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The thing is though that all of those people here in the U.S. that you mentioned who's native language isn't English do know English though especially if they are citizens of our country. So why would you need to learn their native languages in order to communicate with them?
How many foreign languages do you think Americans should learn and for what purpose? There are plenty more beneficial things to learn than a foreign language here in the U.S.
I can't answer for anyone else, but over the years I've been a big fan of learning languages (been a bit lazy recently, though). Here's the thing. Unless you are required to learn a language for work or moving, etc, you are only going to learn a language because you are "into learning language(s)." Some people like golf, fly fishing, RVing, or whatever. I like languages (among other things). Fly fishing is boring. Languages are fun. It's that simple. It's not political. It's not because I want everyone to speak some other language in the US. It's not because I think I HAVE to learn a language.
Think of your favorite hobby or pastime. Say, "I like to ________" (whatever it is: cycling, boating, golf, gardening, hang gliding, etc). Now replace that word with "learn languages." For some people that's all there is to it. It's like a person who likes to learn math or grammar or astronomy... whatever. Nobody HAS to learn to play golf either. But many do... because they WANT to.
Do these languages come in handy for me? Once in awhile Spanish does. I speak Spanish fairly well (write/read it even better). Some Norwegian. A bit of French and Irish Gaelic. Even dabbled in Romanian. But I assure you that I haven't learned any of them because I thought I had to. It was simply because I'm "into languages." Like a hobby... you know?
The thing is though that all of those people here in the U.S. that you mentioned who's native language isn't English do know English though especially if they are citizens of our country. So why would you need to learn their native languages in order to communicate with them?
How many foreign languages do you think Americans should learn and for what purpose? There are plenty more beneficial things to learn than a foreign language here in the U.S.
Like I said..not because we have to. Because we can. And not at the expense of more important things like new advances in your job or trade and such.
Getting my Tagalog back has helped me out in situations I've been in. Just because I understood what someone said to me when they thought I wouldnt. That was a mistake on their part.
It might not be communication in a different language so much as understanding when someone is trying to hide something or is just talking about you in an...unkind manner...because they think you wo t u ders d what is being said.
Math and foreign language are the most challenging subjects in school.
Many Americans kinda skipped both (due to very low requirements). So what do they do in school?
I can speak French on a rudimentary level, and I know a few words in Korean. One might think that these would never be useful to me, but au contraire! I'll never forget the time when a lady asked me for help making a call from a pay phone (this was before cell phones), and the few words she knew in English weren't getting the job done. But I recognized her accent, and when I asked "Parlez-vous francais?" ("Do you speak French?") her eyes just lit up. Then she started jabbering a mile a minute, way too fast for me to follow. But -- I'm still proud of myself for knowing how to say this -- I told her "Lentement, s'il vous plait; je parle un peu de francais seulement." ("Slowly please, I speak only a little French.") The satisfaction that I got from helping that woman has lasted even up to now, some 20-plus years after it happened.
As for the Korean, it came in handy when a very young Korean boy pointed at my oversized stomach and remarked "aeggi." I knew that he was telling me that I had a baby in my belly.
So yes, I do agree that knowing other languages, even in part, can be a rewarding experience.
I can speak French on a rudimentary level, and I know a few words in Korean. One might think that these would never be useful to me, but au contraire! I'll never forget the time when a lady asked me for help making a call from a pay phone (this was before cell phones), and the few words she knew in English weren't getting the job done. But I recognized her accent, and when I asked "Parlez-vous francais?" ("Do you speak French?") her eyes just lit up. Then she started jabbering a mile a minute, way too fast for me to follow. But -- I'm still proud of myself for knowing how to say this -- I told her "Lentement, s'il vous plait; je parle un peu de francais seulement." ("Slowly please, I speak only a little French.") The satisfaction that I got from helping that woman has lasted even up to now, some 20-plus years after it happened.
As for the Korean, it came in handy when a very young Korean boy pointed at my oversized stomach and remarked "aeggi." I knew that he was telling me that I had a baby in my belly.
So yes, I do agree that knowing other languages, even in part, can be a rewarding experience.
One or even a few examples of encountering a non-English speaker in this country which would be either illegal aliens or visiting foreigners is not enough to push learning foreign languages, IMO. You will lose those languages unless you speak them regularly. To each his own I guess. It's a waste of time, IMO.
Math and foreign language are the most challenging subjects in school.
Many Americans kinda skipped both (due to very low requirements). So what do they do in school?
Math is a required subject foreign languages are elective at least they were 1-12th grade when I was a kid. I excelled at anything that had to do with math and it paid off in my elected career as I used it on a daily basis. A foreign language I would never had used.
There is absolutely no downside to being bilingual. That said it should be a choice for adults. Kids? Our system is flawed. I took 2 years of Germanand at the end of it knew some proverbs, colors and how to count to 100.
We need to look at how Europe does it and reapply. My European friends typically speak 3 or more languages.
A cop friend from Belgium speaks 5. My Norwegian friends all speak 4. Swedes and Finns speak 3 or 4.
They start teaching a second language in Kindergarten, we should as well.
Math is a required subject foreign languages are elective at least they were 1-12th grade when I was a kid. I excelled at anything that had to do with math and it paid off in my elected career as I used it on a daily basis. A foreign language I would never had used.
You say you would not have, only because you didn't have that option. knowing a second language or to be bi-lingual only has upsides to it.
The most worthless course I ever took and it was mandatory, was Algebra. Indian Lit was a close second.
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