This never really bothered me until after I had learned German and was over in CH and Deutschland. The year was 1984 and it always made me a bit ashamed that we usually don`t even use a damn phrase book when going abroad. Since almost every place has english speaking that will wait on the tourists,I guess there is no need ,right? Both the Americans and the Germans would look at me a bit oddly when I ordered,etc. in german .The Germans were usually tickled at hearing an Ami who had taken the time to learn another`s tongue. I think a little effort at mastering at least some very basic phrases,changes the whole tone of a situation.
Our horrible public school system does`nt teach foreign languages ,at least not on a mandatory and consistant basis. Sad,because learning another`s language teaches you about your own and also gives one a depth of education that is sorely lacking in our youth.
I used to just cringe hearing the loud ignorant tourists doing the touristy things. Totally oblivious,as usual. You will get so much further by honestly trying and maybe mispronouncing something than just speaking louder in english. Sorry for the rant everybody,but interacting with all the foreign english speakers/learners...makes me long for the olden days when learning different languages was the order of the day. *Grrrr*
It would be nice if more Americans would make more of an effort. Personally, I don't travel overseas, so it's never been an issue, but I think if you do travel to a foriegn country, you should at least learn SOME of the language.
So taking a foreign language in public schools is no longer a requirement in the US? In my day it was, although we didn't start early enough. We didn't get to take a foreign language until the 9th grade (average age = 14), which is really too late.
My foreign language experience was bad, even by public school standards. I didn't start until 9th grade, and I was supposed to take 6 weeks of German, 6 weeks of Spanish, and 6 weeks of French. The German went reasonably well, but then I transfered schools after 8 weeks. So I had 2 weeks of Spanish and was thrown in with students who had 8 weeks. That experience turned me off of languages for years.
CM, when were you in school? Back in 1964, when I started my foreign language experience, we had one language for the full year. I think (but I'm not sure) that 2 years of one language was required. Unfortunately, most teachers taught mainly from grammar books, and unless you lucked out and got an unusual teacher, you didn't learn to speak much of the language at all.
As for my foreign language experience in school, I filled up almost all my elective slots with languages because (1) I found them very interesting and (2) I knew I would get an "A" in the class, and I really needed that guaranteed "A" to maintain a somewhat acceptable grade average. I took French and Italian in high school, and would have added Russian, except that my mother insisted that I stay in the school orchestra ('cello).
I don't think it as only an 'American problem' but as a typical problem of English speaking countries. I was brought up with the stupid idea that 'why should I learn another language when the whole world is learning my language?'
Don't blame it on the public school system blame it on the People who created the system.
Jack,all I would like is for the system to improve and be accountable for its actions,budgets,etc. Easier said than done and I mean no ill will to the wonderful educators that are overworked and underpayed.
When I was growing up it was`nt until 9th grade that you could take another language(I believe it was mandatory). I took spanish and flunked horribly.
Later in Community College I took a chance on german and found I had a flair for it. The professor was fantastic too,which is half of the battle.
I`d like to see us maybe emulate some of the more successful public school systems from other lands. More than one way to skin a cat.
I graduated high school back in 1999 and it was mandatory to take a certain number of semesters of a foreign language. One could choose from German, Spanish, French, Latin, and Italian.
I agree that I'd like to see more of my fellow Americans take an interest in learning foreign languages, as well as improve how they're taught in our schools. I believe the tide is turning a bit in that Spanish is being taught to children at a fairly early age in many American elementary schools.
I would say, however, that when one studies a foreign language in college, it's an entirely different ballgame. I think foreign languages are taught pretty well in American universities. When you have to read literature (much of which can be fairly old and flowery) and write 10 page papers on it in the particular language you're studying, you end up learning that language pretty quick.
<=CM, when were you in school? Back in 1964, when I started my foreign language experience, we had one language for the full year. I think (but I'm not sure) that 2 years of one language was required. Unfortunately, most teachers taught mainly from grammar books, and unless you lucked out and got an unusual teacher, you didn't learn to speak much of the language at all. =>
My 9th grade year was in 1975. Only one year was required for me, and how they did that year varied from school to school, which could cause problems if you tranfer schools. The sad thing is, I kind of liked German class, even though I didn't learn much, and I probably would have liked Spanish class if I hadn't suddenly been behind everyone else.
<< When you have to read literature (much of which can be fairly old and flowery) and write 10 page papers on it in the particular language you're studying, you end up learning that language pretty quick. >>
The only time I didn't get an "A" in a language course was the one semester in high school when my teacher had us write essays all semester. Now, if someone else had written the essay and all I'd had to do was translate it, I wouldn't have had a problem. However, I've never been able to write well even in my native language, so I was sunk. At least we also had to recite poetry, and that kept me from failing.
I live in a French city which isn't very touristy. However, a lot of foreigners come to study here every year as a wide range of agreements exist between universities in Grenoble and all over the world.
The overwhelming majority of foreign students are not European.
They are either American or Chinese.
I don't know the proportion of American who study abroad, but I can assert that those who do are as willing to integrate and learn the language as any other foreigners.
Americans don't have to learn other languages because everyone is rushing to learn theirs. Most people won't learn foreign languages without a good reason for doing so, and Americans are no exception to this rule. There isn't really a good reason to learn a language other than English for Americans (especially since 95% of them never go outside the U.S.), so they don't.
I notice that there are two types of American students abroad in Europe. One type is a serious student and usually studies at public institutions or very reputable private universities; the other type is a slacker who studies at private schools that have a reputation for being party spots for American kids abroad (I won't name names). Those in the former category tend to be older and a lot smarter; those in the latter category tend to be more affluent (or at least their _parents_ are more affluent), and give a bad name to Americans everywhere.
I neglected to mention that good American students in Paris (those going to public universities and schools) tend to be fluent in French (they have to be, or they can't get through school). The slackers typically can barely say anything in French at all, and the posh schools they favor are usually all English-speaking; the only reason they come to school in Paris is to goof off in Paris.
Wow! Only one year generally required and starting from the 9th grade!!!
I just can’t believe it! Wow! Here in Europe in most countries you have to study at least two foreign languages for 4 years …In some countries even 4-6 YEARS!!!
Wow, You need a revolution out there to reconstruct the entire educational system…It’s a shame for our kids not to take advantage of a good education…
<<I don't know the proportion of American who study abroad, but I can assert that those who do are as willing to integrate and learn the language as any other foreigners.>>
A good observation, Yann le Grenoblois, for all the supposed American lack of interest in foreign cultures, more and more Americans every year are studying abroad and trying to integrate and "live" other cultures. I'm a college student (and studied abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina last year) and I'd say more than 1/3, almost 1/2 of my friends have had some study-abroad experience. Mxsmanic may think they're doing it only to have fun goof-off time or that it's just the domain of rich kids going to shop and party (most of us went into debt just to pay tuition and program fees--much less go on major partying and shopping sprees), but in my experience in Argentina almost everyone was genuinely interested in integrating and learning about the culture surrounding them.
