Spanish or English

[fastfilm]

Stockholmaren, we have close friends in Europe, and one of our running jokes is that everywhere in the world, people want to learn English for commerce and as professional assets, everywhere but here in Los Angeles!

In sad contrast to your posts about European liberal arts education at high school level, we have so many illegals and other residents in Los Angeles who believe no knowledge of the English language is ever going to be needed in their lives. Rather than reaching out to others for help in acquisition of an admittedly difficult language, situations we as tourists know can prompt mutual understanding, they insist upon xenophobic insularity and outright contempt of all others not from "their home country."

Insofar as the U.S. is peopled with folks from all over the globe who have coalesced into our American culture, speaking English remains utterly necessray for inclusiveness of all, "e pluribus unum." It should not be requisite to be a professional linguist to converse with one's own neighbors, which on my block would involve knowing six different languages. It should not be necessary to converse in a foreign language in a general, non-specialty store in the U.S. Regular chain stores here have personnel with no knowledge of English. They could care less, and don't hesitate to make it known to you.

[mm_mary73]

Originally Posted by Stockholmaren

.......They will start foreign language early (I started in first grade) and it's mandatory throughout high school, but university programs are structured in way so you mostly study subjects within your major. Most of the liberal arts classes are completed while in high school if you follow a college-prep path, but they aren't required when you start college.

I believe that starting young is a wonderful idea! With 12 years of a foreign language, additional study in college would not be needed -IMO. My daughter found that when she was in Germany, no one wanted to speak to her in German - they all wanted to practice their English with a native speaker! She took German in high school, then as an undergraduate, and was looking forward to polishing her ability to converse. She was able to become slightly (her view) more fluent, but she says that she's not to blame if Germans speak English with a Southern accent!

[Stockholmaren]

Originally Posted by Kele

Is English generally the required foreign language if it isn't your first language?

Yes, English is required, and then you can pick another language such as Spanish, French, or German to name the most common if you like to learn another one, but that is usually not mandatory.

[Stockholmaren]

Originally Posted by fastfilm

Stockholmaren, we have close friends in Europe, and one of our running jokes is that everywhere in the world, people want to learn English for commerce and as professional assets, everywhere but here in Los Angeles!

In sad contrast to your posts about European liberal arts education at high school level, we have so many illegals and other residents in Los Angeles who believe no knowledge of the English language is ever going to be needed in their lives. Rather than reaching out to others for help in acquisition of an admittedly difficult language, situations we as tourists know can prompt mutual understanding, they insist upon xenophobic insularity and outright contempt of all others not from "their home country."

Insofar as the U.S. is peopled with folks from all over the globe who have coalesced into our American culture, speaking English remains utterly necessray for inclusiveness of all, "e pluribus unum." It should not be requisite to be a professional linguist to converse with one's own neighbors, which on my block would involve knowing six different languages. It should not be necessary to converse in a foreign language in a general, non-specialty store in the U.S. Regular chain stores here have personnel with no knowledge of English. They could care less, and don't hesitate to make it known to you.

Great post! That is truly unfortunately that there are so many people who does not want to learn the language. I think that is probably the most important to do when you are new in a country.

[Nirvana-Guy]

Originally Posted by danbomo

Where is our priorties? Do we speak English or do we speak
Spanish? I called Att&T today and they "Recording"'


"If you would like to continue in English please press one"'

I think I am from the USA and I speak English why do I have
to press one to continue in English, But if I am spanish I
Just start talking to them.

WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!1

We live in the USA I am not an illegal immegrant!

Maybe we can file a lawsuit against the English/Spanish companiues to force them to offer services in Chinese, Russian, Portuguese, Korean, and Tagalog.

But at the very minimum these companies should do something like "for Spanish press 8" and have the stupid thing be in English from the very begining as that is the right way. It pisses me off when I have to choose 'English' as an option! That should be the default with other languages as options.

I went to Lowe's and Home Depot yesterday.... I kid you not, not 1 item sold or 1 sign in either store was not written in Spanish! Not 1!!