Obama wants our children to learn Spanish

[Saxman]

It's much like learning German, when your target audience is English.  Sure, some of the words are the same, but they are two different languages.

You can blame the French for that.

[Stixx]

Last I heard "Spanish" class starts in the 3rd grade.

How about earlier than that via television with Dora the Explorer and her brother Diago.

[Saxman]

Aw hell, if we're blaming TV why not start with Sesame Street, going back to the 80s. 

[Motherland]

There's nothing wrong with learning a language, provided the student gets to choose what they want to learn.



However, in more and more districts, spanish is being taught to younger children BECAUSE of the tide of hispanic illegal immigrants incoming to this country.  This is what's wrong.  That we are teaching our children spanish, spending our money, time and resources to cow tow to a people that are here illegally.  Last I heard "Spanish" class starts in the 3rd grade.

The funny part (and I won't tell my school district) is that they are teaching Castillian Spanish.  That is to say proper spanish from proper Spain.  The spanish being spoken by middle and south americans really isn't castillian spanish, making the whole thing rather worthless.

It's much like learning German, when your target audience is English.  Sure, some of the words are the same, but they are two different languages.

I have been told by Spanish teachers and friends that are fluent speakers of the Mexican dialect that proper 'Spain' Spanish is different, but not as different as you described.
The comparison I've been told is that it would be like someone coming up to you and speaking English the way it would be spoken 400 years ago, like Shakespeare or the like. So, proper 'Spain' Spanish to a Mexican isn't so much a different language, but if you were to speak it to a Mexican it would sound very awkward and dated.

[Ack-Ack]

The funny part (and I won't tell my school district) is that they are teaching Castillian Spanish.  That is to say proper spanish from proper Spain.  The spanish being spoken by middle and south americans really isn't castillian spanish, making the whole thing rather worthless.

It's much like learning German, when your target audience is English.  Sure, some of the words are the same, but they are two different languages.

You do realize that Castillian Spanish is really no different than the Spanish that is spoken around the world with a few colloquial differences.  It's not "two different'" languages as you so ignorantly claim.  Believe me, I would have no troubles understanding and speaking to a Spaniard and he would have no troubles understanding me with my "Mexico City" Spanish.  The only Spanish speakers I have troubles with are the Cubans and that's only because they speak so damned fast and not the dialect of Spanish they speak.

ack-ack

[Ack-Ack]

The comparison I've been told is that it would be like someone coming up to you and speaking English the way it would be spoken 400 years ago, like Shakespeare or the like. So, proper 'Spain' Spanish to a Mexican isn't so much a different language, but if you were to speak it to a Mexican it would sound very awkward and dated.

And whoever told you that is incorrect.  Castillian Spanish doesn't "sound like they're speaking like they spoke 400 years ago".  It's like the Queen's English and American English, some dialect and colloquial differences but the same language.


ack-ack

[Vudak]

English is the world's current Lingua Franca.  Any continent you go, you will find a good number of people who speak/understand it.  It might not have the most numbers of speakers, but I'd bet if I was speaking any other language in the world, and wanted to learn a 2nd to help me out, English would be the one that would help me most.

As someone who speaks English for a native tongue, I chose to study German.  I figured for what I wanted to do, Spanish would be completely useless.  All the Spanish speaking peoples I'd be interacting with would already know English for the reasons outlined in my first paragraph, and I don't plan on interacting too much with those who don't.

I guess I'll just end by saying Spanish is a very pretty language, as is Polish.

[lasersailor184]

You do realize that Castillian Spanish is really no different than the Spanish that is spoken around the world with a few colloquial differences.  It's not "two different'" languages as you so ignorantly claim.  Believe me, I would have no troubles understanding and speaking to a Spaniard and he would have no troubles understanding me with my "Mexico City" Spanish.  The only Spanish speakers I have troubles with are the Cubans and that's only because they speak so damned fast and not the dialect of Spanish they speak.

ack-ack

I apologize.  I was merely told by someone who learned proper spanish that it was very different when used in South America.  They were there for a decent amount of time, so they obviously must be wrong.

[texasmom]

My language of choice:
http://www.nana.com/media/inupiaq_language.htm
I'll be learning it with my children soon.   And my oldest is taking German, which I'm able to help him with a bit (well... only for practice... I don't know any of the structural rules that well).  I wish I'd begun languages with them sooner.

I don't object at all to the languages being required in school.  However, the money would be far better spent if they would use it to double the amount of teachers, cut the class sizes in half...  so teachers are not cranking the kids through on a check-the-block mentality out of a need to, but actually have an environment to teach effectively.

[Ack-Ack]

I apologize.  I was merely told by someone who learned proper spanish that it was very different when used in South America.  They were there for a decent amount of time, so they obviously must be wrong.

Yes, they are wrong.  My uncle is from Spain, when he comes to visit I have no troubles speaking to him in my "Mexico City" Spanish and he has no troubles understanding or speaking to me in his Castillian Spanish.  Though, I sometimes poke fun at him for having a lisp when he speaks.  There is no real fundemental differences, only in dialect and colloquialism.

Saying that someone speaking Castillian Spanish is going to have a tough time being understood by another Spanish speaker from any Latin American country is like saying an American will not be able to understand someone speaking the Queen's English.


ack-ack

[Serenity]

Knowing other languages is fine, but to mandate spanish just to accomodate the border jumpin scum..... Screw that!   

My thoughts exactly. I will learn any language under the sun hapily, EXCEPT Spanish. Why? Because I don't plan on going to any spanish countries, and I damned sure want to be able to order a burger in ENGLISH.

[Samiam]

Since no one has posted this yet:

http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/68146

Seems like a reasonable point of view.

[storch]

Yes, they are wrong.  My uncle is from Spain, when he comes to visit I have no troubles speaking to him in my "Mexico City" Spanish and he has no troubles understanding or speaking to me in his Castillian Spanish.  Though, I sometimes poke fun at him for having a lisp when he speaks.  There is no real fundemental differences, only in dialect and colloquialism.

Saying that someone speaking Castillian Spanish is going to have a tough time being understood by another Spanish speaker from any Latin American country is like saying an American will not be able to understand someone speaking the Queen's English.


ack-ack

spot on akak

[storch]

You do realize that Castillian Spanish is really no different than the Spanish that is spoken around the world with a few colloquial differences.  It's not "two different'" languages as you so ignorantly claim.  Believe me, I would have no troubles understanding and speaking to a Spaniard and he would have no troubles understanding me with my "Mexico City" Spanish.  The only Spanish speakers I have troubles with are the Cubans and that's only because they speak so damned fast and not the dialect of Spanish they speak.

ack-ack

tome o terceiro paso voce pode falar e entender portuguese si voce quizer.

[Gh0stFT]

"...wants our children to learn Spanish"

i understand that you have Mexico on the south border, but why just spanish? give them the posibility to learn even more languages and maybe become very good in at least one. I dont see any problem here ? Children learn
much faster, this age is perfect for that.
Hey, i will support my children to learn 2 more aditional languages, you can gain only a plus and no minus on that.

looks like the topic is more about Mr. Obama this days no wonder.