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Where in the Bay Area do you live that you feel that isolated from other languages? I don't speak Spanish tremendously well but I use it quite frequently here, and it's absolutely appreciated. Sometimes it's just the polite thing to do. So either you're unintentionally isolating yourself a little bit, you're eating at Outback Steakhouse way too much, or you're just missing opportunities for multicultural experiences.
I heard that San Jose has some Spanish in their Elementary schools since around 2000 or so based on parents accounts. It makes sense in an area where Spanish seems to be as common as English if not more common.
And many businesses and street names are in Spanish.
I believe San Diego as well and it’s satillite cities of Chula Vista, Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, and Escondido does too as they are in similar situation. And maybe Santa Ana and Los Angeles and it’s surrounding cities not to mention the Central Valley.
It also makes sense to introduce other commonly used languages as well in towns where they are widely spoken by a significant population, ie Vietnamese in places like San Jose and Westminster. And Mandarin Chinese in places like San Francisco, C town Los Angeles, Cupertino, San Gabriel Valley, etc where in some neighborhoods 40% use such language and many businesses are only in Chinese. Tagolog is also widely used in some places and shares similarities. This can really help in terms of providing public service in the future.
I heard that San Jose has some Spanish in their Elementary schools
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I believe San Diego as well and it’s satillite cities of Chula Vista, Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, and Escondido does too as they are in similar situation. And maybe Santa Ana and Los Angeles and it’s surrounding cities not to mention the Central Valley.
Its not going to be much of a future focus. Within 20 years all text, spoken language via phones, and interactive via video will be automatically translated in real time via AI (unless you opt not to). Its near-instantaneous processing will mean you are speaking to someone in a video meeting it will instantly translate what you are saying and hearing).
Its a nice skill, but will not be a necessity. You'll soon have a little earplug type device - perhaps just on your collar - that does the same. In short, its going to be less and less important as communication between different language groups is revolutionized by technology.
I’m not sure that the quality of instruction for foreign language has necessarily changed, but more languages are offered than ever. I think the most crucial thing is that schools are introducing foreign language at a younger age which increases effectiveness.
I’m not sure that the quality of instruction for foreign language has necessarily changed, but more languages are offered than ever. I think the most crucial thing is that schools are introducing foreign language at a younger age which increases effectiveness.
We had Spanish in early elementary school in the 1960s. I don't recall it as being very... meaningful.
Can anyone support the contention that full-language/at least semi-immersion techniques are being used younger and widely in the US, if not "more than ever"?
Technology does make a difference nowadays particularly now most people carry smart phones with them.
I be curious how US compare with its neighbors on foreign language education these days? I heard some one from Mexico say that the language education in US is a joke, as it’s just too years of memorization. Apparently there are kids of Spanish speaking descent but 1-2 generations north of the border who Ace such courses but still does not help them much in real life despite their communities commonly use Spanish. Though I guess they are talking about their experience a while ago vs today. So I would like to ask does Mexico actually do better or start younger at least in bigger cities or touristy towns?
I will be curious about Canada where English and French are official languages and big cities tend to have a multicultural feel.
It’s interesting to study about the language attrition among multi generation immigrant kids and whether kids raised in neighborhoods practically surrounded by their original language do much better compared to kids raised in areas where hardly anyone use their language. To me it appears language attrition seems severe even in the former situation for some reason.
Sometimes I wonder what American kids do in school. Math and foreign language are the most challenging subjects in school, but American kids skip both more or less.
Learning other languages made me understand and speak English better. I think what did it was constantly translating to English in my head. It made me much more aware of verb tenses in particular. I was first exposed to other languages in grade school but real study started in 7th grade. I remember being excited to get to choose a language.
I will be curious about Canada where English and French are official languages and big cities tend to have a multicultural feel.
whether kids raised in neighborhoods practically surrounded by their original language do much better compared to kids raised in areas where hardly anyone use their language.
In Toronto at least, everyone speaks English, so you don't need to speak French. Don't know about Quebec though.
Assuming that the children were born and raised in the USA, children will speak to other children, so even if adults in their neighborhood were speaking the original language, the children would still be speaking English with each other. At most, children will UNDERSTAND the original language, but not necessarily know how to speak it. If there are immigrant children there, but most other children are speaking English, the immigrant children will learn English.
Every generation born and raised in the USA will know less and less of the original language. It's only natural.
Sometimes I wonder what American kids do in school.
Take tests they've been intensively coached to pass.
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