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I don't really think you can generalise. Lots of Brits go to France as well as Spain. And lots of people go skiing in Switzerland, Austria and Germany. And from a business pov after the US I'm pretty sure that Germany is our biggest trading partner. Germany is also very underrated as a place. Tbh whether people do French, German or Spanish it will come in use.
Just about anybody who speaks English has the aptitude to learn a foreign language. But the problem is people don't start early enough, kids need to start in primary school - that doesn't happen in state schools.
Well, my mothers tongue is german, but we get taught english already in elementary school at age ~7. My english isn't really good, but it's far more than enough to live in an english speaking country and get a job there (i reckon).
English speaking people usually never learn different languages, they already speak on of the most spread and accepted languages spread over the world, but still. I think learning another language and be able to converse in foreign languages and read foreign books is a great thing. I read a lot of english books and use my english fairly often (at least on ze internetz) and it's interesting to understand idioms, humour, sarcasm, timbre and tone in foreign speaking people. Most yugoslavian people I went to school with were able to speak german, yugoslavian, english fluently and were able to speak a ok amount of spanish too (had it in school).
I think that's excellent conditions and extra-bonuses if you are applying to any high-position job (beside your necessary education for that area of course).
/edit: german is - i think, objectively seen - more difficult than romanian languages like spanish and french. Spanish is really easy (had it for four years), because the grammar is really easy, you just CAN'T make mistakes with the pronounciation. It's so easy, it's like it's written unlike french.
english is still the easiest way of conversing and teaching I think for not having composed nouns. I.e. "Theory of relativity" instead of "Relativitätstheorie". English words like "opportunity" and "occasion" are the normal every-day usage words, whereas in german, there are very "easy" and sort of "blunt" words, who are normal in everyday usage, but a bit "clumsy" in uni or other academical circles.
Whereas anglicisms as "Opportunität" or "Okkasion" (from opportuniy and occasion) sound really out of place, difficult and generally like out of a language only neurotic scientists with white smocks and tousled gray hair.
so if you want to sound like someone with IQ 260 just learn german and speak in a lot of anglicisms.
On this note: Gesundheit! my little Kindergarteners, don't forget your Rucksacks.
Yup. I agree too.
Nearly every other country teaches it compulsor and from an earlier age. We should too.
French is a dying language though. Spanish is a much faster growing language globally.
I myself, put my own Irish language ahead of any other European languages. I'd rather learn the tongue of my ancestors than some foreign language, including English tbh. Given the chance I'd speak Irish to anyone that could hold a convo back to me.
Tabhair aire dúibh fein. Go raibh maith agaibhse. :thumb:
If French is a dying language what is Irish?
You make it sound as if French is on the brink of extinction. It's still got over 150 million native speakers and is the native language in over 30 countries. Anyway they speak French in Paris and Montreal which are two of the coolest cities in the world. :yes:
Although it'd be nice if people could pick whatever they would want, I guess limited resources will restrict that - at the moment though isn't it German and French simply because most of the staff were tought german and french? I can't see those languages as the top picks for the future.
I think personal preference would make a big difference, as I've said before, I love french and wouldn't ever want to learn spanish. I have reasons to learn german and italian but no real desire to. Chinese-mandarin is probably a good idea in terms of industry.
In India English is an official language and a lot of official stuff is done in English because there are so many different languages spoken. I can't really see Urdu or Hindi being chosen over French.
French and German are useful and not just taught simply because staff speak them. Britain is after all a European country, after the US we do most of our trade with European countries and European countries are the most popular holiday destinations. And I think it'll be a while until there are more people here working for Chinese firms than European. I'm starting to sound like a proper europhile...
Did I say Irish wasn't a dying language?
German however, fell on deaf ears. I couldn't get to grips with it, and at the end of year 8, we were asked to pick one. I dropped German straight away.
I suggested Spanish because it's so widely spoken, not because it's where Brits go on holiday.