OT – Bilingual Education

[Anonymous]

I speak Spanish, for instance and it is of no practical value here in the US (except for enterntainment purposes cause I love watching telenovelas at night).

Travelling to Mexico or other Spanish speaking countries extremely valuable. Traveling to Europe it provided no value outside of Spain (caveat: helps a little towards Italian/Portugues but not much help for French).

How do you prove your theory that it does add value?

[njtosd]

[quote=briansd1]
. . .
I believe that in America, people are English centric to their detriment. It’s like it’s a point of pride not to speak any foreign language (it should be shameful, in my opinion).

In Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, etc, people are all bilingual in their native tongues and English.[/quote]

I am very much in favor of learning one (or more) languages other than the one you grew up speaking. As a friend once said, I speak “enough French to be annoying” and I would like to learn more Spanish.
On the other hand, I think Americans get a bad rap when it comes to being English-centric. Most Americans have very little exposure to foreign languages (compared to Europeans, for example) during the course of the day. The Germans, Dutch, Belgians, etc. that you speak of are not bilingual entirely by choice – it makes economic sense. In other words, my guess is that it is more common for a European to speak English as a second language than, for example, Welsh. As the economists say, it’s all a matter of incentives.

[njtosd]

[quote=briansd1]
. . .
I believe that in America, people are English centric to their detriment. It’s like it’s a point of pride not to speak any foreign language (it should be shameful, in my opinion).

In Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, etc, people are all bilingual in their native tongues and English.[/quote]

I am very much in favor of learning one (or more) languages other than the one you grew up speaking. As a friend once said, I speak “enough French to be annoying” and I would like to learn more Spanish.
On the other hand, I think Americans get a bad rap when it comes to being English-centric. Most Americans have very little exposure to foreign languages (compared to Europeans, for example) during the course of the day. The Germans, Dutch, Belgians, etc. that you speak of are not bilingual entirely by choice – it makes economic sense. In other words, my guess is that it is more common for a European to speak English as a second language than, for example, Welsh. As the economists say, it’s all a matter of incentives.

[njtosd]

[quote=briansd1]
. . .
I believe that in America, people are English centric to their detriment. It’s like it’s a point of pride not to speak any foreign language (it should be shameful, in my opinion).

In Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, etc, people are all bilingual in their native tongues and English.[/quote]

I am very much in favor of learning one (or more) languages other than the one you grew up speaking. As a friend once said, I speak “enough French to be annoying” and I would like to learn more Spanish.
On the other hand, I think Americans get a bad rap when it comes to being English-centric. Most Americans have very little exposure to foreign languages (compared to Europeans, for example) during the course of the day. The Germans, Dutch, Belgians, etc. that you speak of are not bilingual entirely by choice – it makes economic sense. In other words, my guess is that it is more common for a European to speak English as a second language than, for example, Welsh. As the economists say, it’s all a matter of incentives.

[njtosd]

[quote=briansd1]
. . .
I believe that in America, people are English centric to their detriment. It’s like it’s a point of pride not to speak any foreign language (it should be shameful, in my opinion).

In Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, etc, people are all bilingual in their native tongues and English.[/quote]

I am very much in favor of learning one (or more) languages other than the one you grew up speaking. As a friend once said, I speak “enough French to be annoying” and I would like to learn more Spanish.
On the other hand, I think Americans get a bad rap when it comes to being English-centric. Most Americans have very little exposure to foreign languages (compared to Europeans, for example) during the course of the day. The Germans, Dutch, Belgians, etc. that you speak of are not bilingual entirely by choice – it makes economic sense. In other words, my guess is that it is more common for a European to speak English as a second language than, for example, Welsh. As the economists say, it’s all a matter of incentives.

[njtosd]

[quote=briansd1]
. . .
I believe that in America, people are English centric to their detriment. It’s like it’s a point of pride not to speak any foreign language (it should be shameful, in my opinion).

In Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, etc, people are all bilingual in their native tongues and English.[/quote]

I am very much in favor of learning one (or more) languages other than the one you grew up speaking. As a friend once said, I speak “enough French to be annoying” and I would like to learn more Spanish.
On the other hand, I think Americans get a bad rap when it comes to being English-centric. Most Americans have very little exposure to foreign languages (compared to Europeans, for example) during the course of the day. The Germans, Dutch, Belgians, etc. that you speak of are not bilingual entirely by choice – it makes economic sense. In other words, my guess is that it is more common for a European to speak English as a second language than, for example, Welsh. As the economists say, it’s all a matter of incentives.

[afx114]

[quote=deadzone]How do you prove your theory that it does add value?[/quote]

Go apply for a job at any store in Fashion Valley. Guarantee they’ll hire a bilingual over a strictly English speaker.

[afx114]

[quote=deadzone]How do you prove your theory that it does add value?[/quote]

Go apply for a job at any store in Fashion Valley. Guarantee they’ll hire a bilingual over a strictly English speaker.

[afx114]

[quote=deadzone]How do you prove your theory that it does add value?[/quote]

Go apply for a job at any store in Fashion Valley. Guarantee they’ll hire a bilingual over a strictly English speaker.

[afx114]

[quote=deadzone]How do you prove your theory that it does add value?[/quote]

Go apply for a job at any store in Fashion Valley. Guarantee they’ll hire a bilingual over a strictly English speaker.

[afx114]

[quote=deadzone]How do you prove your theory that it does add value?[/quote]

Go apply for a job at any store in Fashion Valley. Guarantee they’ll hire a bilingual over a strictly English speaker.

[NotCranky]

[quote=deadzone]I speak Spanish, for instance and it is of no practical value here in the US (except for enterntainment purposes cause I love watching telenovelas at night).

Travelling to Mexico or other Spanish speaking countries extremely valuable. Traveling to Europe it provided no value outside of Spain (caveat: helps a little towards Italian/Portugues but not much help for French).

How do you prove your theory that it does add value?[/quote]
Yo canto mariachi y me pagan bien cada espectaculo que doy. La verdad es que no tengo tiempe sufficiente para responder. Ojala que lo de mas te lo explique antes de que regrese de mis quehaceres.
Mientras tanto me puedes elaborar en el asunto de tus telenovelas favoritas. Mi predilecta fue “Betty la fea”, pero hoy en di me encuentro involucrado en cosas mas importantes…

[NotCranky]

[quote=deadzone]I speak Spanish, for instance and it is of no practical value here in the US (except for enterntainment purposes cause I love watching telenovelas at night).

Travelling to Mexico or other Spanish speaking countries extremely valuable. Traveling to Europe it provided no value outside of Spain (caveat: helps a little towards Italian/Portugues but not much help for French).

How do you prove your theory that it does add value?[/quote]
Yo canto mariachi y me pagan bien cada espectaculo que doy. La verdad es que no tengo tiempe sufficiente para responder. Ojala que lo de mas te lo explique antes de que regrese de mis quehaceres.
Mientras tanto me puedes elaborar en el asunto de tus telenovelas favoritas. Mi predilecta fue “Betty la fea”, pero hoy en di me encuentro involucrado en cosas mas importantes…

[NotCranky]

[quote=deadzone]I speak Spanish, for instance and it is of no practical value here in the US (except for enterntainment purposes cause I love watching telenovelas at night).

Travelling to Mexico or other Spanish speaking countries extremely valuable. Traveling to Europe it provided no value outside of Spain (caveat: helps a little towards Italian/Portugues but not much help for French).

How do you prove your theory that it does add value?[/quote]
Yo canto mariachi y me pagan bien cada espectaculo que doy. La verdad es que no tengo tiempe sufficiente para responder. Ojala que lo de mas te lo explique antes de que regrese de mis quehaceres.
Mientras tanto me puedes elaborar en el asunto de tus telenovelas favoritas. Mi predilecta fue “Betty la fea”, pero hoy en di me encuentro involucrado en cosas mas importantes…

[NotCranky]

[quote=deadzone]I speak Spanish, for instance and it is of no practical value here in the US (except for enterntainment purposes cause I love watching telenovelas at night).

Travelling to Mexico or other Spanish speaking countries extremely valuable. Traveling to Europe it provided no value outside of Spain (caveat: helps a little towards Italian/Portugues but not much help for French).

How do you prove your theory that it does add value?[/quote]
Yo canto mariachi y me pagan bien cada espectaculo que doy. La verdad es que no tengo tiempe sufficiente para responder. Ojala que lo de mas te lo explique antes de que regrese de mis quehaceres.
Mientras tanto me puedes elaborar en el asunto de tus telenovelas favoritas. Mi predilecta fue “Betty la fea”, pero hoy en di me encuentro involucrado en cosas mas importantes…

[Author]

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