How come Europeans are so good with languages?

Question

Examples: Many people from the Netherlands and Scandinavia are great at speaking English. Many Spaniards can speak francais. Just examples of what I have noticed!

Answer 1

Because the European Council promotes multilingualism and cross-cultural dialogue. They have this policy, and spend tons of euros on this matter. There are many projects especially made for this aim. The aim of EU is to make every European know at least two languages.

Answer 2

The multi-lingualism occurs due to the close proximity of the countries and the economics of tourism.

In Europe, you can travel across three countries with three languages in just a few hours. There is a greater necessity to speak more than one language as Europeans travel throughout the area. Language is important both socially and in commerce.

Many European countries are popular tourist attractions. Countries that are considered more "welcoming" linguistically are more popular travel destinations. If Fodor's ever wrote in a review..."it was completely impossible to converse with anyone at the hotel. It was difficult to get even the most basic necesities without using a ______to______ dictionary, which took and hour." That hotel would not get many bookings. It makes good financial sense to speak more that one language.

In the U.S. for example you could fly for 12 hours from NY to LA and when you get off the plane the people at the destination speak the same language as the people at the departure point. Some states in the US are bigger that countries in Europe. Imagine if Texas had a different language that Louisiana or New York.

I hope that helps.

Answer 3

Most European schools educate their children to speak many foreign languages! Imagine that crossing the state line from Minnesota to Wisconsin meant a whole new country with a whole new language! If we all lived that close to different countries I'm sure we would be more diverse linguistically. Unfortunately, Americans are considered the most egotistical and ignorant people around, thinking that everyone should speak English!

Also, if you know Spanish it is quite easy to understand French (being both Romance languages) after some studying. The same with Italian.

Answer 4

Egg European here. Most European schools educate their children to speak many foreign languages. I'm from Ireland and speak both my native language Irish, English and French. Most primary schools here the children are introducing to foreign languages at an early age. From the age of 12 when children go to secondary schools here they then can pick Spanish or Italian or German as new languages

Answer 5

Many Europeans are immersed into foreign langauge since a very young age. Europe isn't really a whole bunch of countries, but really a confederation under the European Union. It's important for the nations to be able to communicate and to work together to be well.

Answer 6

I think that there is a greater emphasis on learning other languages in Europe. My cousin in Poland speaks excellent English and some German.

Answer 7

Europe is comprised of a lot of fairly small countries with very diverse cultures and languages packed into a relatively small "continent". It only makes sense that many people in this environment would become multi-lingual.

Answer 8

They are very cultured people. They learn many things, languages among them. They don't believe that learning is a waste of time unless it gives money, like people in the USA think

Answer 9

Europe is well connected, so it creates multilingual people. They are exposed to many different cultures and languages, unlike here in the US where we are pretty much ignorant and isolated, with the exception of Mexico and some French Canadians.

Answer 10

Europeans, unlike Americans, start learning foriegn languages at a young age. You need to learn a language under the age of 12 if you want to speak fluently.