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There are areas in Miami that are 90% Spanish speakers but most will understand you in English- and they will acomodate you --and most who travel and go to other countries also try to accommodate- each other. My son does not speak Spanish, but he carries some program on his smart phone and he does fine in Orlando! I dont know French but have dealt with the Canadians/Italians/ Portuguese/ Asian even if have to paint a picture on a piece of paper- so we can underastnd each other- the more GLOBAL we become -the more languages will be used -get over it- Least the kids are being exposed to Dora and Ni Hao, Maya y Miguel etc.
Not true. English is the global language. 90% of students in 32 countries learn English.
I already posted this.
A friend of mine who lived in Florida said he has gone to the Mall of America in Miami, and no one at the customer service counter spoke English, so he had to come back later when someone who spoke English was on their shift.
I also had a friend of mine get turned down for a job at a gas station/convenience store because he did not speak Spanish. The employer asked him when he could start, and during that conversation the manager spoke to him in Spanish and he said he did not understand, and suddenly he was no longer even considered for the job. They said there are so many Spanish speaking customers that he needed to speak Spanish and English.
He looks like he is from Mexico, he just has one of those faces, because he's told me a lot of people have started conversations with him by assuming that he was Mexican.
First paragraph is a total fabrication. Nice try though. Second paragraph....and? It's called supply and demand. A place of employment wants someone who can communicate to both english AND spanish speakers as that is their largest demographic. The guy can't speak spanish. Why should he be considered for the job when someone else who is qualified AND is bilingual could be hired instead? Maybe now he'll consider broadening his skill set by learning spanish.
Yes really. If we want to be competitive in the global environment then English is necessary.
I worked on global teams for nearly 10 years (software development) and English was used at all meeting and all communications.
Fluently enough to communicate. Multinationals require English for their employees.
Our slang throws them off though and many a time I've had to explain myself in meetings with global team mates
I agree that if you live in an English speaking country it is prudent to speak it makes sense- makes ya money! but to force folks who just can't learn it - leave them alone - In Miami a know a lady she is now 90 was a physicists in her country - so not an illiterate- with the mom dying on the trip etc etc language was just NOT something she could master at her younger age- she worked maintained the family and became a US citizen - leave her alone- another lady cleaned the offices-17 yrs- I remember her crying her eyes out because USCIS denied her test, because she spelled yellow with one "L " the rest was fine she retook the test and became a citizen. I say leave people alone!
Not true. English is the global language. 90% of students in 32 countries learn English.
I already posted this.
We are shooting ourselves in the foot here.
You mean you already cherrypicked the English stat, taking findings that celebrate multilingualism abroad while applying them to monolingualism here in the US.
Quote:
Statistically, that fact is usually observed in English speaking countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, based on the perception
that learning a second language is of little relevance or importance, since the majority of the world already speak English as a their first or second language.
Quote:
“To prosper economically and to improve relations with other countries,” U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan declared in 2010, “Americans need to read, speak and
understand other languages.” Unfortunately, Duncan pointed out, only 18% of Americans report speaking a language other than English, while 53% of Europeans
(and increasing numbers in other parts of the world) can converse in a second language.
You mean you already cherrypicked the English stat, taking findings that celebrate multilingualism abroad while applying them to monolingualism here in the US.
No I didn't "cherry pick" English.
English is the global language of business.
You want to work and be able to compete globally then you need to know English.
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