A question about native English speakers and foreign languages

[DelphineMarineaux]

Hello!
I'm not a native English speaker so please bear with the mistakes and errors I might make.

I would like to ask native English speakers (particularly those that have only grown up speaking English) if you are proficient or fluent in any other language than English? As in, can you proficiently read, write, understand and communicate in another language aside from English? If so, may I ask where you learned whatever foreign language you know from?

I don't live in an English speaking country so I'm also curious to know how much education kids in English speaking countries get in foreign languages at school? And are the kids learning foreign languages on a high level? As in when they graduate from school, are they able to proficiently read, write, understand and communicate in a / several foreign language(s)?

Aaand a little bonus question: If you don't know any foreign languages, but had the opportunity to learn any foreign language in the world, which would you choose and why?

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

I always enjoyed languages and did two atAlevel and a third at uni but only became proficient (b2/c1) by living abroad (fourth language).

I LOVE being able to speak foreign languages, it feels like a superpower. I’m on holiday now and there’s locals and Brits by the pool in these two separate tribes and I feel so sociable and comfortable in both.

Ive been going for lessons in a fifth language and I’m a beginner but having a blast. If I could choose a sixth it’d be European for sure, I’m not sure I could start with a new alphabet. Maybe Latin would be interesting.

Language teaching here is rubbish. Most language learning starts at 11 or even 13. In other countries, they often start much younger, even if it's basic stuff.

While it's true that people in a lot of countries have much more general access to English in every day life - pop, cinema, adverts - we also have a lot of access via the Internet if we want it. It's not like my '80s school days, where you had to ask if someone going to France on holiday could bring you back a magazine or two, or see if you could tune into a crackly radio station (lived near the south coast - probably even that wasn't an option for much of the country.) You can read and watch stuff online in pretty much any language you want these days - if you want.

I'm usually okay with reading. Far less so with listening, but I have duff ears anyway (not giving up swimming though, so probably stuck with it.) Had to get a colleague to repeat something 3 times the other day, in English. I'm also happier writing rather than speaking, in any language including English. (No coincidence I'm here on a mess board!)

I'm finding now I'm late 40s, it's more of a struggle to remember vocabulary (am learning Welsh at evening classes - though it's currently the summer hols.) It's definitely easier to learn as a child, even if people can be more willing as adults.

DS (English native speaker) was educated at secondary level in Spain. As a result he is fluent in Spanish. He did a European Languages degree and can speak French and German to a reasonable level having spent time in both countries and studying Latin at school definitely helped. He is now Head of MFL at a large secondary school.

DH speaks and reads Spanish quite well but nowhere near fluent. I'm rubbish but understand quite a bit and my vocab is fair. Been back in the UK 10 years so not as good as we were.

I didn't do any foreign language at all until I went to secondary school aged 11.

I did French for 3 years, Latin for 3 years (dropped them as soon as I could, and can't remember much) and German for 4 years (to GCSE standard). I've forgotten most of my German too nowadays I'm afraid - I could get the jist of a menu but couldn't hold a conversation.

British born (Scotland). French was compulsory at my high school until 4th Year, when we could choose to carry on or not. I took French until 6th Year, and added German, and my friend added Spanish.
I can read and write French and speak it ok, but couldn’t hold a serious conversation.
I have lost most of my German, but can polite, and make small talk.
I took up Spanish seriously five years ago and am reasonably proficient reading, writing, speaking - but often struggle to understand if a Spanish person is speaking rapidly.

Yes, I'm pretty fluent in one language after having lived in the country and worked in the language for many years. I can also communicate well but not fluently in a second language (my DH's native tongue).

I studied three other languages at school, to varying levels of proficiency. I would only say that I was really proficient in one of them, but I was reasonably fluent at the time - mainly due to an unusually good language department in my school and extensive opportunities to spend extended periods (up to 2 months) in the country, living with local families etc. I also had a flair for languages which helped. Sadly, I don't really speak that language any more, though I still have good receptive skills. Haven't ever had an opportunity to use it.

Generally, I think we're pretty crap at languages in the UK, sadly.

I think those of who are native-English have a disadvantage that when we go abroad, there is so much English spoken. It makes it harder to practice our skills. I once asked for directions, reasonably confident that I would be able to understand the answer, but the answer came in English.

I sometimes participate in an annual international competition. All instructions, wherever it is hosted, are given in English in addition to any other language, so even if we speak the language, we don't need to. Meanwhile, other participants are always building their English vocabulary related to the activity.

I had french, german and Latin lessons in high school. Can very roughly follow simple Latin and very, very basic french. I could not hold a conversation in anything other than English.

I was taught French at school in the 70's in a language lab set up.

For those who don't know it was rows of cubicles with headphones through which you could hear your teacher at the front and pre recorded tapes were used to teach the language. Your teacher could talk to you through the headphones at any point and ask you to say something in French.

For me, as an introvert, it was like a torture chamber of humiliation. I had fantasies about bunking off school to avoid French lessons, but because I was a very conscientious pupil I never did. It's given me a life long phobia of learning any language.

English native, only taught french for 3 years in high school, didnt take it as GCSE option so I know a few words but very far from proficient!
My teenagers had sporadic language teaching at primary school, a term of french ,a year of british sign language followed by simple german taught by austrian teaching assistant( colours/ animals etc) it was very patchy and not consistent at all.
Their secondary schools varied, Grammar school offered DDs a choice of 3 languages, french, german and spanish ,they could pick two to study for 3 years and then had to stick with at least one of them for GCSEs.
DSs Comprehensive school only offered french and they could drop it for GCSEs.
DD got A* spanish GCSE but it was taught by rote, she didn't feel confident or proficient, but could talk very well about a tomato festival🤣( learnt for oral part of exam)
We live near france( just other side of English channel) and can remember being ridiculed by the french in the eighties who definitely were not impressed by our schoolgirl french, tbh that dented our confidence as we were made to feel stupid tbf our accent and pronunciation was terrible.
We get lots of foreign students in our town and their english is usually really good and I always try and help them with those questions they have be set to ask us natives in town centre.
I think its a shame in the UK state schools dont teach french consistently from reception like any other subject, would be very useful but there isnt a culture here of learning a foreign language until you go to high school at 11, by which time its probably harder to learn and stick with.

Like many British people, I learned some basic French & Spanish at school, and I can still communicate in a simple way in those languages, eg order a meal in a restaurant, but I’m embarrassed to admit that that’s the limit of my linguistic abilities.

I am ashamed to say I only have very basic French and then resort to phrase books when travelling.
I think part of issue is that British schools historically taught French as the first foreign language. I think that goes a long way back to lack of flights for most people, and those that did holiday abroad would go through, or to, france in 1950s. It made sense.
Then flights got cheaper- Spain got very popular ( or the islands), but schools did not,switch to Spanish which would have made much more sense- much more useful in more countries than French.
I certain,y isn’t even get exposed to foreign languages at school till I was 11, fairly common back in late 1970s- far too late,I think
I also think French op is very hard to learn, and the emphasis was on written rather than conversational French ( back in o level days). I can’t spell well in English, so I have no hope in French with all its silent endings. Spanish is much more phonetic so would have been easier.
As it was I failed miserably and conclude that I am hopeless at languages.
I am very conscious that native English speakers can be extremely lazy when travelling and get away with not speaking any foreign language, so I do try to at least know some basic phrases before travelling

My Swedish friends watch the BBC all day, they especially like House in the Country

Heartbeat is very popular in Norway.

I did French GCSE, but I'm not sure how well I'd do if I had to sit it again tomorrow! I could probably still go shopping or to the doctor.

My Spanish used to be good (A-level, but two native speaker teachers, all lessons taught entirely in Spanish, and a conversation class every week). I also babysat for a Spanish family. I can still read it and can manage television programmes, and if I hear other people speaking Spanish I can usually understand it. However, I'm not convinced I'd get the right tenses when I try to speak and I've definitely lost some words, although I could make myself understood with no problems the last time I was there (just as well, I had delayed flights, damaged luggage, leaking shower etc!).

I used to speak some Dutch picked up from family on holidays there, but now I can only really do greetings and food. Oh, and say "I'm sorry, I don't speak Dutch," but unhelpfully with a good accent, so people don't always believe me.

I started French at school when I was 11. There was no opportunity to learn before then. I embraced it, am confident and funnily only speak in French to my French hairdresser to keep in practice! My two DS started learning French at nursery aged two and a half. I encouraged that at home too. They got bored of French (also aged 11) and then took up Spanish. They are now both fluent in both languages. I can potter about in Spanish but far from fluent. They're 21 and 22, I'm 49. My parents who are in their 70s speak no other language other than English. All UK born.

I can get by in French and Spanish but I'm way off fluent. I learned French at school and have made a point of practicing fairly regularly, it helped when we had a French student staying with us for a year. Spanish I learned as an adult and working with some Spaniards has helped.

I'm English, native fluent English speaker.
In my opinion the English do not have a natural second language unless one parent is not English, and our language teaching in schools is poor compared with the rest of Europe.

I did French at school but I am certainly not fluent, I really struggled with it and can only speak a small amount, very slowly.

When I got much older I became interested in Scandinavian countries and took Icelandic and Norwegian lessons. I found it very difficult (Norwegian was a bit easier) and although I speak, understand and read a bit of each I still struggle and that's after 3 years of lessons.

I would love to be fluent in a foreign language but just find it so difficult. I wish I'd heard other languages around me when I was a small child, it might have made language learning more natural perhaps?

I think in the UK there isn't an 'obvious' second language to learn, and so much of the world learns English that there is a bit of a 'why bother' approach.

I agree.

If Spanish had evolved as the main language of the United States, instead of English, all British children would start learning it at primary school.

Fluent in Italian- learned it whilst living there, but secondary school French helped a bit. Kids and I are Duolingo addicts- I’m nearly up to a 800 day streak in Dutch.

I'm British and a languages geek so did a level French and German, then Russian at uni. But the vast majority of British people don't speak any other language fluently. A lot might know a few words or the absolute basics. The only exception is if they are specifically specialising in languages for a job or because they want to live in the country etc. It would be quite unusual to find, for example a graduate in, say, engineering or science who also speaks a second language fluently. This is something which appears to be common in other countries.

Basically mfl teaching in this country is rubbish with almost none in many schools at primary level and not enough listening and speaking at secondary level. It's not seen as a priority 😢

I'm similar to the other British people, can read French and German but speech and listening not as good. I'd like to learn Mandarin.

French is my strongest. This is because I did the O level for 5 years, A level for 2 and because I loved it. My teacher was amazingly inspirational and I still think about him now ( 30 years later). I can read it, write it and hold a conversation in it.
I did my Spanish O level in 1 year, then A level obviously for 2 years. I can read it well, write it and hold a decent conversation with a native. I use it a lot on holidays. I'm often told I speak Spanish well.
I did Italian O level in 2 years, then A level. Italian is easier than Spanish to speak because of the grammatical aspect - easier to formulate a sentence. Spanish can be quite tricky.
I did German as part of my degree ( business studies). I could order a meal, etc but I'm not fluent ( though I know lots of business related vocabulary!).
I did Latin O level for 5 years. Loved it. And if the government want to bring it back, I'll come out of retirement to teach it !
I've taught languages in secondary and primary schools. I loved teaching it in primary as the kids were like sponges. We would play games, sing songs and hold basic conversations. Unfortunately in primary schools the goalposts keep moving, so one minute there's funding, then there's none. I still found ways to incorporate it into the schoolday though.
I taught a year 5 class once. The boys in there were especially challenging but they loved learning Spanish. I remember one was French, one was Italian and we had a couple of Spanish speakers so I would show them the links between the Romance languages I also worked really hard getting them to construct and formulate sentences rather than just learning stock phrases.
My dad taught me Italian when I was very young and I think this kickstarted my love of languages.

I grew up in North Wales, and although I spoke English at home and with my family, I was immersed in a Welsh language school from the age of 3, and did all my education in Welsh. My Welsh is a bit rusty now, but I can get by in everyday conversation and follow the tv.

My parents both speak French and have worked in France, and my dad worked in France ever summer from when I was about 4 to my 20s, and I spent quite a bit of the summer holidays out there so had French friends, and learnt French easily at school. I had no opportunity to try other languages though.

I worked in France for a year after A levels, then did French, Spanish and German at uni - both Spanish and German from scratch, to a point where I was technically fluent, but not overly confident as I'd learnt it so quickly. I then did a PGCE and taught languages for a few years, but it was so bloody demoralising to constantly get the arguments of "but miss, WHYYYYYYYYY do we have to learn French?" and 90% of the kids couldn't see the point and hated it.

Now, I'd say my French is still fluent, my Spanish and German are a decent holiday standard and with a bit of immersion get back up to being able to have a decent conversation about something more detailed, like current affairs or something, and to watch & understand the news when I'm on holiday (normal pace, no subtitles) but find something like a film or a drama harder, as they're more likely to use slang and to get faster. My Welsh is sort of similar.

I like languages, but I'm pretty much the only one of the people I know who can speak another language. I'm not aware of any of my colleagues being able to.

I started off doing French and Spanish at secondary, but dropped the Spanish at options stage. Did French to GCSE level, but I can’t say I could speak it much at that point. Then I lived in Italy for 3 years and became fluent in Italian, and it seemed to give my French a boost as well, so I can now hold a conversation in it. Increased confidence? Enlarging the language centre of my brain?? Romance languages being quite similar? Who knows.

WRT the influence of TV, after becoming hooked on the Deutschland 83/86/89 series, I would now love to learn German

Over the course of my lifetime I have learned 3 (And a half) foreign languages with a handful of words in a further 3.

I learned French and German at school. We holidayed in France every year when I was a child and despite not really liking the country I loved the language, the movies and magazines. I spent all my holiday money on fashion magazines. That helped my French.

I had to learn German because I was in a top set at school and it was compulsory to do French and German in top set. I still remember some German.

I lived in Spain for 3 years. I didn't know any Spanish when I moved there really but I had to learn fast. And I did learn it quickly by osmosis. I used to be almost fluent. Easily conversational and a bit of Catalan too.

But I've lived in Cyprus for 12 years. I thought I had a natural ability for languages but I cannot get to grips with greek no matter how hard I try. It's not conversational at all. I can't make myself understood when I speak but I can read it
I just get frustrated that I don't always know what the words mean . If I'm searching for a word in my brain in Greek I still in my head go to Spanish and French first! I don't have an affinity for greek culture as much as I did with French or Spanish and I think that's a difference.

I also have Welsh heritage so know a bit of Welsh, love Italy so tried to learn Italian and live near the border so learnt a bit of Turkish.

Not every language sticks. And not every language is as easy to learn.

English native speaker. I speak near fluent French (needs a few days in country to regain), basic German and some Russian. Can read a little bit of Spanish and Italian and have attempted some Gaelic and Chinese (Mandarin) with limited success.

Started French at 11 when I went to private secondary school, quickly caught up with my classmates who had learned the year before although I'd done a couple of "French clubs" and some odd bits of French at school before then.

Age 12 started Latin, Age 13 started German and did all 3 to GCSE. School offered Spanish as a choice instead of German, I preferred the bigger difference between languages.

In 6th form did A-level French and GCSE Russian plus a brief dabble in Ancient Greek (ran out of time). Did a language exchange in the Easter holidays of y14 which was a game changer for my French.

Degree was "with French" including a year in France where we learnt the main subject in French with the French students which was were I got mostly fluent.

I've been rubbish exposing my children to languages, although they do get some stories in French and one of our "eye spy" variations uses French vocab. DC has also done a bit of French in P1 (age 5, Scotland). Hopefully she will get taught more French and some Gaelic at school and I will get more French into our life.

Language teaching in general in the UK is quite limited. I was lucky with my school to learn several languages and the teaching was generally good. It does not start early enough - better when the kids aren't self conscious!