But does nothing to help them learn to speak languages other than English well. That is one (small) reason why Americans have a much harder time learning other languages. Everywhere you go, someone speaks English.

Yeah, great, blame it on everyone else. I think that most Americans are just, how should I put it... linguistically challenged?

I really don't think so. America is a ******* huge country where English is the official language. In Europe basically only Great Britain has English as the official language, every other country has its own. Still, most people learn English as their second language whereas you can't expect from anyone to speak German, French, Spanish, Polish or whatever on the same level. Maybe one of these, but more? Nah...

In a large part of Europe people are taught English from the age of about 6 so they learn it very well. (Sadly in England we don't generally start learning foreign languages until the age of 11.). But that is most probably why in most of Europe you will be able to speak English to most people and be understood.

Your point hasn't been made, so to speak. Do you know that saying/joke: "If you can speak 3 languages you're gifted, if you can speak 2 languages you're average, if you can only speak one language, you're American." I'm not saying that this is 100% percent true, but you gotta admit that there is something to it. I've been living in Germany for 3 years now (2 of which have been spent studying in college) and I've met my share of "foreigners": Poles, Russians, Spaniards, Italians, Serbs, Croats, you name it. I've also met my share of Americans, too. Many of those foreigners I've met can speak, read and write German perfectly without an accent; I have yet to meet even one American who came near to achieving that kind of mastery. When I hear Americans speak (well, that's what they think they're doing, at least) German my ears start to bleed. And saying that everyone else is to blame because "everywhere you go, someone speaks English" is just plain stupid. I think that most Americans in general don't give a shit about other languages and cultures, hence the shitty attitude which later simply evolved into an inability to learn/communicate in languages other than English.

so very true. as an American sitting in foreign language classes, not many of the other students actually cared about learning the language. not only that, but even "advanced" levels of a language taught in USA schools rarely focus on speaking. I wouldn't be able to speak german, French and spanish nearly as well if I didn't have a knack for language in the first place because education in these subjects is generally quite poor.

This is not true at all. My native language is English and I have mastered French - accent and all. If you are speaking to somebody who doesn't care about the language and only wanted a high school credit, then yes, their second language will be pitiful and it will be easier for you to understand them speaking English. However, not everyone is like that.

Moi aussi—il vous faut beaucoup de patience, de l'assiduité et un volonté de faire des méprises de temps en temps, mais on peut bien l'atteindre après plusieurs années. J'avais étudié le français depuis six ans maintenant, et je viens de commencer une troisième langue, le russe. But really, blame the American educational system which is filled with one-year requirements and indifferent kids stumbling through exercises without even attempting an accent (and my hometown school district doesn't start languages until high school—we used to have it in middle school but a referendum took it away, I'm still bitter about that!), not anything intrinsic in Americans themselves. There are more of us than one might think who want to break out of the old stereotype and tackle at least one foreign language.

34- I'm a native English speaker. I'm also able to speak French decently well.

I agree, albeit for different reasons. I don't think, Americans are stupid or at least less gifted than we are. It is just that the actual need to master a foreign language is simply not there. If there is no need, you would have to rely on a higher level of commitment - both from students and politicians - and frankly, most students are lazy and politicians care for stuff that generates reputation. A similar logic applies to the European countries: There are lots of people who speak a relatively good English but nearly not as much who master a different language. In Germany we have the distinction between advanced courses and basic courses in the "Oberstufe" (the final three years of secondary school) and in my former school there usually were two advanced English courses (~about 40 pupils) and only about eight pupils each for the advanced French and Latin courses. We didn't even have a basic Spanish course, only a study group. However, pupils everywhere in Germany (at least I think everywhere) are required to take one foreign language (usually English) in fifth grade (at least four years, depending on the type of school)

That's not necessarily true. My native language is English and I could speak other languages without any "accents."

hey i am trying to learn german! i care! i have penpals in germany and THEIR ears aren't bleeding! and i am going to germany for a semester for a foreign exchange program! so please stop saying that americans "don't give a shit about other languages and cultures" because some of us do!

I agree that most kids in America doesn't put much effort into foreign language, but there are some who do. I'm 16 and I speak perfect German and French, and I'm currently working on Latin. In fact, I'd say, English is my worst language because I have such bad grammar haha.

There are many accent in France and other French speaking country, it's probably not that bad. ^^

ur cute:)

thank you, but why has my comment been deleted ?