Habla usted Espanol -- (or any other language?

[searchingforlight]

I found this to be a fascinating article and worth comment.

http://rutlandherald.nybor.com/News/Story/70190.html

"A shortage of foreign language skills is affecting American security and economic competitiveness."

"Increasing American proficiency in foreign languages is an absolute prerequisite for world peace."

Ray Clifford - Chancellor of the Defense Foreigh Language Institute's Foreign Language Center in California

[Fovea]

1. Yeah

French, Greek, and I am slowly learning Dutch ... It is a bit harder now since I had a stroke.

I should be ready by the time we hit martial law nationwide and I have to flee.

[searchingforlight]

2. Good for you.

If you don't mind my asking, how old were you when you started learning them? Did you take them in a structured environment or did you learn on your own? Did you live where they were spoken?

[Feanorcurufinwe]

3. It's more than just competitiveness - it's learning to think in new ways

It's more than just competitiveness - it's learning to think in new ways. I like his suggestions but I'd go even further and say everyone should be required to take 8 years of a foreign language beginning in elementary school.

I took French in HS, and I started studying it again about 2 years ago (I'm 43).

[searchingforlight]

5. My son was the same way.

I tried to encourage him to speak it to his kids when they came along but he didn't and now they are starting to take in in middle school. He has lost much of his proficiency and I feel he is sorry for the loss.

[Art_from_Ark]

4. Japanese

And when I was in the US looking for a job, no potential employer, including Uncle Sam, gave a rat's patootie about my Japanese language skills.

[searchingforlight]

6. Either you were at the wrong employers or they were very short-sighted.

I guess it was both. Language facility even when it is not needed directly, opens avenues in the brain that enable more lateral thinking. (My opinion.)

[Art_from_Ark]

7. I looked high and low for work

Potential employers in Arkansas mostly shrugged their shoulders at my Japanese skills. I went to a couple of job fairs out west, and handed out a couple dozen resumes in DC. I even applied for one job that required my exact skills, so I thought I was a shoo-in for that position. But after three months of waiting, I finally called to check on my application and was told the position was still open but I was "not in the database". Was my tie crooked during the interview? Did I not look alert enough? Or were they just not interested in me?

At any rate, I found almost zero interest in foreign language skills during my job search. It was really frustrating.