Second language requirements at universities

[Barreldriver]

Greetings folks. Tonight I would like to discuss second language requirements at universities. The university which I attend demands that students with my major and related majors are to study a foreign language for two years as to fulfill a general education requirement. I am interested in how others here would perceive the necessity of this.

I myself do not think this an appropriate demand in that I do not intend to travel abroad nor am I to participate in a trade which would demand that I be bilingual. The requirement has distracted me from other studies in that it takes me an atypical amount of extra studying in order to achieve success in the necessary coursework (German in my case) leading to a neglect in subjects more relevant to my pursuits. So far I have managed but it gets to be aggravating.

I would not suggest an abolition of such courses merely a reform of who ought to be required to take such courses (ex. those whose future trades require extensive global travel or communications with peoples in other countries).

[Comte Arnau]

Regardless from their practical use, the knowledge of languages always broadens your perception and insight of things, specially when they really differ from yours. This is something that is only perceived once you know them. I can understand why this annoys you personally, I'm talking from a more general point of view. But believing that a language is just for communication is comparable to believe that a modern mobile is just a tool for phoning.

[Barreldriver]

Regardless from their practical use, the knowledge of languages always broadens your perception and insight of things, specially when they really differ from yours. This is something that is only perceived once you know them. I can understand why this annoys you personally, I'm talking from a more general point of view. But believing that a language is just for communication is comparable to believe that a modern mobile is just a tool for phoning.

Beyond a doubt I can see the benefits aside from typical communications but should such courses be mandatory in universities? I would think that the decision to engage in such studies ought to be left up to the individual, especially when language studies could potentially interfere with coursework more relevant to a students goals.

[Comte Arnau]

Beyond a doubt I can see the benefits aside from typical communications but should such courses be mandatory in universities? I would think that the decision to engage in such studies ought to be left up to the individual, especially when language studies could potentially interfere with coursework more relevant to a students goals.

Yes, I can see what you mean, and I agree with you, they should not be mandatory, unless the language is really needed in that career for some reason.

These days here universities are starting to demand B1 and B2 levels (intermediate to upper intermediate) in English, even in those universities in which students didn't expect that at all as the careers are not directly related to the English language. I've heard many people complaining about it being mandatory too.

[Loddfafner]

I think it should be mandatory in more universities and at early stages of schooling. It is a lot of work but the exertion is like bodybuilding in that it strengthens your ability to handle a wide range of seemingly unrelated tasks. If you can learn a language well enough to think in it, it will strengthen your thinking in English. Knowing in your bones just how differently grammar can work tends to have that effect.

In general, America would be in a stronger position if more of us could speak other languages and keep track of what is going on elsewhere.

I wish I knew German well enough to read Nietzsche in the original, without the filters that translators have put on his work.

[Loddfafner]

If hard courses that were not directly related to occupations were not mandatory, few students would take them, and would only do the work for trades that may become obsolete even by the time they graduate. Most employers can train you in the basics of the job once you are hired. It is the hard stuff - math, language, literature, etc - that give the strength and flexibility of mind that make you more genuinely useful to your employer.

[Barreldriver]

I think it should be mandatory in more universities and at early stages of schooling. It is a lot of work but the exertion is like bodybuilding in that it strengthens your ability to handle a wide range of seemingly unrelated tasks. If you can learn a language well enough to think in it, it will strengthen your thinking in English. Knowing in your bones just how differently grammar can work tends to have that effect.

In general, America would be in a stronger position if more of us could speak other languages and keep track of what is going on elsewhere.

I wish I knew German well enough to read Nietzsche in the original, without the filters that translators have put on his work.

Your stance is reasonable. I would suggest though that if we make that the case that we do as you suggested at the beginning of your post in that we start these courses at an earlier age, I was not exposed to foreign languages until I entered the university and I think that to be the major issue in these studies.

[Comte Arnau]

Your stance is reasonable. I would suggest though that if we make that the case that we do as you suggested at the beginning of your post in that we start these courses at an earlier age, I was not exposed to foreign languages until I entered the university and I think that to be the major issue in these studies.

I guess that is the major problem. In Europe, we are used to deal with several languages from the first stages of education.

[GeistFaust]

I find that you can find a practical use for language. The ability to speak a different language broadens the horizon of your conceptual understanding and approach to the world around. It re-shapes how you perceive and absorb your experience and the objects within it. It also allows you to possibly communicate with people in a different way, which is a big issue in America with all the Mexicans.


I personally think they should learn to speak English, but if I come accross one of them knowing some Spanish would be nice. I think that the German language are very important if you want to further your studies beyond the bachelors level like I might do.


It allows you to get a better grasp at the initial historical documentation or philosophical writings, which you just can not get in the same context in the English version. I am required two or four semesters of a foreign language. Something like that I think. Learning a new language can introduce new schemes and patterns to think about, and change the way you experience yourself in the world.

[Damião de Góis]

It could be worse. I had to take physics courses which had little to do with my degree. Mechanics was ok but Electromagnetism was way off and very annoying to do. I would have changed it for French, German or Italian in a flash.

[European Loyalist]

At my school you have to take at least one french course, no matter the major.

I don't have a problem with it, nor do most people in school. The main reason for that is because of the utter easiness of the introductory level 1st year french course, which the vast majority of people chose for the French requirement. Even the ones above it aren't hard at all, I took the 2nd year intermediate level and it was much less difficult than my grade 12 french class :lol:

[Comte Arnau]

And something few people think about. Learning to speak other languages ultimately improves the way you speak your own language.

[Loddfafner]

Who knows, maybe some day you will go to Germany and then you will be awfully glad you have some clues about the language and can can get out of the tourist rut. In the West, most speak English, but in the former East Germany, most do not.

[Loddfafner]

And something few people think about. Learning to speak other languages ultimately improves the way you speak your own language.

It can screw you up, too. I often wish I could use a plural you, or speak in the conditional or subjunctive moods.

[Comte Arnau]

It can screw you up, too. I often wish I could use a plural you, or speak in the conditional or subjunctive moods.

Lol.

But that is the best part. When you get to know that there are so many ways of perceiving things different from those in your language. I've found myself so many times being unable to express a concept or structure in a language that I was thinking about in a different one... I really know what you mean. :p

[Racial Observer 1814]

Knowing more than one language is never a bad thing.

[Comte Arnau]

Oh, and being able to read literature or watching films in their original languages... That is a big pleasure not everybody can experience, and I really feel lucky to be able to do it in a bunch of languages. No matter how good the translation or the dubbed version is, it is never the same.

[Loddfafner]

Lol.

But that is the best part. When you get to know that there are so many ways of perceiving things different from those in your language. I've found myself so many times being unable to express a concept or structure in a language that I was thinking about in a different one... I really know what you mean. :p

I studied Arabic for several years. Although I was never able to use it for any practical purpose, I did come to see how Semitic grammar shapes a very alien kind of thinking. Its system of root consonants shapes a very essentialist way of of thinking.

[Barreldriver]

Who knows, maybe some day you will go to Germany and then you will be awfully glad you have some clues about the language and can can get out of the tourist rut. In the West, most speak English, but in the former East Germany, most do not.

Optimistic thinking. :p With my background and wage potential it is highly unlikely that I will venture beyond Tennessee and Ohio (ultimate goal is to return to Tennessee and stay put).

[Incal]

I understand it from a yank POV since yanks rule the world and their language is today's lingua franca: English. For the rest of us who have not been so lucky to born in the US or the UK, the learning of a second language (English obviously) is a must, otherwise you can't graduate.

[Comte Arnau]

I studied Arabic for several years. Although I was never able to use it for any practical purpose, I did come to see how Semitic grammar shapes a very alien kind of thinking. Its system of root consonants shapes a very essentialist way of of thinking.

My level of Arabic is very basic too, but I can read it and know how the language works, so I understand what you mean. Yes, I found that triconsonantal thing fascinating. However, I still can't buy such a lack of vowel quality. :D

[Incal]

Optimistic thinking. :p With my background and wage potential it is highly unlikely that I will venture beyond Tennessee and Ohio (ultimate goal is to return to Tennessee and stay put).

A tip: Never say that on a job interview if you really want to be hired, you'd be considered mediocre.

[Barreldriver]

A tip: Never say that on a job interview if you really want to be hired, you'd be considered mediocre.

That is a given. The context of that post was clearly informal. :p