In Europe at least three.
Do you think how many languages can a person require?
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In my opinion, we should know 3 languages: our native tongue, another language very well and the third one with a medium level.
The problem is that there are 8-10 languages considered World languages: English, French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic and Chinese (UNO languages). You can add German, Portuguese, Hindi, etc
Besides, there are important regional languages, like Japanese in Asia or Italian in Europe.
So, if you know only 3 languages, it is not too much.
The problem is that there are 8-10 languages considered World languages: English, French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic and Chinese (UNO languages). You can add German, Portuguese, Hindi, etc
Besides, there are important regional languages, like Japanese in Asia or Italian in Europe.
So, if you know only 3 languages, it is not too much.
In Czech Republic you need 2
Czech
English
You'll probably know a 3rd
Slovak (very similar when spoken, and many study at Czech Universities)
It certainly helps to know
German
It is popular to study in a very half-assed manner
Spanish
many Czechs are trilingual or quatralingual to some degree. Still I would say only 2 are needed.
Czech
English
You'll probably know a 3rd
Slovak (very similar when spoken, and many study at Czech Universities)
It certainly helps to know
German
It is popular to study in a very half-assed manner
Spanish
many Czechs are trilingual or quatralingual to some degree. Still I would say only 2 are needed.
I might add, I speak 3 fluently (English, Czech, Slovak) and 3 additional to reasonable ability (Polish, French, Spanish). I've tried German briefly, and for most Czechs it is much easier than English, but not me. I prefer English, and also the Romance languages without declensions.
If you know written and spoken English, written Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, etc are the same when are written) and written Spanish (you understand Portuguese too), you can understand over 60% of all Internet users. You can also communicate by e-mail or fax with all the World.
http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats7.htm
http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats7.htm
Hmmm...I'm not sure what the OP really wants to know here. Most English speakers can probably get away with speaking their native language, but life will be more interesting if you learn at least one other language.
People from places like India and Ghana may speak four languages as a necessity. Charles Berlitz spoke eight languages before he was an adult
according to Wikipedia. Berlitz said that the family help/servants spoke to him in different languages in one of his books.
I suspect that some polyglots are very good in three languages and trail off after that, but I don't agree with the idea of a limited memory. People don't use their minds enough (and I include myself); even a little regular effort pays dividends.
People from places like India and Ghana may speak four languages as a necessity. Charles Berlitz spoke eight languages before he was an adult
according to Wikipedia. Berlitz said that the family help/servants spoke to him in different languages in one of his books.
I suspect that some polyglots are very good in three languages and trail off after that, but I don't agree with the idea of a limited memory. People don't use their minds enough (and I include myself); even a little regular effort pays dividends.
>>Most English speakers can probably get away with speaking their native language, but life will be more interesting if you learn at least one other language.
At my university, this is true too. As I wrote earlier, one of the lecturers (who taught sth about English, such as morphology... I won't say who) got settled in Hong Kong shortly after the signing of the Joint Declaration, and s/he said s/he saw a lot of Chinese applying for emigration (to Australia, NZ, UK, and so on), fearing future Chinese occupation. I don't know what exactly s/he did in recent years, but s/he's kind of switching between his/her work in both HK and another Anglophone country after each semester.
Guess what? This person was in Hong Kong before I was born, and has probably lived for 20+ years (7 consecutive years are required for permanent residence, and s/he has the identity card that I have), and still found (at the time of speaking, early this year) Cantonese a darn hard language to speak. His/her background is: his/her family is Anglophone, without any Chinese sons or daughters-in-law, and that's that.
If you rants about it like on a soapbox, you might complain why that is so - but I, and perhaps me only, would say that's quite natural for him/her not to learn my language. Like some Americans say: that's his/her lifestyle, a part of which being: to be isolated as soon as s/he leaves the university, and s/he can't even order a bowl of noodles a few streets down the university; nothing is wrong.
(suppose this person is imaginary, and I'm not assigning a specific gender)
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Though, I pity those who struggle with English in my territory...and upon admission they might find this sort of lifestyle somewhat pathetic.
I must say: this is as pathetic as Chinese who stay with other Chinese and refuse to improve (if at all) their English in another Anglophone country.
At my university, this is true too. As I wrote earlier, one of the lecturers (who taught sth about English, such as morphology... I won't say who) got settled in Hong Kong shortly after the signing of the Joint Declaration, and s/he said s/he saw a lot of Chinese applying for emigration (to Australia, NZ, UK, and so on), fearing future Chinese occupation. I don't know what exactly s/he did in recent years, but s/he's kind of switching between his/her work in both HK and another Anglophone country after each semester.
Guess what? This person was in Hong Kong before I was born, and has probably lived for 20+ years (7 consecutive years are required for permanent residence, and s/he has the identity card that I have), and still found (at the time of speaking, early this year) Cantonese a darn hard language to speak. His/her background is: his/her family is Anglophone, without any Chinese sons or daughters-in-law, and that's that.
If you rants about it like on a soapbox, you might complain why that is so - but I, and perhaps me only, would say that's quite natural for him/her not to learn my language. Like some Americans say: that's his/her lifestyle, a part of which being: to be isolated as soon as s/he leaves the university, and s/he can't even order a bowl of noodles a few streets down the university; nothing is wrong.
(suppose this person is imaginary, and I'm not assigning a specific gender)
==
Though, I pity those who struggle with English in my territory...and upon admission they might find this sort of lifestyle somewhat pathetic.
I must say: this is as pathetic as Chinese who stay with other Chinese and refuse to improve (if at all) their English in another Anglophone country.
>>this sort of lifestyle somewhat pathetic.
For the same reason, I didn't particularly feel well with my lang. teacher (married to a local guy, and has children) who... well, owing to purely personal taste, say: oh well, Chinese cakes/bread taste weird. I think cheese cakes of the Peninsula Hotel are much better. Those are real German (or western) stuff.
Peninsula, you say? Then I know, obviously, when my teacher claims not to understand a single word of my language, even with a native husband (and i take this literally, since it should be true; there's no point of deceiving me, i guess)... and yeah, we're in entirely different cultural worlds, even tho we're living in the same place.
And just like how she complained about the local cakes/bread (being too soft and sweet for the expat), I, too, see no point of learning anything beyond English unless u have some special interest - and that should be really special, I'm afraid.
About the topic: And I think any number would do. Any lang. would be good for one life tho, yeah, probably not enough to be a lot of fun.
For the same reason, I didn't particularly feel well with my lang. teacher (married to a local guy, and has children) who... well, owing to purely personal taste, say: oh well, Chinese cakes/bread taste weird. I think cheese cakes of the Peninsula Hotel are much better. Those are real German (or western) stuff.
Peninsula, you say? Then I know, obviously, when my teacher claims not to understand a single word of my language, even with a native husband (and i take this literally, since it should be true; there's no point of deceiving me, i guess)... and yeah, we're in entirely different cultural worlds, even tho we're living in the same place.
And just like how she complained about the local cakes/bread (being too soft and sweet for the expat), I, too, see no point of learning anything beyond English unless u have some special interest - and that should be really special, I'm afraid.
About the topic: And I think any number would do. Any lang. would be good for one life tho, yeah, probably not enough to be a lot of fun.
In my opinion,i would say ,it depends upon the country in which your brought up,in a country like India,where each state has its own language and culture,its difficult to communicate,even,with your own country men!!A lay man in India,would easily ,know minimum of 2 languages......btw...various circumstances ,like a marketing job for egs,forced my uncle to learn around 8 languages,other then his native language!!So it depends upon d person!!
According to a fairly recent study by the EU, 92% of people in Luxembourg can speak three languages and 69% of them can speak four languages. The spoken language in the country is Luxembourgish, and the signs and laws are in French, and they start teaching with German books in elementary school. You pretty much need all three languages, and of course, if you are communicating outside of Luxembourg or with foreigners, you're bound to need English, so 59% of Luxembourgers also know English.
I personally think everyone in American schools should be required to be able to speak a foreign language (meaning being able to have a REAL CONVERSATION). And along with that, they should frequently visit other countries (not just the ones that also speak their mother tongue).
If that happened, there would likely be less war and fewer ignoranamuses like W and his ilk - who go around hating people they won't and can't talk to.
I personally think everyone in American schools should be required to be able to speak a foreign language (meaning being able to have a REAL CONVERSATION). And along with that, they should frequently visit other countries (not just the ones that also speak their mother tongue).
If that happened, there would likely be less war and fewer ignoranamuses like W and his ilk - who go around hating people they won't and can't talk to.
Actually. I have no idea how many languages a man can acquire in his whole life, I think if a man master many languages, sometimes he will be confused to describe himself. If you want to learn, you can master at least 6 languages, I believe. However, is that really necessary? Maybe Chinese, English and French is enough.
By the way, http://www.hellomandarin is really a good site for Chinese learning.
By the way, http://www.hellomandarin is really a good site for Chinese learning.
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