Is it important for Americans to learn new languages?

Question

Us Americans are often criticized, especially by Europeans, for not making an effort to learn languages other than English. My theory on this is that geographically, we are too far apart from Europe for it to really matter. It just isn't practical as an American to learn a new language (Unless you travel a lot, and Spanish being an exception). Europeans border countries who speak many languages, so it is practical for them to learn them. I personally would like to learn a 2nd, or even third language, but I don't think the criticism directed towards Americans is really fair. What are your thoughts?

Answer 1

You have answered the question yourself. We are one huge continent larger than Europe who speak predominantly English. There are virtually no chances to practice a foreign language and English is the dominant economic language now internationally.

It is hard to learn and maintain another language in the US but with Satellite TV and Internet it is easier than ever to learn to read and understand any language - though not speak.

Maybe you need to tell the Swiss to learn some languages. I live in the Swiss German speaking part of Switzerland now and most people see no need in learning any of their other national languages (French, Italian) or English. Yet, Switzerland is about the size of Mississippi. 21 percent have only nine years of school and don't speak standard German either.

I have never known many French or Germans to speak much English. Only the Scandinavians and Dutch are masters of the English language in Europe .

We are supposed to be a melting pot and not a mosaic so everyone is supposed to learn English. This is why we had a free public school system before other countries.

We should be learning other languages but they need to be Chinese or Japanese perhaps. These are the future economic powers of the world. But, even they may choose English as their economic language. In Luxembourg, for instance, they speak a Germanic local dialect and French or English for business.

I am a fluent French/English bilingual and French has been virtually useless to me. It allowed me to obtain a graduate degree from the University of Paris which no one cares about either! Without a degree in education I can't even teach French! I also have studied Danish, German, Spanish and Italian as well as some Arabic, Russian and Chinese.

Any knowledge of European languages is to read old classics, for historical purposes or mental exercise. These languages are of the past and not of the future.

And, so, yes, in short I agree with you 100%. However, I do wish that languages were required more at least at the Ph.D. level for research as they used to be.

We do get a bum rap. I bet there are as many Americans with a high level of French as French with a high level of English, for instance. And, they have more access to English than we do to French.

I also think that it's very difficult for anyone to maintain an extremely high level of multiple languages without one affecting the other in some way (either accent or grammar).

P.S. regarding one comment: English doesn't come from Latin; it has a lot of Latin and French influence so appears about 50% Latin but it is a Germanic language. It is true that if you know Latin you have a leg up on the Romantic languages.

Answer 2

I think that it is in your best interest to learn more than one language. Because when you step out into the "real world"/ workforce you get an automatic leg up on a good majority of the others seeking jobs as well.But I would have to agree with the criticism that is directed towards this country because at time Americans act like they are better than everybody else and that other countries need to learn their language and not the other way around. Americans sometimes come off as being really cocky and arrogant because they think that English {American} is the best language out there and that in order to do anything that's the language that needs to be taught universally. Which is not true. Their are so many other countries out there that speak so many different languages that the American language is really just a fraction of the many languages that exist. Though, the American language is widely taught in many different countries. Also America has always been known as a country with many different cultures and languages mixed together and to be honest if the only language you know is English and you refuse to learn anything else {which many Americans have} then your limiting yourself greatly to the many different people you could meet or if you run a business to the many different clients you could have. So there, I think that learning another language aside from English is beneficial to all .

Answer 3

I think this is a great question, and I have my own somewhat odd opinion... I really feel the world will be much better off communicating in a single language. It doesn't matter much to me if it is English or Pig Latin, but if we can all communicate we will better be able to work together to solve problems and build a better world.

Some experts say that the language of the future will be Chinese because there are so many of them in that great and vast country, and once the people have full up internet availability, that language will take over the internet and the world. However, I have heard arguments to that effect for the past 20 years, and have seen little impact on the net or the world. So the fact of the matter is that today the vast majority of web sites and internert communications are in English... so that is my bet.

I also feel, maybe incorrectly, that learning new languages is a waste of brain capacity and time. I think we would be better off studying other issues and saving our thoughts for new ideas. As Einstein said, he would never memorize anything he could just look up... learning a language is similar.

So I am all for us speaking a common language.. and my guess is that language will be English.

Answer 4

I definitely understand why Americans aren't exposed to more languages (geography etc.) but I think they are more criticised for being xenophobic and arrogant when they're abroad. It's not true for all Americans, but it does happen a lot. I think Spanish becoming so popular in the US will be a good thing in the long run as learning a second language enriches you mind. You start to look at things in a different light while also experiencing a different culture. I don't think geography can really be an excuse, America is a melting pot of all sorts of different cultures and backgrounds. There's no reason why more Americans can't learn the languages of their parents, grandparents or even ancestors!

Answer 5

I think every one should at least make the effort to learn a new language because you just never know . Right now I am living in France and when ever I say that i'm an american they look down on me because american's usually go to France thinking thet the french should speak english . And yes it's true that most american's are ignorant when it comes to other country's . I love america but we do need to make some changes .

Answer 6

It's understandable that Americans generally don't speak foreign languages, since their language is the most widely spoken language in the world. You don't need it that much, so you don't have the ambition. However, I would recommend you to learn some foreign languages (at least one, for a start). You will be enlightened by the new horizons it will open to you. Different languages have completely different paradigms, and when learning a language you get to know much more than just a language.

Answer 7

I think that it is very important for Americans (and people of all other nationalities) to learns news languages. I personally have taken (and am still taking) French since kindergarten, I have also taken German for a while, and I plan on taking Japanese. The criticism is not fully warranted, since many people make generalizations about a country with around 300 million inhabitants, yet in many cases it is true that Americans feel overly self-righteous and important, ignoring the importance of the outside world. People from other countries feel that Americans are imposing their ways of life on other countries, and this contributes to unrest between America and other countries. By learning other languages we can learn more about other cultures, expand our breadth of knowledge (aside from the language), and demonstrate our openness to other ideas.

Answer 8

Your question is a very tricky one to answer. As far as do you need another language to live in the states or should you speak another just so you will be able to conduct business in the U.S. The answer is no, further more I do strongly believe that anyone coming to the U.S. to live and work should speak and understand english very clearly. I don't say this because its just the American thing to do, I say this because it offers protection to immigrants. Just imagine not understanding english and a police officer mistaking you for a fugitive he tells you to stop but you don't understand... You see where that can go? As far as should we learn more languages I STRONGLY believe we should. It offers great insight into a culture and its ways of life. I have lived overseas now for almost 8 years and until you learn another language and submerge yourself in another culture you really cannot understand the people and mentality of cultures.

Answer 9

I think if you are one to travel abroad you should know enough of the other countries language to engage in basic communication. As for living in America unless you just want to be fluent in another language it shouldn't be demanded that we learn another language. This is America and the main language is English. I would love to learn a foreign language and be fluent but I don't think I should have to do it just to visit a grocery store, etc. Just as natives of other countries expect us to know their customs and languages when we visit or move to their country they should do the same when they come here.

Answer 10

Agreed. Additional support for this is that English is the [current] language of business, so it provides even less of an incentive for us to learn other languages. Lastly, what language would people have us learn. The French, German, Chinese, and Mexican people would have us speak their language. I believe it all comes down to jealousy. However, one of the previous answers was correct, learning new languages is a great way to expand your mind and ability to communicate.