My biggest objection is that if this is how it is, then our schools have to teach American children Spanish (or whatever other languages will help them get a job in this country).
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I graduated HS in 1960. Every student was required to have two years of a foreign language or they could not graduate. I took Spanish in 9th and 10th grades, as the other languages then offered were Latin and French.
I can still understand much of the Spanish language and figure out what it means when written, but when listening to a Mexican speaking very fast I often don’t understand what he/she has said.
“I graduated HS in 1960. Every student was required to have two years of a foreign language or they could not graduate. I took Spanish in 9th and 10th grades, as the other languages then offered were Latin and French. I can still understand much of the Spanish language and figure out what it means when written, but when listening to a Mexican speaking very fast I often dont understand what he/she has said.”
I graduated HS thirty years later; we were required to have 2 years of a language as well (I believe that has been moved up to 3 since). I must say that while I studied Spanish for 2 years I learned a lot more using it (there is no shortage of opportunity for that in my area); the classes helped in the sense of being able to read & write it. Spanish speakers thing we speak quickly as well (it is almost an illusion caused by lack of comprehension); sometimes they (like us) may speak quickly if they don’t want others to understand.