Why do americans only speak 1 language?

Question

I am a member of the US Coast Guard, in which part of my job basically requires me to learn spanish. I have a pretty good grasp of the spanish language so i don't really have a tough time speaking with the illegal immigrants we catch. I am also fluent in french because my mom was from France (besancon). So whenever i go back to europe to visit my relatives it seems that everyone is more sophisticated and speaks more than 1 language, escecially english. My question is, Why do most americans speak only english? How come we are not like the rest of the world and speak more than only our first language. I am an American, I was born here and didnt find it very difficult to learn and speak 2 other languages. If we could just get off the couch and be a little bit more enthusiastic we could all easily speak more than 1 language. This is pretty sad and pathetic, can someone please explain this to me?

Wow, "~whats~your~flavor~" I think you need to first learn english before you even bother trying to asnwer this question, i dont quite understand your "ebonics"

Lydia, you have some good points. Its just that, whenever you watch the news and they interview people from other countries like Russia (which isn't anywhere close to an English country) even the towns people can speak English to the reporter. But when an international reporter say from Mexico or Quebec come to interview someone from the US. They have to use an interpreter. I'm pretty sure that the issue is our education system compared to the rest of the industrialized worlds, which is pretty sad seeing as we are supposed to be a "superpower"

Answer 1

Since I live on the East Coast, I can drive West 3000 miles, stop every 100 miles and guess what? Everyone will speak English. It's a lot different in Europe.

BTW, I also speak French, Mom is from Quebec.

Answer 2

I think you're overgeneralizing. I live in South Texas. Many people here know both English an Spanish. Why is it so important for an American to learn French, a language they will most likely never use? I took two years of French in high school, by the way, and really enjoyed it. You have relatives in Europe; most Americans don't. They can learn a language, but if they don't get to speak it with others, it will be lost. That has been my experience with speaking French. Je ne souviens pas beaucoup de francais. Dommage!

Besides that, it's an individual decision on whether one wants to spend the time, effort, and money to learn another language. Some jobs require it, like yours, while it wouldn't make any difference in mine. I work solely in English. Most Americans' parents didn't speak a language other than English at home. That's why they don't speak anything other than English.

_________


William, I know what you're talking about, but this being a globalized economy now, people learn English because it is pretty much required if they want to work in the business sector internationally. That's why these non-English speakers learn it at school, because if they want to compete, they have to know English, and their school systems recognize this. Having said that, we already know English. So, any language we learn is solely for cultural or pleasurable reasons. We are already at an advantage to have it as our first language. The U.S. has the largest market-base in the world. These other countries have learned to survive, they must learn English and teach their children English.

My mother is Hispanic, and I do know a little Spanish. But like the interpreter said, unless you're immersed in a language, it's difficult to be fluent in it. Best Regards!

Answer 3

I don't disagree with your thought that American mono-lingualism is a negative aspect of our cultural values but learning a second language is not all that easy. I am an interpreter and am fluent in two languages, as well as have a firm grounding, if not a fluency, in two others. If you aren't able to be immersed in the language, bi-(or multi-)lingualism is tough to accomplish and simply taking a few semesters is an incomplete approach and likely to not give the student full, life-long fluency. It's nearly impossible to accomplish if you don't have the ability to become immersed in the language/culture. Based on your explanation, it sounds as though you either were raised with two first languages (French and English) or you were regularly exposed to French at an early age which allowed you to acquire it almost as a easily as a first language. This being another Latin based romance language would give you a leg-up in picking up Spanish. Additionally, the more languages you know the easier it is to acquire additional languages. Most Europeans (aside from England) grow up bi/multi-lingually and therefore are raised with multiple languages. Generally, if they learn others later, it is a bit easier for them (though some people are better at learning languages than others).

So, in a nutshell, US culture seems steeped in a mono-linguistic mindset to the point that it has become a proud, American value (though I personally do not think this is a good thing). Additionally, learning a second language is not easy (though like anything some people excel at it more that others) and finally, unless you are in an area where immersion is possible, 2nd language acquisition can be tough. (I live in San Diego with large Spanish speaking population and strong Mexican culture yet it can still be difficult for an English monolingual person to "break-into" the culture and become immersed in the language).

Hope this adds a little insight.

Answer 4

I speak 2 languages, (Spanish, learned at school) and am currently learning 3 more (French, German, Japanese). It's not that hard. As arrogant as it sounds, the fact of the matter is, we really don't need to learn other languages. The US/UK run the world. Sorry, but that's the way it is. If you really want to succeed in the business world, you're going to have to learn English, at some point.

Also, most people from Europe speak multiple languages, because their countries are smaller, and surrounded by other countries that speak these languages. The US is surrounded on both sides by thousands of miles of ocean, an English-Speaking country to the north, and a Spanish speaking country to the south. Many Americans either speak, or are learning Spanish, likely in school, as I did. I do agree that people should make an effort to learn languages, and be more knowledgeable of other cultures, but as I stated earlier, it's hard to keep a language going when there's no one else speaking it. At least you could go to Canada and practice your French, but if I live in the US, who am I having a conversation with in fluent Russian? Fluent Swahili? Fluent Welsh?

Answer 5

First off, when you believe that most Americans only speak one language, I'm assuming you're talking about those of European heritage who have had family in the U.S. for a long time. Many of the more recent American population (mostly from South of the border) speaks more than one language, mainly Spanish and English.

Plus, if America only spoke one language, would part of your job as a member of the "U.S. Coast Guard" be to learn Spanish? I think not. In fact, a team from the BBC is doing a study where they're traveling the entire Southern border of the U.S., from Florida to California, speaking only Spanish.

Also, in relation to Europe, lets think for a moment. First off, look at the country boundaries in Europe, and how long countries have been around in Europe (not necessarily their borders, as those have changed over the centuries). They learn other languages out of necessity, and because if most of them travel anywhere far, they're automatically in another country. To believe that a European speaking another language is automatically a sign of sophistication is a gross simplification of the facts. People in Europe have been speaking different languages for centuries because of their immediate proximity to other places that speak different languages. Simply being European by birth doesn't make you automatically more sophisticated.

As for "getting off the couch" as a solution to learning another language, unfortunately, necessity is the Mother of invention. Many Americans don't speak another language because they don't have to. I can travel thousands of miles and still speak English. That simply isn't the case in the U.S.

Advocating as to why Americans should learn another language is a different topic altogether, and probably would bring up some good points.

Answer 6

I am American and only fluent in English. There was a time I was close to fluent in Spanish but I have forgotten mucho. I am now studying Latin. I think it is interesting but much harder than Spanish. I thought I could pick up Latin no problemo because my Spanish would come back to me. Seven noun cases, five noun declensions and three adjective declensions make Latin much harder than Spanish. The fact that I am twenty years older has nothing to do with it, of course. Commonly Americans (I think the same goes for the Brits) feel no need to learn another language because educated people all over the world speak English. I am convinced that studying another language, whatever it is, helps your own grammar and vocabulary.

Answer 7

Most of us don't live anywhere near a country where other languages are spoken unlike europe where you can drive for a few hours and be in a place with a different language. That said, I think we should learn other languages if we have travel to non-english speaking countries. I learned to CONVERSE (i.e. I'm not fluent) in a few others and it really wasn't that hard.

Answer 8

Do you know how to fly or even maintain an FA-18? WHY NOT?
Do you know how to maintain and load a Mk76 Phalanx CIWS? Why not?
Can you field strip an M1A1? Why not?
Can you perform start up procedures for an LM-2500 turbine engine? Why not?
Do you speak Arabic? Why not?
Oh, it's NOT REQUIRED.
So, someone in Colorado should learn a language...say Farsi. Then what? You don't use a language you've learned, you forget it.
I'm glad I know that not all Coasties are as arrogant, pompous and self important as you. You, sir, are a poor example of one of the U.S.'s finest services. GET OFF
YOUR HIGH HORSE.
(USN, retired, speaker of 9 languages...including ASL...been to over 30 countries...stationed in 3...on 6 continents...including 13 months in Antarctica...sailed 8 oceans/seas, 5 ships)

Answer 9

well not from the USA but do live here now and find it odd that the children here are not taught from kindergarten, as they are in the UK, usually start with French and then once they reach high school [well our equivalent] they get full lessons in both German, French and most schools also offer Spanish, this is where they are taught to speak, read write etc the entire language...........

So I now have two kids that can speak in English German French, Spanish and a handful of Italian, they loved it when they was young as it just seemed a game to them.

Answer 10

Would you have learned the Spanish language if not required?
I've never learned another language because I haven't any need for it.