Oh, thats ok then.
But we don't need to bother, because they should speak english?
It is no where near the standard of our European cousins. Taking a foreign language of the compulsory curriculum (is that still the case?) is for shame. Now, it may be unlikely, can you imagine if our economy tanked while the rest of the world's expanded? We'd be fucked. The number of us who can speak a foreign language fluently is really small in comparison to other European nations. I also think its one of the reasons why we are somewhat adverse to closer ties with Europe. We feel no cultural closeness to them.
There was a time when ex-pat communities in spain and portugal did exactly what we criticise other cultures in England for. Creating basically british communities filled with english pubs and chippies. I don't know if that is still the case, but its hardly the cultural assimilation we expect to migrants to our own shores.
Nor do I. Not because I think "oh this is england, everyone should speak english", but I think it well help with community cohesion and give the migrants a better quality of life. Thats why we need more investment into this whole cause. Particularly in the case of asylum seekers and refugees.
There was an article in the guardian about a woman from manchester who had taken in a Syrian refugee. According to the article, the job centre was making him apply for "x" number of jobs a day, despite distance/despite travel (and him not being able to drive in the UK) and despite the fact he spoke no english. When he was asking if he could take english lessons first, they straight up told him "no". Thats a case of putting statistics and figures ahead of cohesion, education, understanding, and future prospects. It makes zero sense and is, in my opinion, another ridiculous example of governments thinking private sector business models can be extrapolated into the public sector.
Genuine question here, not judging just curious.
For those BM members who are expats living in non-English speaking countries. Can you speak the language fluently? Do you feel there is a need? Are you learning?
