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Americans aren’t so bad at languages | ||
Tags: Using Foreign Languages | United States | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : General discussion |  | |
| Al Diglot Newbie United States Joined 6505 days ago 30 posts - 39 votes Speaks: English*, German | Message 33 of 34 15 January 2013 at 9:24am | IP Logged |
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There is a significant minority of us who want to learn languages and because of immigration, there are a large number of natural bilinguals in the States. Still, I think those of use who want to learn languages are a minority.
The majority of Americans don't care about languages or other countries. I read that only 35% of Americans have passports. That number has increased recently because the post 9/11 rules require a passport to visit Canada, Mexico, and most of the Caribbean. I remember when I told my doctor that I was joining the foreign service. He said “you want to live in a foreign country?” And he got his MD abroad! That is the typical attitude in my opinion. Edited by Al on 15 January 2013 at 10:05am 3 persons have voted this message useful | |
| beano Diglot Senior Member United KingdomRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 4622 days ago 1049 posts - 2152 votes  Speaks: English*, German Studies: Russian, Serbian, Hungarian | Message 34 of 34 15 January 2013 at 5:04pm | IP Logged |
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I have been to around 15 different European countries and in every one of them I have at least said "good morning" and "thank you" in the local language. In terms of Europe I am well travelled but I have been no further, apart from a holiday in Tunisia as a child, but even that is close to Europe.
It is 3000 miles from one side of America to the other. English is spoken everwhere. And if you go north, you hit an even bigger expanse of English-speaking territory in the shape of Canada. Therefore I don't blame Americans for not putting language learning high on their list of priorities. Then again, how many Europeans (excluding those in border areas or multi-lingual countries like Switzerland) actually devote much time to learning a foreign language other than English? Are Bulgarians feverishly swotting away at German? I think not. I'm sure if you travelled the vast plains of China and Russia you would meet tens of millions of people who spoke only Chinese or Russian. There will be many Americans who have travelled far longer distances than I have, yet have done all this within their own country. Edited by beano on 15 January 2013 at 5:06pm 2 persons have voted this message useful |
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