Should more Americans be learning Spanish as a second language ?

For all of the reasons you mentioned, it is in the best interest of Americans to learn Spanish as a second language. I actually started learning Spanish in 5th grade, and it seems that most schools around the country do offer it. The only problem is that very few students actually follow through until they are proficient. I think this problem can be attributed largely to poor teachers. Anyhow, knowledge of Spanish will be especially important to Americans living in the Southwest, where in only a few decades, those of Spanish background will make up more than half the population.

Learning a language doesn't only help you communicate. It also helps you to understand a culture. Thus, learning Spanish is important in the sense that it enables us to partially understand the culture of the millions of Spanish-speaking immigrants.

If you mean with a purpose to help in trading business. I don't think the money should go to that

because all businesses in trade are speaking English. The money I'm speaking of is the student

who pays to get taught. Invest in a trade or Bachelor's Degree and then if your company wants

to send you to take a course, they'll pay for it. Mean while, you have saved your resources at a time when money is tight. Yet, speaking spanish is beautiful and welcomed to learn it.

But not if the house payment won't get payed because an emergency arises. Apply it to being a nurse etc. If a teacher wants to teach spanish, at reasonable prices, I hope the whole neighborhood

applies. Its nice speaking spanish to anybody. Sincerely mario

Sorry to say the reason we are getting skilled jobs from other nations is because we have 11 different work visas for companies to obtain those individuals at a much reduced pay rate. Skill has nothing ot do with it and neither does language. Most schools require kids or at least colleges to have a certain amount of foreign language. There is no reason we don't have it in grade school here like other countries that require student s to learn sometimes 2 foreign languages so they are able to service the wealthier tourist that come to their country and they rely on the income...We are not far behind that sense we have helped other nations to take over our productivity in manufacturing,clothing,etc. I dont think any one wants to be ignorant, I think its a shame we do not get more down to real old fashioned learning and teaching sense it used to work and all the easy methods we have today, prove to be not cutting the grade. We have lost sight of the importance of education and focus too much on the electives instead. We are falling short because good education and secondary education is too costly for most. Some countries like people to not be educated, they can use them cheaper and they are trying to accomplish this here. Its too bad our government is looking more to help big business( that they get nice perks from) get richer, then help the future of this country. I guess too many just dont care. We are more concerned with taking charge overseas of others business interest, then to preserve this country and its people.

Theoretically, I don't think they should have to unless they're planning on visiting spanish speaking countries. Realistically, as a non-hispanic living in a hispanic area, it can't hurt. There are tons of hispanic immigrants with whom we have to deal every day as our neighbours, business owners, etc who just don't speak english well or at all.

It used to be when you immigrated to the US, you were required to learn at least rudimentary English before you could even think about becoming a citizen. Lessons were provided as part of the naturalization process, but we became politically correct and suddenly it was OK if you came here and never learned to speak the language.

I'm sure plenty of us who live in major cities have at least once had an instance of not being able to understand someone from somewhere else who was trying to talk to us because they didn't speak the language of the country they live in.

Business, internationally, is most commonly conducted in English which is why so many countries require their children to learn it in school. If you go to Germany, it's very difficult to find a German who doesn't speak English and if they won't speak English to you it's usually because they feel they don't speak it well enough (most of them speak it better than most Americans, but they tend to be perfectionists). Danish children start learning English when they get out of grade school, etc, etc.

But in all common sense, how does anyone expect to fully function and prosper in a new country without speaking the language of that country? And then to insist that the people who already live there learn your language instead of you learning theirs?

Sorry, but that's just not a reason.

I think there are certain professions that should be required to be bilingual, and I think there are lots of professions where Spanish would surely be helpful. However, I think there are LOTS of Hispanics who need to learn English if they want to live and work in this country. I cannot imagine moving to a foreign country and demanding that everyone around me learn to speak MY language. I think that if someone is in a position where they need to deal with Hispanics a lot it would be beneficial to learn Spanish, but the Hispanics also need to learn English.

Most people in First world nations do speak English even if it is not one of their official languages. And if you bump into a Finn, they will speak three languages before they finish their schooling as they are required to learn their own language, English and their minority language of Swedish. I would LOVE for more Americans to learn a second language - ANY second language - before they are issued their diploma. This would spare those of us who were not born here but rather have chosen to make our homes here the embarrassment and continuous hassle of having to explain to our puzzled family members and friends back home why the most diverse nation on the face of the planet not only speaks only one language among most of its native born citizenry, but even does that rather poorly so much of the time.

Of course if the world existed to make me happy there'd be puppy dogs and fluffy kitties everywhere for us to cuddle at will, we'd all be paid just for exercising good manners and bubblegum machines would be filled with Valium and Vicodin instead of sweets in case someone was having a bad day. So, on with it, I suppose.

Edit: Actually, the citizenship exam for the US is given in English and English only. If someone who lives here wants to become a citizen they must learn English. The ONLY exceptions are those who are very elderly and who have lived here for many years (I forget the exact number). They are allowed to bring a certified translator or English speaking family member at their own expense.

Also, we tend to learn English very young because we use it as a common language. We can travel a few hours and be in an entirely different country with an entirely different language in some cases. If you're closer to one of the Nordic countries, you'd learn English and one of the Nordic languages. In Eastern Europe, it's Russian, maybe English and your own language. Closer to Asia/China, it's Mandarin. I started learning English in year 2 or 3 of school, which is common for the region and has been since the end of WWII. (Before that I would have learned German first as that was our common language in Europe.)

No, if anything they need to learn English...This is AMERICA not Mexico or Spain. Sure there is nothing wrong with learning a new language but I don't think students should be forced to learn Spanish. If they want to live here they need to learn our language and vice versa.

I can understand learning another language because of the type of job you have like say military (going to different countries) but other than that...

Why not, everyone else those not part of the huge populations of the world has to learn english. Unless they're restricted to certain conditions environmentally or other causes.

I don't believe in placing languages first or second, it really depends on how you want to communicate to earn trust and do business or to survive in certain situation such as a plane going down somewhere not in your country.

yes and being able to speak spanish and english helps you to get better jobs to actually because of the need for translators right now

If I move to a country where the people speak Spanish, I'll take the time to learn Spanish. But as long as I live in the USA English is good enough for me. Thanks but no thanks to habla espanol