Do you think we're lazy?

Question

I was speaking the other day to someone who knew 4 languages other then english. I was wondering if maybe if we set out minds to it we could actually speak all the languages in the world. Do you think we're lazy in that we assume everywhere in the world will cater just for english since many of us only know this language only?

Reading some of the answers, I'd like to point out I'm Bristish... U.S.A people just assume everyone on here is from there but thanks for answering my question

Answer 1

There are millions of people around the world that only speak their mother tongue.

And nobody (except for a babelfish) would be able to speak every language in the world, as there are simply too many. And the thousands of languages have millions of dialects between them.

It's easy for non-anglophones to choose a foreign language to learn - English (mainly because it is used worldwide as a lingua franca and as the main language of business). But which foreign language should we anglophones choose to learn? French? Spanish? Chinese? Most have merits, but there isn't one obvious one.

I speak a little French, German, Portuguese and Spanish, together with some very basic Italian and a few phrases in Greek, Polish and Chinese. Should I really feel embarrassed because I want to go to Copenhagen without being able to speak Danish?

Answer 2

Yes, and no. We are not encouraged to speak any other languages at school, and everything we watch, read etc tends to be in English as that is the dominant language for films and music etc.

People who grow up with dual nationality parents are lucky in that they learn two languages from birth which can often help open pathways to learning more languages.

We all have the potential to learn another language/s but it gets harder the older we get and some people find it harder than others.

I'm lazy, I want to learn spanish, I have the cd's and intellect to do it, but I just don't make the time to do it.

Answer 3

Having been to several European countries, I know that many people there speak English. A lot of my friends think this is great - they do not have to speak any language other than their own. However, I think that we are lazy. I speak two languages other than English, and I'm starting to learn a third, because I think that we shouldn't expect everyone in the world should make the effort to learn our language, if we aren't going to make that same effort to learn theirs.

Answer 4

I speak 3 fluently English Portuguese, Afrikaans and understand about about another 3 or 4 Dutch Spanish and so on. It isn't really a big deal. I don't feel it has made a big difference in my life. I would be happier to have mastered English and Portuguese the only two I use all the time. If you are not going to use a language I wouldn't bother learning it.

Answer 5

i know what you mean, sometimes i feel like I'm the only Brit on here too.
Yes i think we are lazy to a degree, i learnt French in school and when i speak it on the continent I'm well received, suppose its cos you've taken the time to learn it, but that begs a question... if your attempts to speak a language are so well received, then the Frenchman must feel the onus is on him speak English (don't you love the way the global term is English? Americans, Aussies,etc all saying they speak the English language!!)
Anyway aside all this i believe one day there will be just one dialect, we'll probably think thru a computer!!!

Answer 6

I've often thought that, especially living with 6 people of different nationality at University. They all spoke English exceptionally. It did get frustrating when they spoke in their language between themselves.

As a British person, I do think I'm a bit lazy for only speaking English.....I must learn another language.

Answer 7

In some cases I would say lazy or ignorant, but I wouldn't say that for everyone. Many Americans are not well-traveled, and as a result have no desire to pick up the languages of places they cannot or will not ever go.

However ...

It's handy to know Spanish now all over the U.S., and I would imagine that if you live in certain very northern parts it might come in handy to know French as well.

Answer 8

Nope I don't think we're lazy at all. I think that I live in Canada and there are 2 languages. English and French.. I know them both and that's all I need to know because.. well.. when am I going to get a chance to use Chinese and Latin in the little town that I live in? We know the language that we are going to use.. and for most of us.. it's that simple. If I ever move to China, then I will learn Chinese.. and it's the same for them. They speak Chinese.. and if they moved to another country.. they learn that language. It's not laziness.. it's practicality. What's the point of knowing another language if you're not going to use it.. and who is going to teach it to me?

Answer 9

In reference to this question no I don't think Americans are lazy, it's just because we haven't NEEDED to learn anything else. There are tons of Americans that are at least bi-lingual. I can personally say in almost 30 years, I have never felt like I needed to speak any other language. But in a generalized theory i would have to say yes Americans are lazy...or not so much lazy as "stuck in a rut" it truly takes something huge to make most of us think, or do differently, unfortunately.

Answer 10

I work in Dubai and sometimes I feel ashamed that everyone here speaks good english but i dont speak any arabic.

I dont think its laziness we have just got used to english being the international language from the aviation and shipping days