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So you are saying that Americans should learn a dozen foreign languages to communicate with a minority of people living here that don't know English? Most of whom you mentioned know English also so we have that common language to communicate with them in. The language of business across the world is English.
Nope, I said that stubbornly refusing to learn even a language puts and will put your kids at disadvantage because your direct competitors will be children able to speak up to 4 languages and as good as American ones in all other subjects.
All in all, this situation has no excuse:
1) You can learn a language without having to live in a foreign country. Most of European who speaks English never use it for 90% of their life.
2) The time "saved" from learning foreign languages isn't useful since American kids aren't more brilliant than European ones at all.
3) Nobody is saying you "must", stop being obsessed with this "foreigners tell us what to do", I don't care at all whether you children speak 23 languages or just English.
I'm just stating what's obvious.
These days 99% of European young generations is learning or know English, out of them at least a 20 % is going to come out almost bilingual.
This will put monolingual Anglophones at disadvantage.
Unlike the general businessman from the US/UK etc, I can interact in English and Italian but I can also do that in French and German.
That means I have 4 times the chance to interact with an Italian/German/French/English speakers than the monolingual Anglophones.
English is vital sure Anglo advantage and disadvantage is that all are learning it and all these learners know other languages too.
Yes but it still won't matter, because that bilingual European knows his native language, and English, and maybe another or two (A Dutch may know French and German, let's say). But they are "eurocentric", almost all of the European young speak English anyways, so both commence talking to each other in English regardless if one speaks German as a first language and the other as a secondary language. And most of these bilingual Europens are not taught Chinese, or Japanese, or Farsi, or the 1,000's of other languages in the world where that bilingual skill will come to some use (and even then, of limited use). English is the established language of business, and it's here to stay and will only become more prominent with globalization.
Biligualism is overrated. It's nice to have, but I don't sweat it. And again, this is practical experience here. Exception might be if you work in the service industry with direct customer contact (i.e McDonald's drive-through in Miami). If that's your career goal, yeah you should learn Spanish.
I think Bilingualism should be mandatory. Many other countries do it. It'd make us more open and understanding in my opinon. Also...if people talk about you in another language...you'd know. Your eyes would tell them you'd know.
Learn Spanish now, or forever be alone. I've been seeing a lot of labels lately putting Spanish as the main language.
I think Bilingualism should be mandatory. Many other countries do it. It'd make us more open and understanding in my opinon. Also...if people talk about you in another language...you'd know. Your eyes would tell them you'd know.
Learn Spanish now, or forever be alone. I've been seeing a lot of labels lately putting Spanish as the main language.
Ok, but why limit the US to being a bilingual English-Spanish speaking nation? Americans could speak with Hispanic nations, but not the rest of the world.
Wouldn't it be better if the US had speakers in a variety of different languages? Portuguese, Mandarin. Korean, Chinese, Farsi, French, German, Russian, Arabic, etc. Sure Spanish is an important language internationally, but not the only one.
I think Bilingualism should be mandatory. Many other countries do it. .
Is that true? Are there any countries that make bilingualism mandatory? Yes, there are countries in which one's local dialect isn't the official language, which sometimes makes learning the official language mandatory. But that is not official bilingualism...the person is free to "forget" his native dialect. There are also countries with multiple official languages, but do any of them require a person to know more than one official language?
I think the basic take always from the research on Spanish speakers:
1) Spanish-speaking immigrants are less likely to speak English than other immigrant groups.
But, most immigrant groups have trouble with English and speak their native language at home.
2) 2nd generation Hispanics overwhelmingly speak and prefer English.
3) The 2nd and 3rd generation children of Spanish-speaking immigrants are more likely to hang on to Spanish than other immigrant groups.
4) Spanish is more likely to be retained since there is a critical mass of speakers. There are always new Hispanics immigrants and far more people already know Spanish.
This all supports the notion that active Spanish-use will remain a niche for 1st generation immigrants.
Of course this is all prefaced on the idea that later generation Hispanics will continue their usage preference toward English (even if many maintain some level of Spanish knowledge).
The one potential wildcard is the "critical mass" effect. As knowledge of Spanish has grown, it has become easier to retain and is more useful. This has a potentially a self-reinforcing component. Over time, this could potentially create more linguistic balkanization. This seems unlikely, given the strong forces in favor of English domestically. But, it is not set in stone. Social patterns are constantly evolving.
IMO, Bilingualism is a good thing, but national language balkanization is a bad thing. It would be nice if more Americans knew foreign languages, but ideally all Americans would use English for domestic communication. Just as most Germans know multiple languages, but they speak German to each other.
Is that true? Are there any countries that make bilingualism mandatory? Yes, there are countries in which one's local dialect isn't the official language, which sometimes makes learning the official language mandatory. But that is not official bilingualism...the person is free to "forget" his native dialect. There are also countries with multiple official languages, but do any of them require a person to know more than one official language?
Hong Kong makes English and Cantonese mandatory in school.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jpdivola
Ok, but why limit the US to being a bilingual English-Spanish speaking nation? Americans could speak with Hispanic nations, but not the rest of the world.
Wouldn't it be better if the US had speakers in a variety of different languages? Portuguese, Mandarin. Korean, Chinese, Farsi, French, German, Russian, Arabic, etc. Sure Spanish is an important language internationally, but not the only one.
I didn't mean just Spanish. But I think it should be required to learn something other than English. Especially considering the increasing diversity in this world, it should be essential.
Last edited by Oldhag1; 08-19-2014 at 03:23 PM..
Reason: Merge
Ok, but why limit the US to being a bilingual English-Spanish speaking nation? Americans could speak with Hispanic nations, but not the rest of the world.
Wouldn't it be better if the US had speakers in a variety of different languages? Portuguese, Mandarin. Korean, Chinese, Farsi, French, German, Russian, Arabic, etc. Sure Spanish is an important language internationally, but not the only one.
I agree with these observations, unequivocally and totally. The command of a multitude of foreign language is already the new "normal" throughout the world.
Other than English, my children speak three other languages (one of the languages, of course is Spanish) which was acquired through our personal endeavors and expense.
And wouldn't it be better if the American public school system devoted as much time and money to foreign language coursework beginning at the primary level as it does to ESL coursework? Why can't they come up with a program where the children help and teach each other while conducting ESL classes and learn a language in the process?
Perhaps then our global community would then be able to, at the very least, stop the incessant accusations of Americans being "stupid" at not having the command of speaking a foreign language (s); especially Spanish, in light of the fact that we have several million Spanish speakers in this country.
Apparently, and unlike the American educational system, foreign language classes begin in the primary classroom and in some cases it may very well begin in daycare in some European countries.
I didn't mean just Spanish. But I think it should be required to learn something other than English. Especially considering the increasing diversity in this world, it should be essential.
No, it's not essential--and making it mandatory would be false "essentiality." Part of this debate lies in the fact that Spanish-speakers can migrate to the US and not even speak English...so bilingualism cannot be called essential if a person can live without even speaking the native language of the country.
Most people in the US have zero need to learn any other language except English, except as a convenience, a desire, or to increase one's commercial competitivity. But it's certainly not "essential."
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