Why are Americans so reluctant to learn foreign langages?
Foreign languages
- Thread starter MarcusBrody
- Start date
yes but there is more than business in life. Speaking other languages allows you to read books in their original forms, understand other cultures
what prevented you to learn them?
what prevented you to learn them?
I already know their cultures . That's what interested me in the languages spoken . How many in the world really want to learn American culture ? All I see is people bad mouthing America and Americans . You can learn America by what you see in movies on TV or Music Videos . Normal America isn't like that .
Hemi, you are making my point. You don't know a culture until you speak the language and can actually meet the people of that culture, talk with them, understand how they live, what they like and why.
My vision of America has changed a lot since I moved here 18 years ago, and the vision of France of my friends also has changed after talking with me.
You cannot always rely on translations asa some words do not exist in different languages and you need to do your best to describe the concept, but there is always something lost in translation.
My vision of America has changed a lot since I moved here 18 years ago, and the vision of France of my friends also has changed after talking with me.
You cannot always rely on translations asa some words do not exist in different languages and you need to do your best to describe the concept, but there is always something lost in translation.
Lahrun
Member
I thought it was just me. Even when I hear some Americans struggle to pronounce a foreign place name I just cringe, but then I remember that being a European, I'm so used to foreign weirdly spelt shit that maybe it's why it takes me less time to process it. In school I was forced to learn French and German, I kept both and took Mandarin later on because there was a job I wanted, but speaking either Mandarin or Russian was a requirement and I stupidly thought Mandarin would be easier (It wasn't, I started studying Russian in April and it's way fucking easier). Are languages just not pushed as hard in American schools?
Pretty cool that people who live on the coasts or in TX seem to be quite good at speaking Spanish, obviously not the immigrants in this case.
Pretty cool that people who live on the coasts or in TX seem to be quite good at speaking Spanish, obviously not the immigrants in this case.
Growing up in France, I learned English, German and Latin.
Ad no languages are not really pushed in US, at least not everywhere
If you really think logically about it , English is becoming a universal language because like I stated before , business . So why do we have a need to speak any other language in the US ?
Americans need to learn English . Most speak and write in America horribly so much slang and ebonics because they think it's hip and cool . It actually makes people sound uneducated .
Americans need to learn English . Most speak and write in America horribly so much slang and ebonics because they think it's hip and cool . It actually makes people sound uneducated .
T
Tyrhenum_Mare
Guest
A late reply but this has been a point that has fascinated me as well, and starts to touch on topics like the eminence of the Anglo-sphere ( a philosophy I know little of beyond the name itself but that I can kind of gain a rudimentary understanding of by the name--the idea of English gaining a sort of dominance over the world itself). To answer the original question I would say that "Americans" are reluctant to learn for the same reason anyone of any other country would be unwilling to learn a foreign language--it is uncomfortable and takes work.
I believe that Americans at a certain level fetishize learning new languages, and, soon thereafter, become overwhelmed by the huge commitment that learning it might take. It's something I have to remind myself of regularly in my own lingual pursuits, but a personal commitment and fascination makes it less of a chore. To be a bit more specific, my grandmother being from Puerto Rico motivates me to learn Spanish. A fiction book that I like motivated me to learn Latin. Friends I have motivate me to learn Portuguese, etc. etc.
As to the necessity to learn different languages, I think that a a very base level the necessity of learning other languages is to show respect for another culture. Whatever extent that the Anglo-culture is having on the world, one would be remise to imply that every culture is English like ours is. Every people group has a distinct history, customs, a completely different national identity which language is simply a part of. Diminishing the need to learn a different language steps dangerously close to devaluing a key component of masses of groups of people. This is an issue that at least my mother is acquainted with all too well as a sign language interpreter. In order to effectively interface with the deaf community you cannot expect that they interface with English as "hearing" people are accustomed to it, and the same would go with any culture.
A side note regarding the departure of English from its "proper" form. One does not have to study languages long to understand that any language is in a constant state of flux. True, contemporary standardizations would label certain pronunciations/word usages as being improper, but it would be naive to think that these collections of "improper" uses would not become their own structure language. All that is to say if we want to talk about English being the "universal" language we're forced to confront the issue of "which" English. Romance languages largely evolved from vernacular Latin, not the "proper" Latin used by Cicero and Caesar. Thus, learning different languages from different countries could give us an informed perspective about incoming influences on English and help us retain understanding and consistency in meaning during this evolution of English. I'd find this preferable to being blindsided by a culmination of codified changes that have taken influence from other cultures (be them domestic or abroad) right under our noses
I believe that Americans at a certain level fetishize learning new languages, and, soon thereafter, become overwhelmed by the huge commitment that learning it might take. It's something I have to remind myself of regularly in my own lingual pursuits, but a personal commitment and fascination makes it less of a chore. To be a bit more specific, my grandmother being from Puerto Rico motivates me to learn Spanish. A fiction book that I like motivated me to learn Latin. Friends I have motivate me to learn Portuguese, etc. etc.
As to the necessity to learn different languages, I think that a a very base level the necessity of learning other languages is to show respect for another culture. Whatever extent that the Anglo-culture is having on the world, one would be remise to imply that every culture is English like ours is. Every people group has a distinct history, customs, a completely different national identity which language is simply a part of. Diminishing the need to learn a different language steps dangerously close to devaluing a key component of masses of groups of people. This is an issue that at least my mother is acquainted with all too well as a sign language interpreter. In order to effectively interface with the deaf community you cannot expect that they interface with English as "hearing" people are accustomed to it, and the same would go with any culture.
A side note regarding the departure of English from its "proper" form. One does not have to study languages long to understand that any language is in a constant state of flux. True, contemporary standardizations would label certain pronunciations/word usages as being improper, but it would be naive to think that these collections of "improper" uses would not become their own structure language. All that is to say if we want to talk about English being the "universal" language we're forced to confront the issue of "which" English. Romance languages largely evolved from vernacular Latin, not the "proper" Latin used by Cicero and Caesar. Thus, learning different languages from different countries could give us an informed perspective about incoming influences on English and help us retain understanding and consistency in meaning during this evolution of English. I'd find this preferable to being blindsided by a culmination of codified changes that have taken influence from other cultures (be them domestic or abroad) right under our noses
P
Phantom
Guest
because English is the easiest language to learn
WitchySeaWingLady
Active Member
I wish I knew other languages hhhmm I wonder if reading a little of magic seals count as written languages???
I learned a bit of Spanish in grade school. In high school I took two years of Latin. Latin was helpful in expanding my vocabulary, but was otherwise useless. I picked up broken Swedish from my grandmother. I also picked up broken French, German, and Italian from my travels and from co-workers in the Chicagoland area. I picked up broken Polish from my ex-wife's family. So I am awash in non-English tongues.
Incidentally, my high school taught German, Spanish, Japanese, Mandarin, Russian, and Latin.
For Americans to learn a language other than English is generally an exercise in futility. Aside from learning a language beneficial in travelling to another country (where English is NOT a secondary language), can generally be discouraged.
If one wishes to educate ones self in another language, there are a plethora of resources available on the web and commercially available. As otherwise mentioned above, English is the language of business around the globe. Period. End of story.
What is most frustrating to me and other Americans is the general reluctance of immigrants (legal or illegal) to learn a smattering of English -- the language of the United States! To put it more crudely, either you assimilate or kindly get the fuck out!
Incidentally, my high school taught German, Spanish, Japanese, Mandarin, Russian, and Latin.
For Americans to learn a language other than English is generally an exercise in futility. Aside from learning a language beneficial in travelling to another country (where English is NOT a secondary language), can generally be discouraged.
If one wishes to educate ones self in another language, there are a plethora of resources available on the web and commercially available. As otherwise mentioned above, English is the language of business around the globe. Period. End of story.
What is most frustrating to me and other Americans is the general reluctance of immigrants (legal or illegal) to learn a smattering of English -- the language of the United States! To put it more crudely, either you assimilate or kindly get the fuck out!
I think generalizing about all Americans being reluctant to learn new languages while stating that all people from other countries embrace multiple languages is just silly.
First, I know many Asians and Europeans who only know their own languages and make no apologies about it. Conversely, every one of my close American friends speaks more than 1 language (with varying levels of success). Foreign language was a requirement for me through high school (I’d imagine it was a requirement for many, if not most others as well).
You could account for some Europeans knowing multiple languages out of necessity and their consistent interaction with foreign languages due to close proximity of countries. This accounts for many people in CA and Texas being familiar with Spanish as well. Often, this is not a choice but a necessity. This language familiarity was not due to any great love of language or respect for culture, but because it was simply a necessity to interact with others that speak a different language. Let’s not get all romantic about this.
In the same way that some people have a proclivity towards math and sciences, others have a natural skill for learning languages. People tend to like things that come easy to them. Adults especially have little time to screw around with things where they do not see results quickly. It takes real persistence and commitment to wrestle with learning a language if language skills is NOT your jam and if learning that specific language is NOT a necessity. Learning a new language requires the luxury of time and access; and some people simply do not have either. If you work 60 hour weeks or if you are struggling to fill your gas tank… perhaps going on Rosetta Stone to learn Mandarin because it seems cool is not your first priority.
It’s easy to take pot shots at Americans and to say all Americans are this or that. Americans are the worst culprits of this. (I’m guilty, I’ll admit it). But America is ENORMOUS and made up of millions of people with wildly different realities and experiences — dependent on location, race, socio-economic background, you name it.
Lastly, to say that you cannot appreciate culture unless you can read original text & literature in the the native language is an incredibly elitist thing to say and entirely false. Anyone can appreciate a culture whether they can or can’t speak the language. All it takes is the desire to understand and appreciate the culture. That’s it.
First, I know many Asians and Europeans who only know their own languages and make no apologies about it. Conversely, every one of my close American friends speaks more than 1 language (with varying levels of success). Foreign language was a requirement for me through high school (I’d imagine it was a requirement for many, if not most others as well).
You could account for some Europeans knowing multiple languages out of necessity and their consistent interaction with foreign languages due to close proximity of countries. This accounts for many people in CA and Texas being familiar with Spanish as well. Often, this is not a choice but a necessity. This language familiarity was not due to any great love of language or respect for culture, but because it was simply a necessity to interact with others that speak a different language. Let’s not get all romantic about this.
In the same way that some people have a proclivity towards math and sciences, others have a natural skill for learning languages. People tend to like things that come easy to them. Adults especially have little time to screw around with things where they do not see results quickly. It takes real persistence and commitment to wrestle with learning a language if language skills is NOT your jam and if learning that specific language is NOT a necessity. Learning a new language requires the luxury of time and access; and some people simply do not have either. If you work 60 hour weeks or if you are struggling to fill your gas tank… perhaps going on Rosetta Stone to learn Mandarin because it seems cool is not your first priority.
It’s easy to take pot shots at Americans and to say all Americans are this or that. Americans are the worst culprits of this. (I’m guilty, I’ll admit it). But America is ENORMOUS and made up of millions of people with wildly different realities and experiences — dependent on location, race, socio-economic background, you name it.
Lastly, to say that you cannot appreciate culture unless you can read original text & literature in the the native language is an incredibly elitist thing to say and entirely false. Anyone can appreciate a culture whether they can or can’t speak the language. All it takes is the desire to understand and appreciate the culture. That’s it.
Last edited:
You hit the nail on its head!
I traveled through Egypt and Sudan before reaching Ethiopia. I spoke NONE of the native languages and somehow managed not to get killed.
I traveled throughout Europe and aside from my exceedingly poor grasp of French, German, and Spanish most natives detected my discomfort and spoke to me in (often broken) English.
Were I to ever move to one of these countries, I would learn the native language as I assimilated into their culture. It is only natural and courteous. Thus my closing ... "assimilate or get the fuck out". I would expect no less from natives of other nations.
