Which one?

[there4eyeM]

French, because once I did begin learning and speaking it, I learned so much about English. It would have been good for me to have had both those learnings earlier.

To be sure, there is a lot of French influence in the English language.

And even more German.

Anglo-Saxon was a Germanic language, so English is classed in that family, but German itself has had very little effect. In a very real sense, 'English' can be considered the marriage of Anglo-Saxon and French, with lots of other languages (Swedish, Danish, Pict, Celtish) thrown in.

 

[Unkotare]

To be sure, there is a lot of French influence in the English language.

And even more German.

Anglo-Saxon was a Germanic language, so English is classed in that family, but German itself has had very little effect. In a very real sense, 'English' can be considered the marriage of Anglo-Saxon and French, with lots of other languages (Swedish, Danish, Pict, Celtish) thrown in.

Sort of, but not exactly. There are structural similarities with German owing to their common ancestor, whereas the French influence is mostly marked in the lexicon due to its imposition on aspects of English usage following the Norman Conquest.

 

[Meathead]

Yours is a dogmatic response to a situation where a country with a much smaller and mostly white population trumps a larger country with a huge "brown" population in almost every conceivable measure of global importance. Get over it.

Are you trying to inject race into this? What is your motivation for doing so?

You can relax, I already said Australia wouldn't have to worry as they rest easy in our shadow.

I have no motivation for injecting race into this. It is a no-brainer given your incessant posting on the topic coupled with your previously irrational denial of the obvious. At least you know when to quit.

Australia may have reasons for a strategic alliance with the US, but the "Indomesian" threat is certainly not among them.

 

[Unkotare]

Yours is a dogmatic response to a situation where a country with a much smaller and mostly white population trumps a larger country with a huge "brown" population in almost every conceivable measure of global importance. Get over it.

Are you trying to inject race into this? What is your motivation for doing so?

You can relax, I already said Australia wouldn't have to worry as they rest easy in our shadow.

I have no motivation for injecting race into this.

Then why did you try (clumsily) when there was no reason to do so?

 

[Unkotare]

Australia may have reasons for a strategic alliance with the US.

LOL! "May have reasons." LOL!

 

[Toro]

I don't think languages should be compulsory for Americans, except for English. On a continent where you can drive 5,000 miles and never meet anyone who speaks anything other than English, it's not practical for most people to learn another language.

 

[Meathead]

Why not? It is the language of a much larger, stronger, more important country very near your own.

When you make statements like this and fabricate things like Indonesia's GDP being 40% larger than Australia's I fell compelled to interject. I had not intended to hijack this thread, yet, the reasons for your feeble defense of the quote was entirely transparent. Politics, dogma and race should not have entered this thread, but there you go.

Still, with your disingenuous replies it is a small wonder that others have a low opinion of you and your contributions.

 

[there4eyeM]

I don't think languages should be compulsory for Americans, except for English. On a continent where you can drive 5,000 miles and never meet anyone who speaks anything other than English, it's not practical for most people to learn another language.

That is a point that makes people hesitant, but the value is not just the other language learned, it is also the learning about language. Each tongue has its own inherent philosophy and psychology, and we learn about ourselves and how our brains work by seeing verbal communication in a new light.

 

[there4eyeM]

What language do you wish you had been taught from a very early age? I mean really taught (or even immersed in), not the half-assed introduction students get in public school to Spanish or French.

English.

Grew up elsewhere.

You do incredibly well at English for its not being your first language. Congrats!

 

[Wry Catcher]

I wish I had been forced to take Latin. Not of course to speak it; Latin provides a sound background for a greater understanding English as well as all of the romance languages. My wife took three years of Latin and three of French and in Italy, Spain and of course France she is able to communicate effectively.

Of course I can too. When I needed cough medicine in Portugal I went into the Pharmacy, looked at the lady behind the counter, and coughed. Slick, huh?

 

[Unkotare]

fabricate things like Indonesia's GDP being 40% larger than Australia's

Australia's GDP: $674,600,000,000.00


Indonesia's GDP: $948,300,000,000.00

 

[Unkotare]

is a small wonder that others have a low opinion of you and your contributions.

Gosh, do you think I won't be elected class president? Oh-no!!!






Grow up you fucking clown.

 

[Meathead]

fabricate things like Indonesia's GDP being 40% larger than Australia's

Australia's GDP: $674,600,000,000.00


Indonesia's GDP: $948,300,000,000.00

Ok, provide your link. You understand my hesitation to take your word on the matter I trust? Especially so given the tremendous discrepancy.

List Of Countries By GDP 2012

Country 2012
European Union 18,084.866
United States 15,880.207
People’s Republic of China 7,209.418
Japan 5,920.556
Germany 3,599.981
France 2,834.353
United Kingdom 2,602.487
Brazil 2,576.244
Italy 2,245.905
Russia 2,197.710
Canada 1,809.315
India 1,858.969
Spain 1,524.063
Australia 1,470.027
Mexico 1,231.642
South Korea 1,201.535
Netherlands 852.482
Indonesia 908.125

 

[Unkotare]

[ You understand my hesitation to take your word on the matter I trust? Especially so given the tremendous discrepancy.
]

No.

 

[Unkotare]

NationMaster - Economy stats: Australia vs Indonesia

 

[Meathead]

Nationmaster (2006)versus UN, IMF and World Bank (2010 - 2011) I guess:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal)

 

[Jackson]

To have a better understanding of the English language, you cannot beat Latin. But to converse in the future society it will be Spanish.

 

[Meathead]

To have a better understanding of the English language, you cannot beat Latin. But to converse in the future society it will be Spanish.

Actually, French and all the Germanic languages would be better than Latin for that purpose. Latin could give you a better grasp of English etymology, as would Greek.

 

[Jackson]

Why Study Latin?
English Grammar - SATs


Latin Helps You Maximize SAT scores
This sells Latin programs. Through Latin, test takers can guess at the meanings of new words because they already know the roots and prefixes. But it's not just enhanced vocabulary. Math scores also increase.

Why Study Latin - Advantages of Studying Latin


I think we agree.

 

[Unkotare]

Why Study Latin?
English Grammar - SATs


Latin Helps You Maximize SAT scores
This sells Latin programs. Through Latin, test takers can guess at the meanings of new words because they already know the roots and prefixes. But it's not just enhanced vocabulary. Math scores also increase.

Why Study Latin - Advantages of Studying Latin


I think we agree.

Well, yes and no. There are benefits to studying Latin, but you have to remember that the Latin students will encounter in school is based on High Latin, whereas the Latin from which the Romance languages are descended was Vulgar Latin. And of course, there is an inherent limitation to the practical value of studying a dead language.