<p>your not educated if you dont speak two languages?? that is sooooo BS... languages dont cure diseases or genitically engineer new plants, they dont build houses or space stations and plus, in business situations most ppl speak english and 99.9% of international business contracts are written in english...</p>
<p>heartonsleeve,</p>
<p>I disagree quite a bit. I know plenty of very well educated people who only speak one language.</p>
<p>I agree with HeartOnSleeve.</p>
<p>How can you guys even begin to say that, when many of the luminaries of the 20th and 19th centuries were far from bilingual?</p>
<p>its impossible to be a "good speaker" by just learning in school anyway.</p>
<p>My opinion: It's fun/nice of you/culturally aware to learn new languages, but they aren't really necessary because everyone learns English. I guess that probably 90% of Americans live happy, successful lives without ever having a real need to speak a second language. People who say you "need" Spanish to live in Southern California are exaggerating. </p>
<p>I think that everyone who lives in the United States/wants to live here should speak English, or at least try their best to. I hate when arrogant immigrants come here and act like we have to speak Spanish to cater to their needs, and refuse to try and learn English. If you're not even going to respect us enough to try and learn English, then go somewhere else. America isn't perfect, but this isn't Mexico so stop acting like it is. </p>
<p>In my opinion, the same mentality applies to if you move to a foreign country. You need to learn the language of that country and try to understand their culture, or at least try your best to. It's really arrogant to just expect people to speak English to you.</p>
<p>Unless of course said foreign country is Canada, Australia, GB, Ireland, or South Africa.</p>
<p>Then it's only arrogant to expect them to speak English properly like an American. ;)</p>
<p>Haha. Well, South Africa has its own native languages too, but most people there do learn English in schools. However, there are many areas in that country that are poor and the people living there (mostly black) do not speak English, so I still think the same thing about learning their language applies if you plan on visiting/working in those areas.</p>
<p>What does an American accent sound like to British people?</p>
<p>bouncechrissy,</p>
<p>Sigh...I forget that a sense of humor is not allowed on CC. </p>
<p>
[quote]
What does an American accent sound like to British people?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Nasal.</p>
<p>UCLAri: That's absolutely correct! No humor is allowed here whatsover! </p>
<p>This is a serious debate. ;></p>
<p>
W1cked, that's bull$hit, the official language of the United States is not English. Look it up. And next to English, I'd say Spanish is more dominant in the world market.</p>
<p>If we want to get really technical then, you should learn Gaelic and Welsh in GB, too.</p>
<p>
[quote]
W1cked, that's bull$hit, the official language of the United States is not English. Look it up. And next to English, I'd say Spanish is more dominant in the world market.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>English is not the official language of the United States, that is true. However, it is the lingua franca of the United States. Perhaps not legally, but since all legislation is done in English, and a CLEAR majority of Americans speak English, it's safe to say that English is the language.</p>
<p>No, Spanish is not the dominant language on the world market. Where on earth did you get that?</p>
<p>
[quote]
CLEAR majority of Americans speak English, it's safe to say that English is the language.
[/quote]
It's the "majority", but not "official", thereby, us Americans, shouldn't feel like it's everyone's job to learn "English". I remember attending elementary school in California, and everyone, including the teachers, spoke Spanish. They even taught their curriculum in Spanish. It was crazy.</p>
<p>Where in California was this?</p>
<p>And yes, it is everyone's job to learn English. By the way, why put it in quotes? Are you suggesting that it's not actually English, but "English?" How odd.</p>
<p>English is clearly the language of the nation, and clearly the language needed to enter into society-at-large. It should be the language taught in schools. It should be the language of legislation.</p>
<p>It's like moving to Japan, and arguing that since it's not the de jure language, that you have no reason to learn it. How absurd.</p>
<p>"English is clearly the language of the nation, and clearly the language needed to enter into society-at-large."</p>
<p>While I'm not denying the benefit of bilingual education .... there is a reason why we are called The United States of America and not "Los Estados Unidos." :P</p>
<p>Get a life you people.</p>
<p>YAY! I'm considered educated because I speak 2 languages fluently! Yeah, I know people who can speak 2 languages, and lemme tell ya! They aren't the brightest lightbulbs in the pack...</p>
<p>^
Even though I believe that the person who said that is a complete idiot, she (it must be a she as no guy would ever say something like that) never said that learning two languages makes you educated. She just said that no education is complete without knowning a foreign language.</p>