVERYONE OF THEM??????????? I am sick of traveling to countries where they expect me to speak their language fluently. Consider how many languages are spoken in the world. Right now I am learning Russian. I do not want to learn French, Italian, German,Dutch etc....Original Poster is trying to take European standards and apply them abroad. Sorry but I don't buy your argument.
Canada and the US cover quite a bit of miles geographically. It all has to do with development over the years out of necessity and culture. First of all I speak Spanish as that is what was taught when I was growing up. You also had the option of learning another language. I go to different countries in Europe and try to speak some phrases. But lets see how many languages are spoken within Europe? QUITE A FEW AND I AM SUPPOSED TO KNOW EVERYONE OF THEM??????????? I am sick of traveling to countries where they expect me to speak their language fluently. Consider how many languages are spoken in the world. Right now I am learning Russian. I do not want to learn French, Italian, German,Dutch etc....Original Poster is trying to take European standards and apply them abroad. Sorry but I don't buy your argument.
