more on language

[Maura Santangelo]

I sent both of my children to live with my sister in Italy so that they
might learn Italian, they both returned feeling that there was no need
to do so as "everyone wants to practice English, so what's the point?"
what indeed?  Having said this, I once witnessed a Chinese road worker
ordering a meal in remote zone of Nepal in English.  both the waiter and
the Chinese client spoke only enough English to confuse each other.  The
client wanted sauteed vegetables on noodles  instead of rice.  the
conversation went on for at least 15 minutes, with hand gestures
pointing at the menu and additional help from another waiter, in the end
he was served vegetables on noodles over rice... so yes it helps to know
the local language, but it is not always practical as is pointed out
below.  And americans are not the only people to do poorly in foreign
languages, the Brits are not much better, Italians are much worse, only
the Dutch, ( and Danes, Swedes and Norwegians) do well, but then when
there are only about 18 mil Dutch speakers what other choice do they
have ?? (sorry Pieter).

I found the camino linguistically inspiring, it allowed me to resurrect
my knowledge of French, learn some Spanish, and even got to use italian.

Maura


On Wednesday, July 23, 2003, at 01:45 PM, GC Fraser wrote:

> As a resident of the, um, "greatest" nation, I couldn't let this pass.
> It
> is true that many Americans speak only English, but I think that there
> are
> other important reasons why this is so besides pride.
> All American students are required to study at least one other
> language, I
> think Spanish and French are the most common.  However, that instruction
> takes place in a cultural and linguistic vacuum.  That is, there is no
> one
> who speaks it well enough with whom there is opportunity, let alone
> need, to
> speak in any language but English.  Secondly, foreign language courses
> are
> taught more as exercises in logic, than as any real attempt to
> communicate.
> Another reality is that the United States is so vast that there is no
> practical need or opportunity to learn other languages.  We are
> bordered by
> only two countries and of those, one, Canada, is English speaking along
> the
> greatest part of that border.  I would have to travel about 2000 miles
> (3000
> km) before I had any real need to speak Spanish.  French Canada is
> relatively nearby (about 400-450 miles) (600-675 km), but most people
> don't
> jump in the car for a quick dinner and movie at that distance.
> I consider myself fortunate; I grew up in a French Canadian family in
> the
> US.  When I was very young, my parents (and I) spoke French for my
> grandmother's sake, and that has made all the difference.  I find it
> easy to
> pick up other latin languages as needed.  I think that the ability to
> think
> in two languages gives one a great advantage when learning others.
> This is
> no virtue on my part, just a gift of God and circumstance.
> Fr. Gerry Fraser
> madmonk_1acomcast.net
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Road to Santiago Pilgrimage [mailto:GOCAMINOaPETE.URI.EDU]On
> Behalf Of pieter pannevis
> Sent: Wednesday, July 23, 2003 1:24 AM
> To: GOCAMINOaPETE.URI.EDU
> Subject: Re: Sept-Oct 2003 Hotels
>
>
> Dear all
> Most Europeans do speak French, German, English and Spanish and there
> mother
> tongue ( for me Dutch)
> If the " greatest' nation on earth thinks that English will do; they
> are in
> an error
>
> Ultreya and good health to you all !
> pieter and Trigo from Holland
> pieterpannevisagmx.net
>