Can you speak more than one language?

Nur ein bißchen.

English high schools used to make you learn a second language. Do they not do that anymore?
Wish I’d learned a Spanish now, as it would be a lot more useful in the States!
 
ChicagoBlue said:
Nur ein bißchen.

English high schools used to make you learn a second language. Do they not do that anymore?
Wish I’d learned a Spanish now, as it would be a lot more useful in the States!
Click to expand...
When Ashton Grammar was a Grammar school we were taught French and Latin in the first year. In the second year, you could choose between Latin and German to "O" level. I chose Latin, purely because I'd got 90% in the end of year exam. Looking back, I should have swapped for German, as it would probably have been more use to me in the future. What it was like when you were there I have no idea, but that's how it was from 1961 - 68. Et tu, Brute?
 
crazyg said:
When Ashton Grammar was a Grammar school we were taught French and Latin in the first year. In the second year, you could choose between Latin and German to "O" level. I chose Latin, purely because I'd got 90% in the end of year exam. Looking back, I should have swapped for German, as it would probably have been more use to me in the future. What it was like when you were there I have no idea, but that's how it was from 1961 - 68. Et tu, Brute?
Click to expand...
From 75-82, when I was there, it was French or German, with some opportunities for other languages if the teachers were available. I took both until we got to O level, then picked German. Good thing was I took German I & II as my foreign language electives in Uni in the States and that O level made it piss easy.

And, yes, we also did a Julius Caesar as our play for English Lit O Level, along with Keats (Poetry) and Pride and Prejudice (Novel)! Like a sad muppet, I can still recite parts of each...Antony’s speech, Keat’s Lamia, and a few parts of P&P, although I prefer watching the Rosamund Pike/Keira Knightly movie version!!
 
This thread is a bit of a fallacy really, anyone who passed GCSE or equivalent level maths is bilingual.
 
My sojourn into European language learning has been characterised by nothing but failure, but failure with full honours. French for five years, extensive vocabularly but could ne'er string three sensible words together. Since then, I've had a 'go' at German, Italian, Spanish, Irish, and Mrs Ewing even bought me a thin primer in Welsh. I'm currently having a go at Dutch! I shall not rest until some Johnny Foreigner is staggered to learn that after a wee conversation in his native tongue I insist that I am English!
 
I got back from Aarhus, Denmark earlier having watched Wales there. So much Welsh spoken by the North contingent. Two on the bus back switched to English to include me in the conversation. I think becoming fluent living there will really help me in the workplace. Embarrassed at how little I speak. Half my family are Taffs.
 
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