Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!uwvax!uwmacc!edwards
From: edwards@uwmacc.UUCP (mark edwards)
Newsgroups: sci.lang
Subject: Re: Americans and Foreign Languages
Message-ID: <498@uwmacc.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 12-Nov-86 21:37:17 EST
Article-I.D.: uwmacc.498
Posted: Wed Nov 12 21:37:17 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 13-Nov-86 00:03:50 EST
References: <480@pedsgo.UUCP>
Reply-To: edwards@uwmacc.UUCP (mark edwards)
Distribution: net
Organization: UWisconsin-Madison Academic Comp Center
Lines: 71
Keywords: For a few dollars more.

In article <480@pedsgo.UUCP> evan@pedsgo.UUCP (Evan Marcus) writes:
>I have seen some complaining about how Americans are lousy when it comes to
>learning foreign languages, and in fact take this shortcoming very lightly.
>I am guilty of this.  However, I only take a part of the blame.  I have, in
>my life, attempted to learn 2 foreign languages.  One is Hebrew. Since I am
>
>The problem, in my opinion, is the way it is taught.  We are not taught
>conversational French/Hebrew, but instead we are taught for hours how to
>conjugate verbs, and subjected to short, stilted conversations on tape.

     There are many ways to learn a foreign language. The best is an
  intensive course, in the foriegn country of your choice. The worst
  is probably by yourself, next worst in a typical classroom situation.
  I speak from experience, I can speak and read/write Japanese and have
  had several Western languages.
    However, the best way to learn a foriegn language is also the most
 expensive. You guessed it, the worst is also the most inexpensive, with
 classroom experiences, coming next.
    Another problem with the education in schools, is the mass production
 effect. The only way to learn to speak and to be able to re-act in real
 life situations is to have the most personal training possible, and
 the interaction should be with native speakers. 
    The only way to learn all what is expected, at a given budget (usually
 very small) is the way you said. But then the only way to learn to 
 conjugate verbs, adjectives and put together sentences, is just by
 practice. ( I have done much of that. In Japanese you even have to
 learn the character sets, and the chinese characters. The way you
 do that is by practice, and it TAKES TIME.)

>learned, on a basic level, in just a few weeks of intensive training.  I
>took 8 years, and never felt I could speak French.  (I got As and Bs!)
>
    But then again you took history classes, and how much do you recall
    from that ?

>Language learning is made to be a chore, rather than the fun experience it
>could be.  
            There is nothing fun to have to memorize 20 or more words
     for the next class. ( In Japanese you also have learn to recognize
     the chinese characters, as well as the pronounciation and meaning).

>In addition, in America it is viewed as less important to learn
>a foreign language, since everybody for hundreds and hundreds of miles in
>almost every direction speaks English too (or at least is expected to!).
>In Europe, the countries are much smaller, and it is much easier to leave
>yours.  
>
>A greater emphasis should be put on practical use of a foreign language
>rather than on conjugation and straight vocabulary.  Then, maybe, Americans
>could be persuaded to learn them.
>
>(Then again maybe not...)
>-- 

     It is all doomed from the start. Money does not grow on trees.
     A foriegn language is usually only needed by a small percentage 
     of people. Why waste all the resources on the masses, when
     only a select few will ever need it?

     Actually don't get me wrong. I agree with you. But I see the
     other side, and I am now a tax payer. There are only so many
     dollars, most of which gets wasted ( or does it? ) 


     Comments anyone ?      I'm I right ?

     mark

-- 
    {allegra, ihnp4, seismo}!uwvax!uwmacc!edwards
    UW-Madison, 1210 West Dayton St., Madison WI 53706