What do you call someone who speaks 3 languages?
---- trilingual
What do you call someone who speaks 2 languages?
---- bilingual
What do you call someone who speaks 1 language?
---- American
Americans are so preudiced by their own media that they rarely bother to look outward to the wonderful cornocopia of cultures and languages that exist outside of the oh-so-perfect homeland. That and many not ever being able to afford foreign travel. The Peace Corps was a great idea, but it did not include enough people to make much of a dent in the prejudices of common America . . . . and nowadays it is far worse, where the idiots in Washington are all brainwashed almost beyond belief against any such undertakings.
There are lots of countries where the majority of people speak only one language. However, the dominance of the USA in the world has encouraged many to learn English. People in former British colonies were FORCED to learn English, making them bilingual. Malta, which only gained independence in 1967, still teaches school in English…although there is much grumbling from the masses to change that.
Our education system is remiss in this area.
Second languages are available as early as elementary school. A mandatory second language might be a tough sell because the USA doesn't have an official language.
Many Americans are fluent in more than one language.
How many languages are you fluent in? Any?
@Dyl1983 Is that your way of getting us to infer that you're fluent in French now?
@Dyl1983 So even though you only speak one language, you think it's appropriate to make fun of others that also only speak one language?
@Dyl1983 That makes one of us. It surprises me because I bet you are familiar with how it feels to be made fun of.