25 years in UK & still can't speak English!

Brilliant answer and explanation, Alice. Totally agree!

 

So many dumb and clueless Caucasian British people doing the same.

 

What has the colour of someone's skin got to do with it?

It was also cited as one of the major reasons for the last England manager losing his job.

 

Anyone who is looking to live in another country should be looking to learn the language as a priority.

 

Doesn't matter whether if its English in Spain or Norwegians in Nigeria.

 

It's just really rude not to.

 

Translation services should only be made available to refugees.

 

I thought the last manager quit because he couldn't choose his own captain?

Can we just stop fuming and blowing this out of proportion?

 

Foreign languages on a train: I speak Dutch with my wife and family when they are over. They are conversations between me and them, not for nosey parker.

 

Foreign languages in a school: It is a school, they learn to speak English there.

I learned to speak French and Gerrman in school, and became fluent in both. While in the RN I often found I could converse in French to Italians , Spanish or Portugese, in German to Yugoslavians or Poles. I could read road signs in Spanish though I can't speak the language. I chat with a Norwegian friend in German though we both speak English. It keeps the language alive, its not like riding a bike, you need to practise it or lose it. Edited April 24, 2014 by buck

I thought the last manager quit because he couldn't choose his own captain?

Nah, that was a handy smokescreen.

 

His time was up and one of the factors behind that was his inability to communicate directly to the players. Right up until the end he was using an interpretor.

Nah, that was a handy smokescreen.

 

His time was up and one of the factors behind that was his inability to communicate directly to the players. Right up until the end he was using an interpretor.

 

His time was up? He just led us to the European Championships unbeaten in the qualifying group, he defeated Spain and Sweden in his last two games and was unbeaten in 2011!

 

He had the highest win ratio of any England manager!

His time was up? He just led us to the European Championships unbeaten in the qualifying group, he defeated Spain and Sweden in his last two games and was unbeaten in 2011!

 

He had the highest win ratio of any England manager!

The teams dreadful performances in South Africa in 2010 had undermined his position.

 

No-one had any faith in him going into a big tournament.

 

No-one was sorry to see him go.

 

Language was an issue. Not as much as his and his staff's salary, but it was an issue.

The teams dreadful performances in South Africa in 2010 had undermined his position.

 

No-one had any faith in him going into a big tournament.

 

No-one was sorry to see him go.

 

Language was an issue. Not as much as his and his staff's salary, but it was an issue.

 

And you believe that the manager leaving before the Euros, leaving the replacement manager with no time to asses or prepare his team would leave England in a better place?

 

Also you're forgetting that he quit!

I learned to speak French and Gerrman in school, and became fluent in both. While in the RN I often found I could converse in French to Italians , Spanish or Portugese, in German to Yugoslavians or Poles. I could read road signs in Spanish though I can't speak the language. I chat with a Norwegian friend in German though we both speak English. It keeps the language alive, its not like riding a bike, you need to practise it or lose it.

 

Agree entirely Buck, being multi-lingual is a blessing. Like you I speak several languages and can understand a lot of other key-phrases so I can make myself understood in other languages. Alles Gute!

Who's saying a Brit can get away with it?

 

.............

Lets see if they do the same for the Brits in their country then, shall we?

You mean like this?

 

Road Signs For Dummies

 

If they've done that for a long time, they should have learnt to read and write English and learnt how to speak the language and find their way home by now!

Presumably the dual language signs aren't intended to be used exclusively by people who've been in this country for a long time.

English is the official language of this country,

 

oh no it isn't. Just where did you get it into your head that there is any official language in the UK?

 

There is no official language in the UK. Just as there isn't any official language in the USA either. Compelling people to speak English goes against any notion of free speech you could possibly care to name, which is suposed to be one of the best things about this country this is also why it will never be passed in the USA. They have something called the First Amendment over there.

 

of course I am not saying that it is not a very good idea indeed immigrants to learn English. Clearly it is and they should be greatly encouraged to do so. But compelling people to learn it? Nope.

the last time I looked, there was no official language in either the UK, or the United States. Especially in the latter case, we will have a lot of fun when they try to square the English-is-compulsory angle, with the First Amendment. Trying to make English compulsory to speak, in England itself, is also doomed to failuré.

 

Oh dear, this is what is wrong with so much today....

 

Of course English is the 'official' (or most used) language of England, but common sense takes a hike because it's not signed and sealed by officialdom and bureaucracy.

 

No wonder we're swamped by paperwork.. and lawyers are rubbing their hands...