How many languages do you speak, read and write?

[Chazmatazz269]

I’ve read that the US is WAY behind most other countries in that most students graduate from high skool only comprehending one language. I would go further to suggest most US citizens barely comprehend English, our de facto national language. So which languages do you speak, read and write? Also, where were you educated?

[WindAtMyBack]

When you say "way behind" it implies that someone SHOULD learn multiple languages, as if that's some kind of inherent truth.

I think a big reason why learning other languages is not as big in the US is because there just isn't a good reason to. That's not as true as it used to be, but there is still some truth to it.

Not all that long ago a person in the US could potentially go through their entire life without ever hearing someone speak another language in person. That's probably still possible in some places. When I lived in California, I could go to the mall and hear ten languages in ten minutes. Where I live now I commonly go months without hearing another language. I've gone over a year without hearing another language.

I speak English myself. I learned a little Spanish in high school, but that was 50 years ago and I remember virtually none of it. I really have no reason to learn another language.

[Chazmatazz269]

US citizens SHOULD be smarter in every conceivable way. We are dead last among modern nations for the quality of our education compared to its costs. You’re free to disagree, but there’s no point in trying to change mind. 100% of our problems all over the world could be easily solved if so many people weren’t so goddamn comfortable being just plain stoopid, especially in the US.

[WindAtMyBack]

You are right, I disagree.

First of all, learning other languages has nothing to do with being smart.

Second, the US has some of the very best education in the world. You are right about the cost though, it's the most expensive in the world. But it's also the best by many measures.

This idea that Americans are stupid is in itself stupid, because it's just plain factually wrong. People are echo chambers and keep repeating these things even when they are not true. Another one that keeps being repeated is that the US spends more on military than education. That one is also factually wrong.

[Anonymous]

English obviously. I can read Spanish quite well and can speak enough of it to get by. I also speak and understand some limited German, French, Portuguese, Russian, Japanese, and Latin. Just basic words and phrases. Things like “yes/no, hello, how are you, please and thank you.” Things like that.

[Sandeeppingping]

That's actually pretty smart

[Blackcosmo]

I am perfectly fluent in English and I can understand just a little basic french and write a bit.

I can understand my home language fully but I can barely speak it. I can fully read Arabic and write it but I can't really speak it and I can understand it only a little bit.

I am planning to learn Japanese one day and how to write it.

[Pinay_ako]

I speak 3. I learned from my home country. I can read and write all 3

[Chazmatazz269]

Which 3?

[Pinay_ako]

English, Tagalog and local dialect Visayan

[Zolly99999]

@Pinay_ako wow. Very cool

[Hardworkingguy]

That's awesome. Such a smart person

[Pinay_ako]

@Hardworkingguy not really. Most kids in the Philippines had to learn both languages besides their mother tongue. It’s mandatory in schools to teach English and Tagalog.

[Hardworkingguy]

😲 that's something impressive

[Pinay_ako]

@Hardworkingguy starting kindergarten. And the Philippines has tons of mother tongues in every island. We have around 7,000+ So I don't know 🤷‍♀️ 😂. If we don’t learn Tagalog, we won’t understand each other besides English 😂 and we’re from the same country 😝

[Chazmatazz269]

I rented a room from a Filipino couple a couple of years ago. They spoke “Tagalish”, i blend of Tagalog and English not unlike “Spanglish”. I always laughed when they were essentially speaking their native tongue but i’d pick up on English words sprinkled in here and there.

[Pinay_ako]

🤣 yea do you recognize the v and b and p and f?

[Sandeeppingping]

English, French, Arabic and Italian

I also understand a bit of Brazilian and Dutch ever since I befriended some dudes from my time in Brazil and the Netherlands when I was training for my first fight, can you believe I went to Amsterdam and didn't smoke a single joint? That's how ruthless I was with that shit

[Sandeeppingping]

Brazilian Portuguese*** before someone shows up like a smart ass "ohhh but Brazilians speak portuguese not Brazilian", well they do yet a Portuguese would have a problems understanding a Brazilian and vice versa, so that's how I call it

[Sandeeppingping]

A lot of**

[bean2k21]

The rest of the world is just behind in understanding that American is a superior language.

[Chazmatazz269]

Ell oh ell!

[WhiteBoyChill]

Only one sadly. But to be fair, the US is a huge country and not everyone here lives in close proximity to Mexico or French speaking Quebec. In Europe you can make day trips to other countries. But that is simply not the case for a majority of us living in America.

Regardless, I understand people in Latin America know English, but that has a lot to do with American culture, music and movies being this worldwide thing

[Astarlessnightsky]

3 german, English and french.

born, educated and living in germany

[josephinelcajon]

My English teacher would say none but I say I get by with English and can hardly order water or find a bathroom in Mexico 😂

[KrakenAttackin]

Yup. Our wonderful heavily unionized and politicized educational system I'm the US has been failing since I was a young kid.

[Hardworkingguy]

I can speak two languages equally well

[Chazmatazz269]

Which two?

[Hardworkingguy]

Spanish and English

[roy_ricky09]

Write/speak - English, Hindi, Punjabi,

[Zolly99999]

I can barely speak English lol🤣🤣

[SunnyHeythere]

Three

[Chazmatazz269]

Which 3?