Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Barriers In Learning Foreign Languages

Barriers In Learning Foreign Languages

How well do you communicate with others? This is a question that could be addressed and answered on so many different levels. However, I am merely asking about how articulate you are. Whether it be English, Mandarin, German, or Spanish, how well you speak and understand your language has a serious bearing on how others see you. This is just the way it works. It all draws back to your education. These days learning foreign languages in grade school is normal. On the other hand, if I were to ask my mother if they did such a thing back in the 40s, I doubt she would say yes. Things have definitely evolved to a whole new level. This is great. So many more of us will be able to communicate this way. Language and culture barriers with be broken at last.

What is your take on learning foreign languages? Do you believe that every human being should be studying a foreign language other than their native tongue? Some folks do. In fact, when it comes to learning foreign languages, I have some experience of my own. I took Spanish 1 and 2 in high school. Then in college I took three additional Spanish courses. That's not too bad if I do say so myself. However, I was baffled at one Spanish professor's take on learning foreign languages. She was originally from Argentina, and came to the states to teach Spanish.

I think this is wonderful. However, I did not agree with her spiel about how everyone in the United States needs to learn Spanish. This is plain and simply a glib statement. She is certainly not considering all sides to this coin. What about everyone else who came from other countries to the United States. They've already had to learn English to adapt. Is it fair to tell them that they must learn Spanish as well? You try telling that to someone who already speaks fluent German, Japanese, or French. They will likely tell you "I will learn Spanish when everyone else learns my native language."

When it comes to learning foreign languages, things can get a tad tricky. Not everything is as cut and dry as some folks would like it to be. The truth is if you plan to go and live in a foreign land, you'd better learn their language first. This
is just common sense. After all, how far do you think you will progress with a language barrier?

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