<p>Top economy does not equate a vast potential and market. Goldman Sachs along with other top financial firms are starting to implement Chinese language proficiency tests for the first time. Last month, Goldman just recalled its East-Asian director for not passing certain Mandarin language requirements. This is no isolated incident, as all global corporations are now gearing up for the vast domestic demand from the BRIC economies. By 2025, HSBC Research Division estimates that China will surpass the U.S. in terms of real GDP. India, Brazil, and Russia will have the same potential within the next two decades. In terms of forwarding one's career, there's a greater chance of rapid promotion if one possesses the language skills to work in the developed, and most importantly, the rapidly developing markets.</p>
<p>Certainly, don't be discouraged to learn something you truly like, for instance, French.</p>
<p>Je m'en fou ! Je parle deja le francais et l'espagnole donc moi je vais commencer a prendre des cours d'Arab. Le Chinois?:D Bien entendu je vais l'apprendre aussi. Just learn as many languages as you can people.</p>
<p>J'adore le francais! But I only took it for a semester in school. </p>
<p>It's so hard to choose what languages I want to learn...I'd like to know more mandarin Chinese, continue with spanish, then I'm interested in arabic, portuguese, italian, french, and maybe an Indian dialect or two :D</p>
<p>Jackht, Germany does not control the European community. That honor goes to the trinity of powers (France, German and the UK). Although Germany is the most populous state in Europe and has the largest economy, the margin is quickly disapearing because France and the UK have expanding populations whereas Germany has a contracting population.</p>
<p>The European Steel and Coal Community was originally a coalition between post-war France and Germany to pick up the pieces and rebuild their industries. Later, the UK, Norway, Denmark and Ireland joined the now EEC and then after the fall of East Germany the European Union was soon formed.</p>
<p>Germany, regardless of population is currently the strongest European economy and will be for quite some time. Germany's population won't diminish as fast as you say it will. Like most European nations, Germany's birth rate is low. But France and the UK are no China or India by any means....</p>
<p>Einige Menschen machen die Welt einfach deshalb zu etwas Besonderem, weil sie ein teil von ihr sind. Gut, warst Du jemals in Deutschland?</p>
<p>Arr</p>
<p>I just listed some countries and left the rest for you to do:D<br>
Keep adding boy, do you think that I would make a list of all European countries?
Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Bellarus, Ukraine, Lituania, Slovenia, Bosnia, ........ = Europe</p>
<p>Alors les gars vous allez arreter de vous battre pour l'Europe?</p>
<p>Oh okay, I see now.</p>
<p>We are going to stop our fight for Europe? What? Haha</p>
<p>Ok Sparta! the fight is over.
300</p>
<p>Yours: "We are going to stop our fight for Europe? What? Haha"
I actually asked the same question in French in the post that I sent before your last one.
Mine: "Alors les gars vous allez arreter de vous battre pour l'Europe?"
:D</p>
<p>Jackht, you wont get an argument from me. Germany is indeed Europe's largest Economy. My point was that it does not control the EU. It is not large enough to do so. The EU has a total population of 400 million. Germans make up 20% of that. The EU's total GDP is $17.5 trillion. German's GDP is $3.4 trillion, or 20% of the EU's total. That is not enough to play a dominant role. France and the UK each make up 15% of the EU's population and GDP. Italy isn't much smaller. Spain is also relatively large.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Oui. My mom tried to teach me french as a kid, so i would be bilingual. then it screwed up my english so she stopped.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Whoa. That sounds really, really cool. Not cool in a "that's-great-that-your-English-was-screwed-up" way, but cool in an "I-didn't-know-stuff-like-that-happened" way.</p>
<p>Does your mom speak French fluently? Did she speak only French to you as a child? Were you exposed to enough English from your father or other sources? Do you speak fluent English today? Do you suspect that had your mom not taught you French, you'd presently be a better English speaker?</p>
<p>Sorry, but this is just such an interesting situation...</p>
<p>My mother speaks fluent French, yes. She spoke to me a little. My dad speaks NO French, and that's why it didn't work out.</p>
<p>Ideally one must have two fluent parents that can speak both languages on and off.</p>
<p>Now, I can understand some French, it's really strained though. I looked at what I typed, and I wrote it wrong. I am perfectly fine in English now! But as a young child, my English (what I knew of it, anyway) was getting a little weird. And as a teacher my mom was like, "Whoah! This is going to be a problem." So she stopped.</p>
<p>Alexandre, I meant that Germany kick started the EU at it's origin and plays a large role in it's overall economy. Don't worry, I don't want a debate. :)</p>
<p>"
Ideally one must have two fluent parents that can speak both languages on and off."</p>
<p>Nah nah! Your case is special. I grew up in a multilingual culture but my parents only spoke one of the languages that I speak so , your case was verry special. Actually the fact that your dad did not speak French to you should have help you. For ex: I knew that I had to speak a certain language with my parents, another one at school and another one with friends. So it did not create confusion. But I am not a linguist so I can't really be sure of what went wrong with your language learning process</p>
<p>I'm in my fifth year of French.</p>
<p>Do you think there comes a point where learning a language just hits a plateau? And, perhaps, the only way to overcome it is to use it with native/fluent speakers?</p>
<p>It makes sense to me, but maybe that's not how it works at all.</p>