Are Americans Too Scared To Learn Another Language?
Are Americans Too Scared To Learn Another Language
?
Multilingualism, especially for adults, is such a no-brainer that is seems ridiculous to even debate or have to justify directing resources to increase it here in America. To a large degree, we Americans justifiably induce much headshaking in other countries for stubbornly clinging to only one language out of fear of a loss of our "culture".
We're not talking about official sanctioning of full-body burqas, rather advocating for a concerted effort to help make it easier for our residents to communicate with one another. How exactly would that be bad for the United States?
Of course, if our culture can't survive having our people speak multiple languages and be more welcoming to those who come from other places, it would not be much of a culture after all. But in reality, the incredible culture of America is such that it will only be strengthened and cemented through improved communication within and beyond its borders.
Of more immediate impact, the U.S. needs all of its adult residents to become economically productive (read: effective taxpayers) as soon as possible to help pay for our increasingly older population. That will not happen without teaching millions of adults to speak English, while at the same time teaching many more Americans to speak Spanish and Mandarin.
Parents who get it already have their kids learning Spanish or Mandarin at a young age; often outside of public school by necessity. Those parents who don't get it are going to have kids who have a slim chance of ever speaking another language, thereby denying them a golden opportunity to become leaders in the impending, accelerating demographic shift. And that shift is a statistical certainty.
But, in a positive trend, American adults are increasingly seeking ways to learn Spanish, and to a lesser extent Mandarin, as a way to gain a competitive edge in today's workplace and to expand their circle of friends and their opportunities.
With some more-targeted efforts we can raise the productivity and standard of living of this crucial demographic and improve the long-term economic and financial prospects of the U.S. at the same time.
The demographics alone make this an urgent necessity from a national prosperity and security perspective, but so many Americans still insist on keeping their heads securely buried in the sand. They very mistakenly think and act like all of our (white) ancestors learned English immediately upon landing on these shores. Nothing could be further from the truth, but revisionist history that makes our families and us seem smarter is such a tempting indulgence for most of us.
Blithely expect everyone to just learn English quickly on his/her own is simply wishful thinking. Those Americans who are making the time and effort to learn Spanish, for example, realize the commitments necessary, and automatically have more understanding of the challenges faced by immigrants who are working, raising families and surviving full-time. When they add focused English lessons to the mix, it can become overwhelming.
Once we, as a society, get that investing in language learning for adults provides an almost immediate return on investment, we can then begin to enjoy the fruits of the blossoming potential of millions who are our neighbors, colleagues, and co-investors in America's future.
In the end, it is amazing how much wider and more interesting the world is after learning a new language. Thousands, even millions more people are suddenly available to become our friends, colleagues, and potential mates.
How anyone believes otherwise continues to amaze me every day.
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