Should Spanish be a required course in American schools?

[Doctor Jimmy]

I don't get why so many Americans don't get this. Seriously, guys, your left-wing party would be the moderate right-wing here.
And the Republicans are pretty much the BNP in Britain or the CDS-PP in Portugal. Which is... pretty sad!

You can thank the crackpots in Washington for that.

Back on topic: some states have multiple languages, like Louisiana and New Mexico. Those already have their second language a required one, which is a good thing in my opinion.

 

[Valerunner]

Honestly? Yes.

Not because of the increasing immigration, but you're just above Latin America. I myself am not sure about how the British Education system works but we had to learn French/German. Not because there are too many French or German people here, heavens no. It's because German is spoken in Germany, Belgium, Poland, Austria and Denmark, and French in our nearest neighbor. And since both British and US citizens will have a chance to visit their neighboring countries, it would help. Even if they won't it would at least give kids a better view of the country beyond its stereotype.

Actually, forget what I said. A language should be taught, but give the schools a choice between French and Spanish. (I forgot about Canada) It may lessen the blind patriotism most American stereotypes have.

 

[Tarvos]

German isn't spoken in Denmark. Danish is. Also about ten thousand out of a couple million people speak German in Belgium. Polish is spoken in Poland. At *most* Danes and Poles learn it as a second language, but in that case all Dutch people speak German too.

 

[Valerunner]

German isn't spoken in Denmark. Danish is. Also about ten thousand out of a couple million people speak German in Belgium. Polish is spoken in Poland. At *most* Danes and Poles learn it as a second language, but in that case all Dutch people speak German too.

Apologies for the mistake. Though in some texts it does say German is spoken in those countries. Probably unofficially, like Welsh in Patagonia.

 

[Tarvos]

They border each other so within a couple miles of the border maybe.

google gave me this for denmark

2.2. Geographical and language background

The German language (Germ. "Deutsch"; Dan. "Tysk") is used in its Standard High German variety in the district of South Jutland or North Schleswig (Dan. "Sonderjyllands Amt"; Germ. "Kreis Nordschleswig), an area of 3,938 km2 in the Danish Kingdom between the German-Danish border and the Kongeaaen, by members of a German national minority numbering between 15 and 20,000. Approx. 20% of these use German in daily communication. The Germans are concentrated in and around Tinglev (Germ. Tingleff), Aabenraa (Apenrade) and Haderslev (Hadersleben). Contact languages are the majority language, Standard Danish ("Rigsdansk") and South Jutish ("Sonderjysk"), a Danish dialect which is the dominant colloquial of the area, while German is the more formal "high" language used in meetings, discussions and in church. Denmark is officially monolingual; German is officially recognized and supported in the area, but has no official status.

Outside the minority area German is used by members of St. Peter's parish in Copenhagen, which maintains a church and a school.

German is the language of instruction in the (private) minority schools. It is taught as a subject in all Danish secondary schools. There is a minority press; German broadcasts on majority (Danish) radio and TV are rare. German is an important means of communication in cross-border transactions with the neighboring state of Schleswig-Holstein and with the German Federal Republic. German is the language of all cultural activities for the minority, which is politically represented by 16 councillors on 9 town councils in the area and has one representative on the district assembly (Dan. "amtsraad") of Sonderjylland. Further connection between community and local/regional administration is provided by the 'family counsellors' of the German minority.

The total population of the area has remained steady at about 250,000 over the past decades. The largest proportion is rural, many live in small towns, few in semi-urban areas. There are no large cities in the area. Approx. 8,000 members of the minority have acquired German as their first language and use it daily. Its status and usage receded immediately after WW II. It never quite recovered its losses. The region ist still predominantly agricultural, with the tourist business gaining increasing importance. Industrialization affected this 'peripheral' area much later and more slowly than the rest of Denmark. Its economy is still lagging behind, its standard of living staying somewhat below that of the rest of Denmark. Some of the better trained members of the minority, therefore, cannot find adequate employment in their community and move (or stay) away.

North Schleswig is officially monolingual in Danish, as is the rest of Denmark. Though German does not have official status in the area, the German minority is free to identify with German ethnicity and culture. This identification may not be denied or controlled by the authorities. Denmark is responsible for quality instruction of German as a foreign language. German schools, churches and libraries within the minority are supported. The Danish government accepts the existence of German kindergartens, schools, libraries, athletic clubs, and cultural organizations. Their status is guaranteed by the Danish-German Agreement of 1955 ("Bonn-Kopenhagener Erklärungen").

The German minority in Denmark is officially represented by/in the "Bund Deutscher Nordschleswiger" (4,100 members) and its political party, the Slesvigsk Parti ("Schleswigsche Partei") and the "Deutscher Schul- und Sprachverein für Nordschleswig" ("German School and Language Association for North Schleswig"), which actively promote German language and culture among the minority.

There have not been any real problems between this minority and the majority population since the German-Danish Agreements of 1955. The German language/minority receives support from the German state of Schleswig-Holstein and from the German Federal Government.

This is an irrelevantly small amount of speakers near the border which you will find at about every border area.

same goes for polish statistics

it wouldn't really help you in general in those countries

 

[Valerunner]

Point still stands though; it would help a country to teach its students a language of its neighboring states.

 

[Tarvos]

yes but germany doesn't neighbour england (or the US) and they already do in those countries

 

[Ultimatum]

No!
OK, so we have a Spanish-only speaking population mostly in the southern parts of the US. Where I live, however, less than 2% of the population (not sure of the exact number here) speak only Spanish and not English. I think that it is in the best interest of anyone immigrating to anywhere to learn the local language and culture. <--- period.

 

[Vladimir Putin's LJ]

I think it's really egoistical to expect everyone in the world to learn English and not make any effort to learn a language.

 

[Tarvos]

yeah just look at the netherlands

we have to learn four languages in high school

i don't think it's much different in belgiam

 

[Vladimir Putin's LJ]

Yeah, last year I had Dutch, French, English and Portuguese, which I narrowed down to just English and Portuguese this year because I didn't have enough hours to choose everything.

Protip to USAians: don't complain about having to learn one shitty language, try being European >:c

 

[Tarvos]

Yeah but you're in an international school iirc, I wasn't and still we had to do Dutch, English, German and French. I also did Latin for five years.

For most of my schooltime, that means five languages. (3 in 7th, 5 from 8 thru 10, 4 in 11, 3 in 12)

 

[Barubu]

Yes.
I don't see many people walking up to others and saying "Guten Tag!".
Spanish is probably the second most useful language in the states.
So teach it to kids in school so they can understand somebody next time you're at a restaurant and the waiter says "Como estas?"
__________________

Thank you.Seriously.Yes

 

[Peter Shadeslayer]

So in this small town in southern Indiana, where everyone in my school speaks English fluently and I've only seen ~20 Mexican individuals around town ever I should be forced to take Spanish? Indiana is closer to Canada, yet my dumbass school system would undoubtedly choose Spanish over French. Because in Mexico they can't require English. >_>

 

[ultraviolet]

I think that it is in the best interest of anyone immigrating to anywhere to learn the local language and culture. <--- period.

...so, does this mean you're going to learn Cherokee? (or some other Native American language?)

 

[Tarvos]

Or basically all of South America except Brazil (for spanish)

 

[Peter Shadeslayer]

Fucking hell, when will Americans realize that there is so much more to Hispanic culture than Mexicans? Why the fuck does everyone have to mention Mexicans when someone brings up Spanish? News flash: there are other Spanish-speaking countries, too. You know, like Spain, or Guatemala, or Argentina, or Cuba, or Equatorial Guinea. These cultures are all different from one another, yet I never see any Americans refer to them. It's all about Mexicans (and it's usually negative about Mexicans, too), as if the USA's relationships with nations beyond the Mexican border are unimportant. Of course.

Also, Spanish is the most-spoken non-English language in Indiana, being spoken by 3% of the population, compared to French which is spoken by .3% of the population. Proximity to Canada doesn't really mean anything since it's not like the whole of Canada speaks French.

You realize Mexico is closer to the US than any other Spanish-speaking country, don't you? Thus the reason we assume most solely Spanish speakers are Mexican. For example, I'm sure someone in France, upon recognizing a solely English-speaking person, would assume that they were from England. It's also easier, I think, to say Mexican than it is to say Mexican, Cuban, Guatemalan, Argentinian, Equatorial Guinean, Chilean, etc. people.

Additionally, most Spaniards learn English before they move here, don't they?

And there is no point in removing my opportunity to take a French-or-language-other-than-Spanish class if I don't plan on going south of Indiana.

I still believe, regardless of statistics, that Spanish should not be a required course. Yes, perhaps someday I'd like to learn it, but not because I need to say excuse me to the man standing in my way at Wal-Mart.

 

[Tarvos]

You realize Mexico is closer to the US than any other Spanish-speaking country, don't you? Thus the reason we assume most solely Spanish speakers are Mexican. For example, I'm sure someone in France, upon recognizing a solely English-speaking person, would assume that they were from England. It's also easier, I think, to say Mexican than it is to say Mexican, Cuban, Guatemalan, Argentinian, Equatorial Guinean, Chilean, etc. people.

But Mexican doesn't cover anything except people from, you know, Mexico. Even Latin-American doesn't begin to cover it. And solely-English speaking people could just as easily be from Australia.

Additionally, most Spaniards learn English before they move here, don't they?

If you think "bery hood" is an appropriate standard of English. Educational level is sometimes way below par. It depends on where you are. In urban areas English is more widespread (so, Barcelona or so.)

And there is no point in removing my opportunity to take a French-or-language-other-than-Spanish class if I don't plan on going south of Indiana.

Sure, but the point is that A LANGUAGE IN GENERAL should be compulsory. Spanish is just a useful one (although not one I speak personally)

I still believe, regardless of statistics, that Spanish should not be a required course. Yes, perhaps someday I'd like to learn it, but not because I need to say excuse me to the man standing in my way at Wal-Mart.

Then you should learn something else in place of that.

 

[surskitty]

It's also not like fluency in another language can raise your salary or anything, either.

Everyone should try to learn another language and requiring someone to take language courses makes sense, except that periodically some people only take courses for the credit and then cause problems for everyone else. Still, though, I'm sure they could be sorted out.

 

[Alakazam]

In my school, it's compulsory to learn a dying language that none of us will ever need to use in the future. Most of the country is fluent in English, and the language we have to learn (Irish), is too freaking hard to grasp. We've already got enough exams to face in school both in the JC and LC exam years.

Spanish is a optional language in my school, along with French and German. Sadly, there is only one retarded Spanish teacher, and I don't learn a thing from listening to her rambling nonsense. I feel that if schools had more, well trained Español teachers, then maybe more interest would be attracted into taking Spanish as a subject.