Re: /Survey: Foreign language knowledge in Europe (and elsewhere)
everynametaken Send a noteboard - 25/09/2010 07:38:29 PM
1) Which languages did you learn in school, and for how long?
High School - One semester of French but I had already begun teaching myself second semester material.
College - One semester of Spanish and one semester of Russian. I did likewise with these two and began teaching myself second semester material.
2) Which languages would you say you speak with some degree of fluency?
English but I would say when I am around it for a little while and pick it back up again I can speak conversationally in Spanish. My Russian is minimal (in my opinion) as far as speaking goes but the Russians I meet always seem impressed with how much I can say properly. I know Tom disagrees but I find it a difficult language to learn (which is why I like the challenge!)
I can still read French and get the gist of what is being said. I can read and write Spanish pretty well well with the need for a dictionary occasionally. I can read and write Russian but need a dictionary a lot. I am sure I mess up the cases in more complex sentences quite a bit unless I really think the endings through before writing them.
3) Do you think languages get too much attention in the school system you went to, too little, or just about enough?
Definitely too little. When I was in High School 15 years ago it was either French or Spanish and pretty much all schools in Michigan were the same. there was no option to learn anything else. I think schools could do a better job explaining why language is important and I believe all kids should be exposed to at least some Spanish.
4) What do you think of the remarkable dominance of English that appears in the data?
It is the closest thing the world has ever seen to a universal language and may ever see. I think that is a pretty astounding fact.
But wine was the great assassin of both tradition and propriety...
-Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings
-Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings
/Survey: Foreign language knowledge in Europe (and elsewhere)
- 24/09/2010 01:37:42 PM
1414 Views
Re: /Survey: Foreign language knowledge in Europe
- 24/09/2010 02:10:57 PM
831 Views
Re: /Survey: Foreign language knowledge in Europe
- 24/09/2010 03:32:09 PM
762 Views
That is rather sad to say the least.
- 24/09/2010 04:15:32 PM
1002 Views
Indeed
- 24/09/2010 06:23:52 PM
808 Views
Re: /Survey: Foreign language knowledge in Europe
- 24/09/2010 04:00:04 PM
882 Views
Re: /Survey: Foreign language knowledge in Europe
- 24/09/2010 05:47:09 PM
872 Views
Interesting.
- 24/09/2010 06:04:30 PM
806 Views
Re: Interesting.
- 24/09/2010 06:42:02 PM
948 Views
Re: Interesting.
- 24/09/2010 07:05:44 PM
858 Views
Re: /Survey: Foreign language knowledge in Europe (and elsewhere)
- 24/09/2010 09:38:05 PM
950 Views
Re: /Survey: Foreign language knowledge in Europe (and elsewhere)
- 25/09/2010 05:49:05 AM
951 Views
Self-study can be worth as much as formal classroom study, I suppose
- 25/09/2010 03:43:14 PM
904 Views
Certainly it can.
- 26/09/2010 12:35:56 PM
916 Views
Re: /Survey: Foreign language knowledge in Europe (and elsewhere)
- 25/09/2010 04:54:40 PM
1048 Views
Re: /Survey: Foreign language knowledge in Europe (and elsewhere)
- 25/09/2010 07:38:29 PM
969 Views
Re: /Survey: Foreign language knowledge in Europe (and elsewhere)
- 26/09/2010 12:07:19 AM
985 Views
They should have asked about second languages rather than foreign languages.
- 26/09/2010 11:34:27 AM
829 Views
Re: /Survey: Foreign language knowledge in Europe (and elsewhere)
- 27/09/2010 03:18:30 PM
889 Views


*NM*