Loren Wilton wrote:
I predict that the US will be the first country in the 21th century to
abandon English as the national language, while almost all other countries
seem to be mandating that their citizens learn English.
Loren
The problem with the US is that we are linguistic idiots (a quote from
Columbia University German Professor). If you go to Europe in general
they speak at least two languages fluently. English and the country's
native language. I have had the opportunity to work in both Geneva,
Switzerland and and Milan, Italy. All business is conducted in English
and everything else in Italian or in the case of Switzerland either
German, Swiss German or French. Essentially all the engineers with whom
I worked could speak two languages or in some cases four. I don't know
what the big deal is. It shouldn't be "one" language but at least two
here in the US. Start young when it is easy for kids to pick up the sounds.
Unfortunately I am still a linguistic idiot and only speak English ... a
Buffalo, NY version at that! My grand parents came over from Italy in
1920 and promptly stopped speaking Italian around my parents. It forced
my parents to learn English at the cost of never learning Italian. There
is plently of room to accomodate two languages but neither the US
education system or home life is set up to do it.
--
Paul ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
