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I'm fascinated with languages. I myself am determined to become fluent in Spanish, Russian, and American Sign Language.
I live in California, specifically Los Angeles. One doesn't need to be fluent, but it's always good to at least know the basics in Spanish in Los Angeles.
if you manage to learn spanish, russian and american sign language pfff you'll be very well qualified for tons of jobs out there!!!
Knowing how to do long division is not necessary, either, nor finding European countries on a map, or knowing the story lines of Shakespearean plays, or naming the planets of the solar system, or how a bill becomes law, or which states were the 13 original colonies.
It's called "Education" when you know things you don't need to know, which is not necessarily a bad idea.
Would be scary to have a democracy with voters who wouldn't even know this I think democracy can only work with educated citizens, otherwise politicians can feed them anything.
Im Lebanese and cannot speak a lick of Arabic or French. Niether can my mother who was raised here nor my father who grew up in Oklahoma. Both of their parents wanted everything done "the American way". As a result you have three people who are 100% Arabic (myself, my mother, and my father) who dont speak one word of the language.
I've never met a Lebanese American who could speak Arabic. While they might know a few words, none of them were fluent in the language. Their parents, or grandparents, wanted to do things "the American way."
Conversely, I've known a few elderly Italian and Polish women who never spoke English. I'm sure they understood a fair amount, but they relied upon their children to interpret.
Living in Miami, I see the benefit in being bilingual. I really wish I was, however being raised "up north" where Spanish is never needed.... I was raised mono-lingual. Now that I live in south FL I so wish I was bilingual in Spanish. It would be so useful. Obviously, I get by in English fine, however I imagine a whole new world would be opened up to me if I knew Spanish.
I would say to the OP--- do it. It certainly would not hurt ur kids to be bi-lingual. And who knows where it could lead them? They could end up getting jobs abroad? opportunities that would otherwise never have presented themselves.
I tried learning Japanese and while I still have a decent understanding of many words, I have not grasped the language fully.
I can read Katakana and Hiragana and maybe 25 Kanji lol. The grammar confuses the crap out of me and the subject + noun dropping is a fairly foreign concept to me.
In the end I am interested in the culture and language, but I may consider an attempt at German at this point. At least 3 of my friends speak it fluently so it would be a lot easier to learn conversation!
Also, my great-grandparents are from Germany, but unfortunately the language and culture weren't passed down beyond their generation :-(
Because it's an amazing, beautiful planet, full of different people, cultures, climates, landscapes, topography. It's the best thing we've got. It's the only thing we've got is this amazing planet of ours....Seeing the world will teach you, it will open your eyes...it will develop skills u didnt know u had, gives u adventures, gives u perspective, it will challenge you....
.. the question should be ...why the hell not? Why would one NOT want to see what this world has to offer?.... the only answers that come to mind are laziness, ignorance, and just plain old indifference.
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I think democracy can only work with educated citizens, otherwise politicians can feed them anything.
