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Can you speak a foreign language?

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KR1245's avatar

KR1245

Senior Member

4,317 posts
Aug 17, 2010 7:24 PM
Heard somebody at work today say that 1 out of every 4 adults in the U.S are fluent in another language. Number seems pretty high to me. I know a little Spanish but thats about it. I guess you could say that I am "fluent" in sign language but that doesnt really count.
Aug 17, 2010 7:24pm
OneBuckeye's avatar

OneBuckeye

Senior Member

5,888 posts
Aug 17, 2010 7:26 PM
Fluid?

I speak english and so should everyone else.
Aug 17, 2010 7:26pm
OneBuckeye's avatar

OneBuckeye

Senior Member

5,888 posts
Aug 17, 2010 7:30 PM
Oh yeah and I speak dutch.[video=youtube;Pk6V09A-UL8][/video]
Aug 17, 2010 7:30pm
iclfan2's avatar

iclfan2

Reppin' the 330/216/843

6,360 posts
Aug 17, 2010 7:36 PM
I would highly doubt the 1 in 4 number. No I can't speak another one fluently but could get around decently in Deutschland.
Aug 17, 2010 7:36pm
T

thereddragin

Senior Member

126 posts
Aug 17, 2010 7:41 PM
I can speak any language but Dutch
Aug 17, 2010 7:41pm
tk421's avatar

tk421

Senior Member

8,500 posts
Aug 17, 2010 7:48 PM
No need for any English speaking person to really know another language. This has to be one of the most overused complaints about our country, how isolated everyone is and how we aren't multilingual. The fact is that English is probably the most widely spoken language in non English speaking countries. It's the language of business, travel, hospitality, etc. You'd have a better chance of going to some foreign non-English speaking country and having English being understood than Spanish, French, etc.
Aug 17, 2010 7:48pm
S

Swamp Fox

Senior Member

2,218 posts
Aug 17, 2010 8:17 PM
I think that it is true that EnglIsh is spoken in many countries, but I also believe that the impression you make if you at least try to speak the language of the people who's country you are visiting is much better than if you basically demand that everyone speak English. I read somewhere years ago that an American is one of the only tourists who thinks that he is the native and everyone else is the foreigner. In France, I noticed that the attitude of folks who we tried to speak French to was very friendly and helpful. I also believe that to understand a nation's attitudes and policies, you really have to be able to talk to them. We still don't do as good a job of this as foreign countries do.
Aug 17, 2010 8:17pm
I

I Wear Pants

Senior Member

16,223 posts
Aug 17, 2010 8:20 PM
Fluent. Who the fuck says "fluid" in regards to speaking a language?

I can read French decently well and speak enough to make tourism pretty easy. But I can't understand much from native speakers. Just too fast and the little colloquialisms kill me. I might be able to understand a third grader if they speak very, very slowly.

So no, I don't speak a foreign language.
Aug 17, 2010 8:20pm
Automatik's avatar

Automatik

Senior Member

14,632 posts
Aug 17, 2010 8:23 PM
tk421;454421 wrote:No need for any English speaking person to really know another language. This has to be one of the most overused complaints about our country, how isolated everyone is and how we aren't multilingual. The fact is that English is probably the most widely spoken language in non English speaking countries. It's the language of business, travel, hospitality, etc. You'd have a better chance of going to some foreign non-English speaking country and having English being understood than Spanish, French, etc.

Wow you are way off. Look at the jobs available for someone who is bilingual. Although many non-English speaking countries have English as a second language....is not as widespread as you think. The majority of people in Italy, France, Spain do not know or wish to speak English. As for Nordic countries...its the opposite. Hell they can speak English better than some people in the states.


I would love to be able to speak another language. Not learning another language fluently is a regret of mine. If I could have done it all over again, I would have pursued it more seriously in high school and college. I currently mess around with Rosetta Stone to learn Danish, but I would need to take classes to become fluent.
Aug 17, 2010 8:23pm
CenterBHSFan's avatar

CenterBHSFan

333 - I'm only half evil

6,115 posts
Aug 17, 2010 9:13 PM
I can speak spanish well enough, although I can't read or write it very well - even though I took it in high school (2 yrs.)

I've been learning, on and off, "Sicilian" for a few years now from my stepfather. I say Sicilian and not Italian, because he doesn't claim himself as Italian. In fact, he get's mad when anybody refers to it. I think it's kinda ridiculous, seeing as how their part of the same country. Sort of like saying I'm Ohioan but not American.
Whatever.
Aug 17, 2010 9:13pm
gerb131's avatar

gerb131

Senior Member

9,932 posts
Aug 17, 2010 9:36 PM
I could find my way around a German speaking country pretty well.
Aug 17, 2010 9:36pm
ernest_t_bass's avatar

ernest_t_bass

12th Son of the Lama

24,984 posts
Aug 17, 2010 9:42 PM
Does texting count?
Aug 17, 2010 9:42pm
M

mattinctown

Aug 17, 2010 9:42 PM
tk421;454421 wrote:No need for any English speaking person to really know another language. This has to be one of the most overused complaints about our country, how isolated everyone is and how we aren't multilingual. The fact is that English is probably the most widely spoken language in non English speaking countries. It's the language of business, travel, hospitality, etc. You'd have a better chance of going to some foreign non-English speaking country and having English being understood than Spanish, French, etc.

A little bit closed minded of an opinion, I doubt that 1 in 4 Americans are fluent in another language. People who demand everyone speak English have no appreciation of the differences of other cultures and comes off as very ignorant. I speak Spanish, to answer the thread.
Aug 17, 2010 9:42pm
Cat Food Flambe''s avatar

Cat Food Flambe'

Senior Member

1,230 posts
Aug 17, 2010 9:46 PM
iclfan2;454409 wrote:I would highly doubt the 1 in 4 number. No I can't speak another one fluently but could get around decently in Deutschland.
"Fluent in another language" also can mean they don't speak English - the study didn't say they were fluent in English I would guess that at least half the people living in the USA within 250 miles of the Mexican/US border (legally or not) are either bi-lingual or don't speak English.

When my company had a claim/call center in Columbus, we did a survey to see how how many languages we could handle on the phone - of 450 people, we had at least one person able to speak 21 different languages (including one older lady who could speak Russian, Polish, and Ukrainian). Not bad for good old Ohio!
Aug 17, 2010 9:46pm
Fab1b's avatar

Fab1b

The Bald A-Hole!!

12,949 posts
Aug 17, 2010 9:53 PM
ernest_t_bass;454533 wrote:Does texting count?
No but sexting does!
Aug 17, 2010 9:53pm
BRF's avatar

BRF

Senior Member

8,748 posts
Aug 17, 2010 9:57 PM
To my Deutsch friends: Ich habe kein geld, und ihnen?

To Swamp Fox: I hear ya, but don't you notice how we bend over backwards to not insult our foreign visitors?

To Automatik: I am with ya on that. I woud love to be an interpreter for a corporation. I have a friend who is fluent in 7 languages.
Aug 17, 2010 9:57pm
iclfan2's avatar

iclfan2

Reppin' the 330/216/843

6,360 posts
Aug 17, 2010 10:01 PM
Cat Food Flambe';454542 wrote:"Fluent in another language" also can mean they don't speak English - the study didn't say they were fluent in English I would guess that at least half the people living in the USA within 250 miles of the Mexican/US border (legally or not) are either bi-lingual or don't speak English.

I read it as can speak ANOTHER language as in more then one. But I see what you are saying, in which case maybe 1 in 4 is close to true.
Aug 17, 2010 10:01pm
Commander of Awesome's avatar

Commander of Awesome

Senior Pwner

23,151 posts
Aug 17, 2010 10:04 PM
I highly doubt the 1 in 4 stat. Sounds like BS to me. To answer the question no, but I took Spanish in College and German in HS. Neither did any good, you use it or lose it.
Aug 17, 2010 10:04pm
-Society-'s avatar

-Society-

Senior Member

1,348 posts
Aug 17, 2010 10:05 PM
My wife speaks 4 languages fluently. Me...1. Working on 3.
Aug 17, 2010 10:05pm
Q

queencitybuckeye

Senior Member

7,117 posts
Aug 17, 2010 10:06 PM
I speak 69 different languages. Guess that makes me cunnilingual.
Aug 17, 2010 10:06pm
karen lotz's avatar

karen lotz

TuTu Train

22,284 posts
Aug 17, 2010 10:34 PM
BRF;454556 wrote:To my Deutsch friends: Ich habe kein geld, und ihnen?


Ich will das Gold.
Aug 17, 2010 10:34pm
BRF's avatar

BRF

Senior Member

8,748 posts
Aug 17, 2010 10:41 PM
karen lotz;454597 wrote:Ich will das Gold.
Ach so.....sehr gut.
Aug 17, 2010 10:41pm
J

jmog

Senior Member

6,567 posts
Aug 17, 2010 11:17 PM
2, I can speak, write, and read Spanish pretty well. 4 yrs in HS and minored in it in college. I have visited a few spanish speaking countries and have done just fine.
Aug 17, 2010 11:17pm
justincredible's avatar

justincredible

Nick Mangold

32,056 posts
Aug 17, 2010 11:25 PM
Foreign languages aren't for me.
Aug 17, 2010 11:25pm
Cat Food Flambe''s avatar

Cat Food Flambe'

Senior Member

1,230 posts
Aug 18, 2010 12:20 AM
Justincredible - you need to learn. After all, you're right across the river from Kentucky.

Sister-in-law - "Kin yew pay-us me a pee-yun?
Cat Food Flambe - "A what"?
Sister-in-law - "yew know - a PEE-YUN!"
Cat Food Flambe (beginning to understand the new language) - "You mean, like a safety pin?"
Sister-in-law" -" No, yew moe-rhon, aont a rhatin pee-yun!"
Aug 18, 2010 12:20am