america is the only country that doesnt know a seond language?

Question

do most countries mostly know a second langauge. not just the language they speak? like the uk? do most people in the uk know another langage apart from english.??


because i know in america everyone basically only knows english. not everyone or the majority speaks a second langauge.

Answer 1

America is A CONTINENT, genius. In most countries of America people speak Spanish. Others speak French, Portuguese, or native language

Answer 2

In the UK it is compulsory to be taught a second language at school... but that's not the same as everyone being able to speak a second language because the depth of knowledge isn't very great and unless you practice it's soon forgotten.

Most non-English speaking countries teach their children English as a second language but again without practice I suspect that the ability to actually speak it or understand it will fade later in life... except of course that English is such a ubiquitous feature of communication today that most people around the world know at least some English.

There are two basic schools of thought: some say that if your native tongue is English then it's arrogant not to learn a second language; others say that as English is so widely used there's no point learning another language and that the rest of the world should simply learn English.

I'm glad I was taught English and German at school and that I later tried to learn at least a few words of some of the countries I visited - Italian, Spanish and Swedish. The locals appreciate you trying to talk to them in their own language and will usually switch over to English if you're having difficulty once they see that you've made an effort. If you just shout at them in English they often just pretend they don't understand.

Answer 3

You really can't accurately generalize about Americans this way.

First of all, a lot of Americans who speak only one language speak only Spanish.

Second, there are a lot of first and second generation Americans who do speak a second language.

Third, throughout much of America, there's no particular point in learning a second language. I suspect that the sheer size of China puts the average Chinese citizen in the same boat. I'm sure they're intellectually capable of learning Italian, but I don't foresee that being any more important to the average Chinese citizen than it is to people in Missouri.

Fourth, in the places where there is some use for another language, there's no single best "second language" for all of those places. While French may be useful for those living in upstate New York, Spanish would be a better choice in Florida or along the border with Mexico, and Chinese might be more useful than either in New York City.

You need to come to grips with the fact that the US is a little bit bigger than Switzerland. The average Swiss person might well have conversations in Italian, German, French, and English, all before lunch every day. That's just unlikely to happen to most Americans.

It really isn't anywhere near as important for Americans as you appear to believe.

Answer 4

Actually most people in big cities such as LA, New York, and Philly speak more than one language, one well spoken one in the US besides english is Spanish. However the United States is probably the only country the requires students learn a second language.

Answer 5

Jajajaja...you're very ignorant because if you haven't heard, the US is full of Hispanics (speak Spanish) and in schools, for students to graduate (high school), they must take at least 2 yrs of foreign language. Also, there is the fact that the US has the most number of immigrants from all over the world, and those people speak different languages other than English. So, taking all of these in mind, what can be concluded is that people in the US speak many more languages than in the UK. You should inform yourself so you won’t sound SO ignorant. Learned something new today?

Answer 6

America is a large country. Population in parts of America speak only English or American.

The population on the two coasts and in metro areas are practically bilingual or multilingual.

10% of population in USA speaks Spanish.

Majority of population in California are not native-born - meaning at least 15 million whose native language is most likley not English.

Answer 7

Being on the other side of the pond from the many-languaged continent of Europe, it may seem small minded of us. But practically speaking, the only foreign language of use to a common American is Spanish. I took five years of German in school, but I haven't spoken a word of it in eight years--I probably couldn't follow a conversation today.

Since we never have an opportunity to practice, most Americans only bother to learn a foreign language if we plan a long stay in another country--learning German helped me understand English better, but apart from that it has been of little use to me. No one tells us when we are thirteen years old and picking our classes that Spanish is the language we need, so most Americans spend time learning a language they will never use, and soon forget.

Answer 8

Brazil speaks Portuguese. additionally all of them use distinctive forex which as we can see making all of them use one as they did in europe replaced right into a foul theory. additionally they have their very own traditions, historic previous and government. that are all separate and unique from one yet another. Language isn't the only element that makes a rustic what that's. I dont be conscious of the place you have become your suggestions from yet "carro" isn't the word for vehicle in any language. The word for vehicle in spanish is coche. additionally you will locate you have in basic terms regarded up basic words in the two languages. Thats like asserting english and german are an identical because of the fact milk is spelled an identical in the two languages. Spanish and Portuguese words are spelled distinctive from one yet another n's are m's z's are s's b's are z's on precise of this they have many words that are spelled thoroughly distinctive. they are additionally reported distinctive. And pronunciation can certainly make a brilliant distinction have confidence it or no longer. Ever talked to a scottish guy or woman? to no longer easy to understand. Brazilian Portuguese in itself even differs from eu Portuguese. that's greater suitable than basically the single language their are such particularly some bits and products of alternative fluential tribes and languages that helped to strengthen brazilian Portuguese. And the spanish in those international places. additionally, Portuguese has grammar and syntax that may not achieveable interior the spanish language. they have differing sentence systems besides as regulations to their languages. This makes a brilliant distinction.

Answer 9

As official language we only speak Portuguese here in Brazil. Many people speaks other ones, but not in a representative number, I mean, a number enough to be considered a national second language.

Answer 10

Ahhh, English...
The language of Scientists and Air Traffic Controllers the world over. Possessing both precision and subtle differentiation - founded on multiple languages.

I wouldn't leave home without it!

When in Rome, speak Italian...
When in the U.K or America - speak English!