We learnt French from Y6 - 10 years old, but it was very little (about one hour a week). When I went on an exchange to France when I was 14, our counterparts not only were much more fluent than us, but they'd been learning more for longer, and had several languages mastered. In the UK, to have even studied two languages (ie. French and German) is quite uncommon.
It doesn't matter where you come from; it matters where you go.
No-one gets remembered for the things they didn't do.
We won't all be here this time next year,
so while you can take a picture of us.
We're definitely going to hell,
but we'll have all the best stories to tell.
essentially no we don't have a very good lanuages education here as a general rule, mostly we learn a foreign language from 11-14 and then can continue if they wish (it used to be compulsory to study to examination level but its not anymore) but most kids hate language lessons so never bother.
this of course is a general over view and there are lots of kids who love learning languages but as i said this is a general view.
Do you ever feel you need to use your other languages? For example, outside of English speaking countries it's very important to learn. Just think of such simple things as watching movies, playing/chatting online, music lyrics or just when on vacation. So (at least in Swedes, I can't assume too much) are more or less forced to learn it, so, with many people knowing English so well, I'm a little surprised of how few people here aren't from "non-English-speaking" countries.
Sorry for sliding off topic - please keep coming with where you live :)
Last edited by Samael_Black : 30-01-2013 at 11:41 PM.
Reason: was off topic
I'm from Wales :) My first language is English but we learn Welsh in school from the age of 3 and can then choose other languages in secondary school (11-16).
im going to sounds like a total arse here, but its never bothered me not knowing another language fluently because people in most other countries ive visited speak amazing English.
I think generally a lot of people from English speaking countries can get lazy in regards to learning other languages, because it's assumed that a lot of non-English speakers will learn English, simply because it's the most widely spoken language in the world.
I'm from Staffordshire, England, but I live in Kent :)
im going to sounds like a total arse here, but its never bothered me not knowing another language fluently because people in most other countries ive visited speak amazing English.
Same here. Though as I will be emigrating to Germany this year, I of course intend to learn the language, and have signed up for a year-long language course starting in July.
im going to sounds like a total arse here, but its never bothered me not knowing another language fluently because people in most other countries ive visited speak amazing English.
I don't blame you. As I've learned both Swedish and English at the same time, I keep thinking to myself: why can't the whole world just speak the same language? And I guess English is the closest to a universal language we have on earth?
i think there are several members who dont have English as a first language, but they use English here so you would never tell.
I studied French and Latin from ages 12-16 and German from ages 14 - 16. However, i can remember none of it :P
I dont know if its changed since i was at school, but we didnt learn foreign languages whilst we were still at first school.
You learn an MFL in primary school these days!x
There are times to stay put, and what you want will come to you.
But there are times to go out into the world and find such a thing for yourself.
I aint no abacus but you can count on me.
oh non-believer, please believe me.
is there honestly nothing in this world
that keeps you living & breathing?
you're a ghost in your own
goddamn city.
daddy I hear you in the wind , can you hear me? I wisper in winds too. 
