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oh man dutch is fun! i cant speak a lick of it, tho id love to learn. anyways, as an american living in germany, i try my best even if its just guten tag or danke, every little bit has been appriciated. it doent take long to learn how to say hello in any language. thats a really great question. its really sad that more people to try. it sets a bad stereotype on cultures. for instance, most americans that i know that travel to paris, say the parisians are rude. turnes out they are very friendly if given the chance. when asked to speak english, they do try, but their accents are so thick it sounds as if they're still speaking french. this was considered rude. it just takes patcience and an open mind.

I see that a lot too, and as an American, it gets on my nerves. If whoever you're talking to doesn't speak English, they're not going to develop the ability spontaneously just because you raise your voice at them. I don't know why people don't travel with phrase books or make a point of learning simple phrases before they travel. In most cases I've found, natives are happy to help you if you're at least attempting the language. Most of Europe speaks at least a little English, and they'll work with you if you make the effort.

It isn't entriely laziness. In most other countries there is compulsory learning of English in school. If people didn't have to learn it at school then most would not learn it. The reason it is compulsory is that it is the universal language for international trade so it is very likely to be useful for the student and for the country teaching it.

We were lucky to learn that most useful language as our native tongue and most other languages (except Chinese) are spoken by a small minority of countries, sometimes only one. Chinese is not an easy selection either because of it having a totally different script.

So the choice is easy for other countries when deciding what second language to teach. What should our schools teach, though? German only useful in Germany, Austria and part of Switzerland, French, only spoken in France, part of Belgium, part of Canada and as a second language in some old French colonies.

There is not a clear choice of necessity to teach English speakers a second language and if a minority language was to be selected there is not much chance that it would be useful after people left school.

I agree - and unfortunately that is why a lot of countries don't really like "American" tourists. I've seen way too many tourists act arrogant, and turn their nose up at things that they are not familiar with (food). I am embarrassed for them. Depending on the dialogue, I will step in to translate or help. I can't help it - I feel bad for frustration on both sides.

Unfortunately, less the 5% of Americans have a passport, so they are not really very well groomed travellers. People with passports realize how big the world is, and most Americans just don't see that there is a whole world out there past their own borders. :o(

Although americans are often guilty of this, the british do it too. The sunburnt and slightly balding englishman yelling in slow english at the poor spaniard who owns the giftshop/bar/guesthouse thinking that this will force him to understand is a common sight. i think it's simply a mistake made by many who come from english speaking countries, because it is such a dominant and wide spread language that they think they dont need to bother. I am british myself, and am facinated by language, currently being able to speak german and french and aspiring to master russian and mandarin. However, much as I hate to say it I feel that on some level even those who do learn the language seem to think that if their lingustic skills do fail them then surely this foreigner will miraculously begin to speak at least basic english.

It is often due to ignorance, but also the lingering imperial concept that we are in charge of the world. And america do so love to think that they are the ones on the very top...

Well, let me tell you something. Im an American, and we have ppl over here that have lived here for most of their lives, and have NEVER learned a word of English.

It should be a law that if theyre gonna live here, that they should have to learn the English language.

If Americans are traveling, they shouldnt HAVE to learn any other language, but if theyre gonna stay somewhere and live there, then YES they should learn the language.

Get your sh*t straight before posting a question.

For one learning another language takes time. I lived in Holland for 3 years I would try my best. I could not speak Dutch, but I could read it and I did learn to communicate by writing it down. For me speaking dutch was worse then writing it. I would get strange looks for my attempts. I was happy to catch on to reading it thought. There are small words I did learn to say. Your usual please and thank you and bathroom. Manly this has to do with peoples manners. I am an American but after living in another country for 3 years. It was a reality check that I really needed. I had a bigger reality check then I did to culture shock. Americans are PRUDE. I have changed a lot since living there. One day I do hope to learn to speak Dutch and return there, with my family my youngest child was born there I want to be able to show her where she was born and I want her experience to be great.

* It does not matter if you travel for one week or for 3 years ( it was not my choice to move there) To learn small frase is the best thing to do. Then they know your trying. They know a forner when they see one. To them your a traveler whather you live there or not.

I think it's more like: when American's travel they don't learn the language cause it's temporary.

But when foreigners MOVE to America, they should learn the language if they plan on staying. If they are only visting here, then it doesn't matter too much either.

good question ...i speak 3 languages...Portugues..Italian ..Spanish.....i travel to Portugal and Italy because that's my culture...so i understand ..but People who come live here in US..do the same ..

Ummm, I don't do that.