Most countries have either an official language or a de facto language. But what about on a smaller scale? If another language is more prevalent in your state or area, do you have a responsibility to learn it, even if it's a foreign language?
Should you learn the most common language, even if it isn't the official one?
I would learn it just to make my own existance easier. The majority language on one of my jobs was Spanish. Although not fluent I learned it well enough to rarely need a third party involved. Many Spanish speakers here in the US do speak a little English, or more... they may feel embarrased that it's not perfect, so be kind and things will often smooth out. Should you learn the majority language? No doubt. Should it be a mandate? Sure... can't expect every human to know every language. It is your responsibility to be viable in your environment.
Actually an excellent practical question, whether one should learn the most common language of the place one lives. In all logic it is always useful to know the most spoken language, but on the practical side of things, if that most spoken variant is not one's native language, one will never really know all the subtleties of that language, and one will never really be completely accepted in the "native" communities. I mean that then one will always be considered something of an outsider.
In the ideal situation, one should always know the official language, and a big plus would in any case be understanding and speaking the local one. It's a bit as being part of a family or not, with all the possible variants ;0)
In Quebec Canada, I believe more people speak English than French but the government is stubbornly enforcing the language of French through governmental control mandates which make it really hard for new Canadians that are not native French Speakers. It is bad for everyone and I believe outdated, since younger Canadians are more likely to be English speaking rather than French.
For someone living somewhere and not understanding the common language is a problem only for themselves only. It would make their life much easier if they learnt it.
If I was to live somewhere with a language I dont understand I would definitely try to learn it as quickly as possible
The BBC tried to enforce 'Received Pronunciation' in 1922. According to the story I heard, the broadcasters in local radio stations backslide from 'Received Pronunciation' to the local dialect.
Maybe that is one of those aphoristic jokes Australians make about England and it is bullshit. It is not as if we don't occasionally make up funny bullshit.
The real point is people are apt to adopt local speech and why not?
Received speech is hugely damaging to areas outside of the South East as it paints non speakers as inferior even backward. It's amazing people in the UK can understand Australian and American accents but not ones an hours drive away
Yes, I have some surprising feats. A girl said to the taxi driver I can't figure whether your accent is from {list of three cities}. Turned she had lived in all three.
You should try a kiwi girl who lived in Scotland for a few years. She was convinced shop girls were just mean & nasty and didn't want to sell her a wig. Turned out she just needed an interpretator and they would bring out any number of wigs for her to select from.
You don't have a responsibility to learn the other language, but it's a good idea to better fit in with, and be respected by, the locals.
You don't have to be fluent in the other language, but it's useful to know the basics.
I travel a lot, often to countries where the locals may speak English as a second language, and I always try to learn some basic words and phrases. In Iceland, for example, one say Tak for Thanks.
It's the ch sound in diolch that throws people (even the welsh). Please is tricky because there's several versions of "os gwelwch chi'n dda" basically "if you will see good/fit" but for daily use plîs is used far more often which is pleese, close to English.
It shouldn’t be necessary to, but it would probably be helpful. I had a friend who learned Spanish while she was working in a grocery store where a lot of the employees were bilingual. Then she overheard some customers making sexist comments about her on the job. She cussed them out in Spanish and then went on break. Ell oh ell! She said the shock on their faces was worth risking her job, but nothing ever came of it.
Makes sense to me. Pretty much every country teaches English as a second language. Like Germanic countries for instance have their own language, but everyone speaks English. In Arab Gulf states, they speak better English than Arabic, and I've never met an Indian who didn't speak English
10.8K opinions shared on Society & Politics topic.
It’s written into law that English is the official language of America. No other states get off the hook and not Florida either. So you must speak the king’s English. There is no catering to the foreigners or the refugees. The Cubans that are living in Miami if you can’t speak English, you’re gonna have to go to your little efficiency and watch Telemundo sorry guys we can’t help you.
@Smegskull They can have some money for people that break that law. For example when you go to vote for the president of the United States in Miami Florida, that ballot better be in English or somebody’s in trouble
I’m sorry, but as passionate as you apparently are about this topic, …. I hate to inform you that the United States does NOT have an ‘official’ language! It is NOT written into any law at all. Just saying! Maybe you should look into it. English obviously is far and wide the most widely spoken, of course, …but it is technically not official.
12.3K opinions shared on Society & Politics topic.
English is the language of commerce. 20% of the world speak it, including the second largest English speaking nation in the world by population. Philippines.
@purplepoppy thanks. On Wikipedia it even still says so "it's basically is/become our de facto language officially" - but again. I don't know if any Australian law (Commonwealth aka federal or state) actually mandates English.
Maps wrong. It's more a patchwork, one village can be very welsh speaking but another just a few miles away mostly English. Same with Cornish, Irish, gaelic.
Opinion Owner
7 d
I know, strange, it's the same in here, several villages near my city, all with different dialects.
Girl's Behavior 
Guy's Behavior 
Flirting 
Dating 
Relationships 
Fashion & Beauty 
Health & Fitness 
Marriage & Weddings 
Shopping & Gifts 
Technology & Internet 
Break Up & Divorce 
Education & Career 
Entertainment & Arts 
Family & Friends 
Food & Beverage 
Hobbies & Leisure 
Other 
Religion & Spirituality 
Society & Politics 
Sports 
Travel 
Trending & News 
