This discussion is now closed.
Check out other Related discussions
Why are the British so appalingly bad at foreign languages?
Scroll to see replies
Children in the UK aren't - or weren't, I don't know what the case is so much these days - given access to a second language nearly early enough. I was eleven when I picked up German, but without pretty much constant practice (we had a couple of hour long sessions a week), I can now just about ask if it's okay for me to 'take off my blazer'.
I picked German up again on a university wide language course and have forgotten a vast majority of that too! However, what they taught was a lot more interesting than anything covered in school: 'can I use the toilet? / take my blazer off? / I have a pet dog' etc. We actually covered grammar, cases and the like. My experience of a second language at school, by comparison, was that it didn't do a great deal to engage students in their acquisition.
I have a friend whose sister is just starting secondary education and they have to start their chosen foreign language course at fourteen and take the GCSE in it; again, I think that's far too late. I am all for children being taught a second language from primary school, personally; I'd certainly have liked to have had that door open for me, anyhoo.
I picked German up again on a university wide language course and have forgotten a vast majority of that too! However, what they taught was a lot more interesting than anything covered in school: 'can I use the toilet? / take my blazer off? / I have a pet dog' etc. We actually covered grammar, cases and the like. My experience of a second language at school, by comparison, was that it didn't do a great deal to engage students in their acquisition.
I have a friend whose sister is just starting secondary education and they have to start their chosen foreign language course at fourteen and take the GCSE in it; again, I think that's far too late. I am all for children being taught a second language from primary school, personally; I'd certainly have liked to have had that door open for me, anyhoo.
Original post by Mister.T
Because England dominated the world for centuries and English is the language of trade. It's the language that unites India. It's learned as a first or second language by every other Commonwealth country. It's learned as a second language by every other EU country. And it's the language of popular culture because of British and American music and Hollywood films. The simple fact is we don't need to learn other people's languages.
If you can speak the language of the country you're going to on holiday, you tend to get a better deal, because you can tell what the shop keepers are conferring about and if they say that's dodgy; instead of talking in say Spanish, continue to act dumb and find something else that they don't find a fault with and then haggle the price down in Spanish
You also don't really even get taught properly at all during highschool, you don't pronounce the words right or have the right tone- like I did German in HighSchool but I would basically say the German phrases IN an English accent, and the teachers don't really do anything about that.
You only really get a more intense language knowledge if you pursue it at either college or uni, and by that time probably more than half don't want to because of HighSchool and what you learnt then. However, I'm going to be doing Korean at University (hopefully) so, I guess it just maybe depends.
You only really get a more intense language knowledge if you pursue it at either college or uni, and by that time probably more than half don't want to because of HighSchool and what you learnt then. However, I'm going to be doing Korean at University (hopefully) so, I guess it just maybe depends.
Original post by Pavlina
So, once you've figured that one out, English is really just child's play. The other way around though would probably be torture.
It depends on how linguistic your mind is ie: I learnt Arabic a few years back (Forgot most of it now, due to not using it) and it was not that hard to pick up the syntax, grammar etc... (Arabic being one of the hardest languages in the world)
Original post by super_dooper
When it comes to foreign languages, the British are an absolute embarrassment. Not many British people can speak another language fluently.
Most people from Europe, Asia, etc can speak 2, 3, 4 or more languages fluently. We Brits are lazy bastards and appallingly bad at foreign languages. You hardly ever meet a British person who can speak anything other than English fluently (and to be honest, a lot of Brits can't even speak English fluently these days....)
So why is this? Britain is a very multi-cultural place these days, so I'd have thought it would be a no-brainer to be able to speak a few languages.
Also, why is it when Brits go abroad, they expect everyone there to speak English? You wouldn't like it if foreigners came here and expected you to speak their language....so why should people abroad be expected to speak English? It's also funny how when Brits move abroad, they STILL don't learn the language of the country they've moved to, despite having lived there for years!
Don't say 'everyone speaks English'. No they don't. English isn't as 'universal' as you make it out to be.
It's mainly down to schools teaching foreign languages in such a way that is boring for people, but it's also the British bad attitude that 'everyone speaks English' when they don't.
I think everyone should make the effort to speak at least one foreign language fluently. Me? I've learned a number of foreign languages....so why don't you? It's fun, good for your brain, and opens up more doors in life for you.
Most people from Europe, Asia, etc can speak 2, 3, 4 or more languages fluently. We Brits are lazy bastards and appallingly bad at foreign languages. You hardly ever meet a British person who can speak anything other than English fluently (and to be honest, a lot of Brits can't even speak English fluently these days....)
So why is this? Britain is a very multi-cultural place these days, so I'd have thought it would be a no-brainer to be able to speak a few languages.
Also, why is it when Brits go abroad, they expect everyone there to speak English? You wouldn't like it if foreigners came here and expected you to speak their language....so why should people abroad be expected to speak English? It's also funny how when Brits move abroad, they STILL don't learn the language of the country they've moved to, despite having lived there for years!
Don't say 'everyone speaks English'. No they don't. English isn't as 'universal' as you make it out to be.
It's mainly down to schools teaching foreign languages in such a way that is boring for people, but it's also the British bad attitude that 'everyone speaks English' when they don't.
I think everyone should make the effort to speak at least one foreign language fluently. Me? I've learned a number of foreign languages....so why don't you? It's fun, good for your brain, and opens up more doors in life for you.
All English speakers speak English fluently. That jibe was illfounded.
As for the rest, there's the idea that as English is the official international language, every foreigner should speak it, even if they don't, which takes the pressure off English speakers to learn another language. It makes us lazy. Moreover, it leads to an idea that we should only learn languages that are financially viable as opposed to languages we might want to learn because we love them or their cultures. Don't forget, it's no longer a legal requirement for us to study a foreign language up to GCSE.
Moreover, it's harder for us to study foreign languages, because we are not bombarded by foreign television, unlike every other country where English-speaking TV, mostly American, is prevalent. For smaller languages, it's even harder. Where foreigners start hearing and even speaking English relatively young because of foreign media, we generally don't have such an opportunity, even when studying it at school.
That said, there are still plenty of Brits who learn foreign languages up to university level as there is always a need for translators and interpreters.
Speak for yourself. I speak Japanese proficiently, have a sizeable grasp of the French language, a worthy handle on Latin, and am acquainted somewhat well with Italian, Greek and German.
I can also say 'I love you' in more languages than I care to mention.
Come the **** at me.
I can also say 'I love you' in more languages than I care to mention.
Come the **** at me.
Britain isn't even multicultural - what a lie. You have large concentrations of immigrants in certain cities, in which natives don't feel comfortable living. Multicultural environments shouldn't be like that at all.
Original post by philistine
Speak for yourself. I speak Japanese proficiently, have a sizeable grasp of the French language, a worthy handle on Latin, and am acquainted somewhat well with Italian, Greek and German.
I can also say 'I love you' in more languages than I care to mention.
Come the **** at me.
I can also say 'I love you' in more languages than I care to mention.
Come the **** at me.
Okay, well done. Medal?
Original post by Mr Inquisitive
Yes, so lazy =/= appallingly lazy still stands - there's a correlation, but no absolute cause. :')
My friend's one of the most lazy people I know (particularly with language learning), but he can speak three languages fluently.
My friend's one of the most lazy people I know (particularly with language learning), but he can speak three languages fluently.
So what do you think causes someone to be appallingly bad at a language then?
Original post by super_dooper
When it comes to foreign languages, the British are an absolute embarrassment. Not many British people can speak another language fluently.
Most people from Europe, Asia, etc can speak 2, 3, 4 or more languages fluently. We Brits are lazy bastards and appallingly bad at foreign languages. You hardly ever meet a British person who can speak anything other than English fluently (and to be honest, a lot of Brits can't even speak English fluently these days....)
So why is this? Britain is a very multi-cultural place these days, so I'd have thought it would be a no-brainer to be able to speak a few languages.
Also, why is it when Brits go abroad, they expect everyone there to speak English? You wouldn't like it if foreigners came here and expected you to speak their language....so why should people abroad be expected to speak English? It's also funny how when Brits move abroad, they STILL don't learn the language of the country they've moved to, despite having lived there for years!
Don't say 'everyone speaks English'. No they don't. English isn't as 'universal' as you make it out to be.
It's mainly down to schools teaching foreign languages in such a way that is boring for people, but it's also the British bad attitude that 'everyone speaks English' when they don't.
I think everyone should make the effort to speak at least one foreign language fluently. Me? I've learned a number of foreign languages....so why don't you? It's fun, good for your brain, and opens up more doors in life for you.
Most people from Europe, Asia, etc can speak 2, 3, 4 or more languages fluently. We Brits are lazy bastards and appallingly bad at foreign languages. You hardly ever meet a British person who can speak anything other than English fluently (and to be honest, a lot of Brits can't even speak English fluently these days....)
So why is this? Britain is a very multi-cultural place these days, so I'd have thought it would be a no-brainer to be able to speak a few languages.
Also, why is it when Brits go abroad, they expect everyone there to speak English? You wouldn't like it if foreigners came here and expected you to speak their language....so why should people abroad be expected to speak English? It's also funny how when Brits move abroad, they STILL don't learn the language of the country they've moved to, despite having lived there for years!
Don't say 'everyone speaks English'. No they don't. English isn't as 'universal' as you make it out to be.
It's mainly down to schools teaching foreign languages in such a way that is boring for people, but it's also the British bad attitude that 'everyone speaks English' when they don't.
I think everyone should make the effort to speak at least one foreign language fluently. Me? I've learned a number of foreign languages....so why don't you? It's fun, good for your brain, and opens up more doors in life for you.
I speak three Languages fluently and I'm currently learning two more.
Though I do agree, there seem to be so many people who don't even consider the usefulness of a secondary language.
My Dad influenced my descision. He's fluent in 10 languages; but as Head of Security at Rotterdam, he needs that skill. My Mother also speaks two languages, as do my Grandparents on both sides.
I don't think it should be compulsory, but I do think more people should be encouraged to learn a language.
Original post by Infallible
Britain isn't even multicultural - what a lie. You have large concentrations of immigrants in certain cities, in which natives don't feel comfortable living. Multicultural environments shouldn't be like that at all.
Britain is multicultural, even without the influence of migrants.
I speak German semi-fluently, certainly enough to live fairly easily in Germany. I've forgotten most of the French I learned at school though.
The whole point of multiculturalism is that it's somehow acceptable for this to be the case, immigrants can form communities and don't need to integrate. That's how it came about, thousands of immigrants coming over in the 50s and 60s, politicans were saying "you must all integrate, you must all integrate". When it was obvious they weren't going to it became "you don't need to integrate, Britain is multicultural, have lots of money".
Original post by Infallible
Britain isn't even multicultural - what a lie. You have large concentrations of immigrants in certain cities, in which natives don't feel comfortable living. Multicultural environments shouldn't be like that at all.
The whole point of multiculturalism is that it's somehow acceptable for this to be the case, immigrants can form communities and don't need to integrate. That's how it came about, thousands of immigrants coming over in the 50s and 60s, politicans were saying "you must all integrate, you must all integrate". When it was obvious they weren't going to it became "you don't need to integrate, Britain is multicultural, have lots of money".
I'd say it's a combination of us not wanting to, and foreign languages being taught too late (i.e. in secondary school).
I think we'd be better at it if we were taught from an early age in primary school, and then as part of the national curriculum carried on with whatever language(s) we learnt in Primary in Secondary school... Although I don't think there should be proper exams in it at the end...maybe just periodic speaking assessments/meetings one to one with teachers where they can see how it's going.
This too, if you don't study it after school then you do forget it because you never use it. It's certainly what happened in my case!
I think we'd be better at it if we were taught from an early age in primary school, and then as part of the national curriculum carried on with whatever language(s) we learnt in Primary in Secondary school... Although I don't think there should be proper exams in it at the end...maybe just periodic speaking assessments/meetings one to one with teachers where they can see how it's going.
I've forgotten most of the French I learned at school though.
This too, if you don't study it after school then you do forget it because you never use it. It's certainly what happened in my case!
(edited 12 years ago)
Because English is more or less the international language so we don't really need to speak another one.
we are not taught them as much from school unlike nations abroad its terrible really. We should we taught a foreign language from primary 1 in my opinion.
Original post by maturestudy
English is a first world language. Spanish is a 2nd/3rd world language at best and Mandarin is spoken by people living in a communist dictatorship.
It's a simple matter of economics. We tend to export services to the first world and import goods from the 2nd/3rd world. The buyer generally gets to dictate terms, so if you want us to buy your goods you have to speak English or we go elsewhere.
Trade in China is regulated by the government - who speak English when it suits them. Most of the population of China, although they don't speak English, are not allowed any contact with the outside world so it really doesn't matter.
It's a simple matter of economics. We tend to export services to the first world and import goods from the 2nd/3rd world. The buyer generally gets to dictate terms, so if you want us to buy your goods you have to speak English or we go elsewhere.
Trade in China is regulated by the government - who speak English when it suits them. Most of the population of China, although they don't speak English, are not allowed any contact with the outside world so it really doesn't matter.
This isn't the 1950's...
How exactly do you think China has become the world's second biggest economy? Probably because economic reform started in 1978. The state sector comprises less than 40% of China's economy. That's actually less than the UK, our state sector comprises over 50% of the economy.
China may not be democratic, per se, but it is very much capitalist on the whole. The notion that Chinese people have no contact with the outside world is ludicrous. There is a large amount of censorship of internet and state media, though many Chinese actually circumvent the so called Great Firewall of China. The point is that although Chinese people may not be politcally free, they are certainly more economically free than ever before. China represents a huge market for business, both now and in the future; in the long run it is going to become the largest economy in the world with two thirds of the worlds middle class. Mandarin may never have the global domination English has achieved but as political and economic ties with China become ever more important there is going to be a rise in demand for Mandarin speakers from governments and businesses around the world.
the British are bad at it because the american are bad at other languages and since we have a special relationship with our alantic brothers in which we are very much in the perfect picnic. we follow their example.
(edited 12 years ago)
Are we terrible though? I've noticed that those of wealthier backgrounds have a slew of languages and their command, so maybe it's a class thing? I noticed that when I got to uni I was one of the few in my social group who didn't do a lot of languages at school.
Languages are important, especially given the importance some employers will place on them. I know more than one law firm representative at the fair this year basically told me something along those lines.
Languages are important, especially given the importance some employers will place on them. I know more than one law firm representative at the fair this year basically told me something along those lines.
This post is stupid and offensive to us Brits that DO speak more than one language. I know that there are several British people that don't know any other languages which is typically because they have no interest in learning another language and do not need to. In this day and age, I know that most people my age (21) are only interested in doing things to further their career and job prospects so if they don't see learning a language as being beneficial, it has no appeal. I myself enjoy learning languages, am almost fluent in French with a basic knowledge of Spanish and German. Also learning Russian and Japanese in between semesters at uni. I really do take offence to your post as this is a very unfair generalisation. As it has been posted what about all the foreigners that come to Britain and can't/won't speak English? People at my uni and work have learned the basics of a language to help out fellow students/co-workers who do not have a sufficient grasp of English. Do you really think that every single person outside the UK speaks at least 3 languages and is keen to learn more?? English is a dominating language thanks to trade, television, film and music. This is how the majority of people learn English. It is hardly the Brits fault that English is a popular language.
(edited 12 years ago)
Latest
Trending
Last reply 3 days ago
Why is the political left now censorious and authoritarian??Last reply 3 days ago
Is it true that British unis are prejudiced towards degrees from Scottish unis?Last reply 3 days ago
If the Russell Group was now a fair representation of what it still claims to beLast reply 2 weeks ago
TSR Goes Green: How important will the environment be in this year's election?Last reply 2 weeks ago
Research Rankings of universities if you add Research Quality & Intensity percentagesLast reply 1 month ago
Is University of Birmingham prestigious and respected well enough in UK ?Trending
Last reply 3 days ago
Why is the political left now censorious and authoritarian??Last reply 3 days ago
Is it true that British unis are prejudiced towards degrees from Scottish unis?Last reply 3 days ago
If the Russell Group was now a fair representation of what it still claims to beLast reply 2 weeks ago
TSR Goes Green: How important will the environment be in this year's election?Last reply 2 weeks ago
Research Rankings of universities if you add Research Quality & Intensity percentagesLast reply 1 month ago
Is University of Birmingham prestigious and respected well enough in UK ?
