Agreed!
I would hope that sed immigrant would want to learn their new founded language in order for them to get a job- but having spent a good few months in the midlands I find that this isn't necessary - we are a multicultural nation now!

laydeees
in the uk
we dont know many languages
but around the world english is taught/known
we SHOULD at least learn some languages
schools dont
but theres a WORLD WIDE WEB aka WWW internet
if schools dont do it..use the net..

The thing is as well, we cannot rely on relations to translate because of confidentiality. For example there may be things that the person may not want their relations to know about their condition.
I have known children to have to translate for their parents and this is not right at all.
It is a little easier now because we do have access to a translation service but they cannot be there all the time...

Is anyone gonna teach me how to quote, I have lost the ability since I got back.

*does lots of sad faces*

quote:

The thing with our nation is that when we get foreigners visiting us we kinda expect them to speak English and when we go abroad we expect them to understand us.  Which I don't think is right
_____________________________

Agreed it's a bit arrogant of us as a nation isn't it?

We are proper arrogant really that said, I think I'm gonna be knackered in Singapore if they don't speak any English.... even with a phrase book

Leccy copy what you wnat to quote then do the [ quote] no gap, then paste then [ /quote] again no gap

im learning aussie language right now
im watching kylie
live cobber
shelia
bruce
see its easy..lol

quote:

Leccy copy what you wnat to quote then do the [ quote] no gap, then paste then [ /quote] again no gap

testing

Yay thanks Croc

quote:

Is anyone gonna teach me how to quote, I have lost the ability since I got back.

*does lots of sad faces*

if you're on firefox or chrome, highlight the text, open your reply box and click the quote botton.... it has " in it 2 along from the smiley box

Saz...that doesn;t work on FF anymore...at least it doesn't for me.

oh does it not? leccy, use chrome or do what croc says I do the [quote] thing when i'm at home

You have to do it the other way round on firefox: open the reply box, then select the text and hit the quote button.

quote:

Leccy copy what you wnat to quote then do the [ quote] no gap, then paste then [ /quote] again no gap

Testing, testing...

Saz I'm on FF but it doesn't work *confuddled*  You're going to Singapore? You need to have a chat with my Mammy, and then go to Raffles and have a drink for her!   They speak English out there, coz there are so many different languages spoken. There are so many nationalities living there that English is the one they all have in common.

Aha!  Well done Petercat!

FGS can you not wait for me?....Give me a few years months I'll head to Baile Átha Cliath and join you.

woohoooo!  Thank you so much Petercat!

quote:

Saz I'm on FF but it doesn't work *confuddled*  You're going to Singapore? You need to have a chat with my Mammy, and then go to Raffles and have a drink for her!   They speak English out there, coz there are so many different languages spoken. There are so many nationalities living there that English is the one they all have in common.

PC has offered assistance for your FF question Might be going.... B has a conference in May, nowt booked yet though I read about Raffles in my guide book! Vair relieved about the language thing though

'Compulsory' to know how much of the language?
I'm sure most people would attempt to learn something of the language, but fluency takes years, if possible at all.

It's much more difficult for most adults to learn a new language. The kids will pick it up easily.

I think it's only rude and ignorant for people visiting a country, to expect people in that country to understand their language. I was shocked to find that the Spanish word for beer, didn't begin with 'b'. Took me ages to order one! 

I'm doomed before I begin.

I lived in France for ages and tried to pick up the lingo, I think I did, but it was more understanding than speakinf.

None of that! If I can start learning Japanese, then you can start on Gaelic. 

Forced to...NO
Try to...Yes

I remember trying to practice my German on a train in Austria.  I was phoning a friend to say why I was late.  Instead of saying der Zug ist kaputt   I said der Zug ist krank (the train is sick)  lots of Austrian people laughed and said I was funny in a nice way 

Thanks PeterCat,I will try even if I get to manage verbally communicating with my grandsons  I'll leave the homework in more capable hands.

Karma

quote:

I thought you were a newbie

Croc

quote:

I'm so glad I've made such an impression on you in your short time here (I only saw your name for the first time here tonight) that you know what i 'always' do!

I'm truly flattered

Of course you are. 

quote:

Why?

Doesn't automatically follow that I am a newbie.  That's just people making assumptions.  Just because someone doesn't post much or you haven't noticed them post before, doesn't mean they are a newbie.  You have no idea when I joined.  Many people join and simply read the posts for a while and don't post.

To be honest, if I moved to another country I'd expect them all to speak English to me. I have important things to be concerned with (football etc) I'm not going to learn how to speak French or German or American for example (though I'm getting the hang of dudespeak to be fair) just to make life easier for them when I know damn well they can all speak English anyway, they just pretend they can't.

I couldn't really expand before. Had to get ready for MM. However our family are a bit obssessed about freedom. My Dad still thinks that he fought in the last lot to preserve certain rights. When I go to The Fatherland I do my best to pick up a bit more, and I'm sure that most people who come here do the same. But the idea of being made to do so? Fooey! Freedom is when you don't have to do nothing!

prom, Du versucht es nicht. Kein problem, ich kann English sprechen.

Better than we can most probably. Nicht wahr?

Yeah. What she said. 

Joe, I wouldn't presume.

That's what I thought too!

I was commenting on prom's post mind!

Prom and Joe

Did I ever tell you about the time I spent a week in a Muenster school. The English mistress made a great deal about having me there and asked ( or axed as we say nowadays ) to read to the class. I managed two sentences before I was stopped, and subsequently banned. My pronunciation was turtelly wrang.

I skilfully ignored your insinuation that foreign people can speak better English than some of our own largely due to it being true 

On th OPs question of should it be compulsory to learn the languageof the country you want to live in, imo, no.