<p>Well, there's a reason why. It IS one of the easiest languages for an English speaker to learn.</p>
<p>and every-freaking-thing in the U.S. now has "Press 1 for English, 2 for Espanol" - we're being forced to learn it.</p>
<p>Ja. . . . . . . to UCLAri</p>
<p>Dubious to above poster.</p>
<p>I hate how Americans think that everyone else should learn English. It is pathetic. You have no more right to expect a foreign person to speak English than they have for you to speak their language.</p>
<p>idamayer,</p>
<p>If you move to the US, you should learn English. It's that simple.</p>
<p>However, internationally, the situation is a bit different. No, a Pole should not be expected to speak English. However, English is a powerful language. It is the closest thing we have today to a truly international language. While I do not expect the average person in Russia to speak English, I have to say that anyone planning to work on the international stage should be expected to have at least a passing understanding of the language.</p>
<p>Oh, no, I mean internationally. I agree, if you live there, you should speak the language; common sense.</p>
<p>It is not as much that I have a problem with English being an international language. But when people expect foreigners to know English - I find that a bit irrational.</p>
<p>UCLAri: "Please, just learn English. We'll all be better off."
(I'm not sure if this is serious. But there are a lot of people who really think this.)</p>
<p>
[quote]
UCLAri: "Please, just learn English. We'll all be better off."
(I'm not sure if this is serious. But there are a lot of people who really think this.)
[/quote]
thats because no one knows him like I do :)
He knows English and Japanese. Very talented Japanese speaker</p>
<p>idamayer,</p>
<p>Turn on your humor centers. It was pretty obvious that the letter was tongue-in-cheek.</p>
<p>
[quote]
thats because no one knows him like I do
He knows English and Japanese. Very talented Japanese speaker
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Creepiness...stalker? :p</p>
<p>I wouldn't say I'm talented, but I can manage.</p>
<p>hahha lol.....we just connect like that....its called brotherhoold love or just a friendship ;) :) lol</p>
<p>english is the most powerful language because the UK colonized the world, forcing it's satellite colonies to teach english in schools.
additionally, the rise of the united states as the supreme economic power in the 19th century made the english language an imperative for all those dealing with international trade and travel.</p>
<p>similarly, if china get's its way and becomes a serious economic and political power, things may go in the favor of the chinese language.</p>
<p>Everyone keeps overlooking the fact that English is much easier to get a basic education in than Chinese.</p>
<p>English is a better candidate for lingua franca because it's easier to learn. Not because it's a better language (although as an international language, its willingness to integrate new words with a fast pace is useful). Chinese has a hard time taking in new words due to its ideographic nature.</p>
<p>Funny, the same was said about Japan in the 80's, how they would "dominate" the economy...did they? lol. Same for China, communism does not work.</p>
<p>Gumball,</p>
<p>Who's said that China is communist in the last decade? They're autocratic and in many ways dictatorial, but they're not communist.</p>
<p>"officially"?</p>
<p>Although, it is interesting how the Chinese economy is suffering from a lot of the same problems that burst the Japanese bubble in the late 80s/early 90s. </p>
<p>I'm eager to see how Beijing plans on dealing with all the non-performing loans, if at all.</p>
<p>China is a lot of things "officially." But then again, North Korea is the "Democratic People's Republic of Korea." Last time I checked, Kim Jong Il wasn't an elected official.</p>
<p>De jure and de facto are oftentimes quite different.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Funny, the same was said about Japan in the 80's, how they would "dominate" the economy...did they? lol. Same for China, communism does not work.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>and it has, to a lesser extent. at least here in washington, i know tons of non-japanese people who have learned japanese in order to deal with japanese businesses, schools, and investments abroad. Many students learn japanese to achieve the same end, and hope to work in international relations/business.</p>
<p>im guessing that this chinese thing may be similar, probably affecting only the west coast.</p>
<p>Hm,, I'm from Seattle as well. However, my school does not offer Japanese, and I only know of 1 Japanese person..and I know a lot of people.</p>
<p>By the way, where exactly are you from? Seattle? Or a nearby city?</p>
<p>Japan is by a significant margin the second largest economy in the world.</p>
<p>But the gap betwen #2 and #1 is significant.</p>
<p>However, the fact remains that most international Japanese business is conducted in English. My Japanese skills, were I to even work in business, would probably not do me a whole lot of good.</p>