Languages
This is something I've thought a lot about since I've been here in BA.
Most Americans don't know jack about languages. More importantly, and detrimentally, they are not actively encouraged to learn more. Yes, foreign language classes are offered in many schools. However, they are electives, not requirements, and they are not offered to children at an early age. Learning language as a child allows one the opportunity to learn it well enough as to be able to speak as a native speaker. The learning faculty for doing this in the brain turns off at about age 14 (puberty). After this age, it is very, very difficult for someone to learn a language to the ability of a native speaker.
[Yes, I studied a tiny bit of linguistics in college.]
I am embarassed that the other guests at my residence speak English (fluently, or nearly so), and I don't speak another language fluently, as well. Yes, I speak a little bit of French (though, I've forgotten much of it since I began studying Spanish), and now I speak a little Spanish.
I've been thinking about this more recently, because there are a couple of Swedish girls that recently moved in to the residence. They have studied linguistics and languages, and are here to do a research project for their University program. To my knowledge, they each know three languages fluently, and understand bits of others.
There is also someone at the residence that speaks five languages.
As to languages, I just feel totally inadequate that I only speak one fluently. I suppose another side to this is that English-speaking countries are world centers of business and politics, and thus is a Very Important language. However, it just isn't right that it is compulsory in some other countries to learn or a foreign language.
Yes, I know that not everyone in Europe, for example, speaks English. However, Europeans are a lot more likely to speak English than an American is to speak Italian.
So, don't really know how to end this post, but I've just been thinking about this more than normal lately. It's difficult to travel abroad and to not notice this.
Most Americans don't know jack about languages. More importantly, and detrimentally, they are not actively encouraged to learn more. Yes, foreign language classes are offered in many schools. However, they are electives, not requirements, and they are not offered to children at an early age. Learning language as a child allows one the opportunity to learn it well enough as to be able to speak as a native speaker. The learning faculty for doing this in the brain turns off at about age 14 (puberty). After this age, it is very, very difficult for someone to learn a language to the ability of a native speaker.
[Yes, I studied a tiny bit of linguistics in college.]
I am embarassed that the other guests at my residence speak English (fluently, or nearly so), and I don't speak another language fluently, as well. Yes, I speak a little bit of French (though, I've forgotten much of it since I began studying Spanish), and now I speak a little Spanish.
I've been thinking about this more recently, because there are a couple of Swedish girls that recently moved in to the residence. They have studied linguistics and languages, and are here to do a research project for their University program. To my knowledge, they each know three languages fluently, and understand bits of others.
There is also someone at the residence that speaks five languages.
As to languages, I just feel totally inadequate that I only speak one fluently. I suppose another side to this is that English-speaking countries are world centers of business and politics, and thus is a Very Important language. However, it just isn't right that it is compulsory in some other countries to learn or a foreign language.
Yes, I know that not everyone in Europe, for example, speaks English. However, Europeans are a lot more likely to speak English than an American is to speak Italian.
So, don't really know how to end this post, but I've just been thinking about this more than normal lately. It's difficult to travel abroad and to not notice this.
posted by Shana @ 9:10 AM
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