What is the point in French if you never intend to go to France? - Page 3

October 18, 2007, 3:52 PM

well i never did french but i did do German but it is the same principal no matter what language it is said in, there is no point in learning a different language unless your going to a country were it is used as the primary choice of language but nowadays most countries use English as a second language so every one is slowly learning English

October 18, 2007, 4:07 PM

Sadly, schools can't acommodate for every single human being in the coutry.

Henceforth, since languages are often the must used skill that people use after school, languages are the most commonly mandatory, but surely you had some choice in the matter?

October 18, 2007, 4:46 PM

This is completely off topic, but Words, you need to remove the advertising links from your sig. If this is just some ridiculous ploy to break the rules that we've enforced, then I'll infract you and continue doing it until you're in the prison or banned. All we ask is for this rule to be followed. Thank you.

October 18, 2007, 8:17 PM

They probably got used to the usual stereotype of English people abroad not being able to speak any foreign languages... XD

October 18, 2007, 8:23 PM

^ More than likely that's the case.

Not knowing English doesn't help the tourism cause y'know. xD

Anyways, I agree with Words. We all need to know 'em...well at least one other foreign language because it's used a lot after school. Well okay, say that most people don't learn languages these days because we don't go to those countries, but what about a decade from now, or 2 decades from now? You won't be dead, but communication between countries will be much more active and you'll eventually have to learn it anyway. What's the point of learning a language at 30 years old when you could've learned it 15 years before then?

Also, we're moving away from just being citizens of one nation and we're becoming more citizens of the world. It's hard to just confine yourself to your own country when there are many different opportunities that are better elsewhere.
English is fine for now, but I believe it won't be fine in the long run to just have that to communicate with.

October 18, 2007, 8:37 PM

Well, ok. That's true-the world is becoming more One World, and not lots of countries lumped together. And communication will grow.
BUT, I still see no point in it.
So you're saying we should learn the languages for better communication-so why don't the other countries? Wouldn't it be much easier to have one global language, rather than lots? And if so, that means that we should use the best known language. And that would probably be, apart from Mandarin Chinese, be English. And I think people woyuld rather learn English than Chinese, as Chinese is a hell of a lot harder.

October 18, 2007, 8:55 PM

They are teaching you second languages because most colleges will not even consider you if you haven't taken at least 2 years of foreign study. Do they really care if you know how to talk with foreigners? Of course not! However, they DO want to prepare you for college, and they only way to do this is if they make you do all the crap required to get in one.

October 22, 2007, 5:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lady Aerith

This is completely off topic, but Words, you need to remove the advertising links from your sig. If this is just some ridiculous ploy to break the rules that we've enforced, then I'll infract you and continue doing it until you're in the prison or banned. All we ask is for this rule to be followed. Thank you.

I'll PM you about this. <3

Quote:

Originally Posted by This is Not a Name

BUT, I still see no point in it.
So you're saying we should learn the languages for better communication-so why don't the other countries? Wouldn't it be much easier to have one global language, rather than lots? And if so, that means that we should use the best known language. And that would probably be, apart from Mandarin Chinese, be English. And I think people woyuld rather learn English than Chinese, as Chinese is a hell of a lot harder.

Most countries do teach other languages. I know for a fact that English is part of the Spanish school curriculum, and I'm pretty sure it's a mandatory subject in Franch, China and Japan.

A global language is never going to happen; too much national pride.

Not to mention just how long it would take for a worldwide language to integrate itself fully into most societies. You also have to realise that there are dozen of countries in this world completely shut off from modern, first world society, and would never change anyway.

October 23, 2007, 8:55 PM

And don't forget that that's a really selfish thing to do to teach English as the only global language when other languages can be considered for the same global role.

English is already mandatory in many countries as well, but it can only help to be oh so diverse.