Obama, wtf...

[HAULN-SS]

Are you guys dumb? I didn't say that two chinese companies would do their transaction in English, but the software they are doing the transaction is was programmed in one of the programming languages that are English based. If they want to do business with the largest consumer in the world, they'll do their business in English. Comparing just about any asian language with English in terms of being able to express a complex idea in concise, clear, non-ambiguous terms is a joke. Throughout history, this ability to communicate effectively has been the difference between success of nations. People in Europe speak many languages because of the density of the countries on the continent, but they also speak English. Why? Whether you guys like it or not, your kid would be better off in the world to speak the universal language of mathematics, barring the occaisional war in the mid-east that causes a high demand for arabic language speakers to spike. And obviously, if you're going to go live in another country right now, you should be expected to learn their language, but this counters your other point. The U.S. shouldn't be in the business of teaching many languages. It cost's a shitton to implement, and then maintain everything in more than one language. Translation services in the U.K cost 150 million pounds a year...i couldn't find numbers for the U.S., but that's a lot of laptops to a lot of kids.

[Apoc]

I didn't say that two chinese companies would do their transaction in English, but the software they are doing the transaction is was programmed in one of the programming languages that are English based.

I'm pretty sure you didn't say that at all... at least not out loud in a way anyone else but you could understand it. Note to Deersty, talking "business transactions" means more than the code that executes electronic transactions to the rest of the world.

Comparing just about any asian language with English in terms of being able to express a complex idea in concise, clear, non-ambiguous terms is a joke.

There's no way English is the most clear, concise language. Homonyms and homographs come to mind as a good reasons why. Asserting English the best language when you're not fluent in one, two or seven others is the joke.

One nice thing about English is it gives us one word to describe your general view point on pretty much anything: myopic.

[HAULN-SS]

If you're doing a business transaction, and there's not some kind of software executing portions of that transaction..you're not really in busienss. At the very least, you're not participating in the world market, so who cares?

Being fluent in a language doesnt change which one you think in. What does that have to do with anything? Either way, English has a much larger wordbank(2:1 compared to spanish), grabbing for nearly every other language in the world, including all of the Romantic languages, without all the garbage about gender. If you have a larger wordbank, and less stupid rules to follow, you are clearly at an advantage over someone thinking in a different language. What's not to like?

[Apoc]

If you're doing a business transaction, and there's not some kind of software executing portions of that transaction..you're not really in busienss.

Business isn't just money flying from one account to another electronically. You have to woo customers, negotiate terms and provide support before and after all those 1s and 0s float about. That's the "business transaction" most people think about.

Being fluent in a language doesnt change which one you think in. What does that have to do with anything?

Yeah... because I don't have to know anything about what else is out there other than the name of it 'cause I know mines is t3h bestest! I give up...

[Steve85]

I see the blogger's point, I think Obama was being an ass.

However...

I do think we need to get kids started early on for a second language when it is easiest. Tech / math concepts are too complex for children but they develop language skills early on. My 3 and 5 year old have been learning Spanish in conjuction with English for things like shapes, colors, and counting. The Spanish really is not getting in the way of learning Visual Basic, Java or multiplication. For many reasons, Spanish just makes sense as the best choice to learn in conjuction with English. If later they choose a diff't language, no harm is done and I would even argue it would be easier in most cases.

Ironically, many of the teachers in the daycare are from WV, and our toughest job is correcting their pronunciation of English words :roll:

[BLINGMW]

I see the blogger's point, I think Obama was being an ass.

yeah, I'm glad someone got it! :roll: His argument was a double standard and when asked to clarify he just avoided it.

Ironically, many of the teachers in the daycare are from WV, and our toughest job is correcting their pronunciation of English words :roll:

*shudder*

[KPWSerpiente]

It warms my heart to know MM can argue about any subject under the sun in the greatest language ever devised.

I mean...look how precise this language is. We have a huge wordbank and even though that word isn't in the dictionary, I think I know what is being said.

English also doesn't have ANY silly rules like gender in nouns. I for one know I think 48.3% faster when thinking in a genderless language. I wrote a few programs (in English based programming language no less) to back this theory up.

-T

[Ginger0]

You mean, you can think faster in your native tounge, no way?!

Welcome to the discussion where you're going to continue the arugment about... whatever you want.

[.RJ]

[HAULN-SS]

Seriously, you guys are ridiculous if you think abandoning the language that has the largest installed base in the world, in favor of Spanish, or French, or any other romantic or germanic language with half the vocabulary, and twice the rules, especially when English essentially took the best parts from each. That's the last I'll say on that subject.

[Ginger0]

Seriously, you guys are ridiculous if you think abandoning the language that has the largest installed base in the world,

For somebody who claims to know so much about the language, you sure seem have a poor grasp on this discussion.

... and for our sakes, I hope it is the last you have to contribute.

[HAULN-SS]

For somebody who claims to know so much about the language, you sure seem have a poor grasp on this discussion.

quoted for posterity.

[BLINGMW]

yeah, who the hell talked about abandoning it?!

┬┐que :?:

[Ginger0]

Don't mind him, he's done talking about this subject

[JackoliciousLegs]

Seriously, you guys are ridiculous if you think abandoning the language that has the largest installed base in the world

Hey smarty pants, it's not even close to the number one most spoken language. It's third, a LONG way from Mandarin Chinese, and Hindi. Hell, it's debatable whether it's spoken more than Spanish.
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If you ask me, I'm very happy knowing English. That doesn't mean that we have to abandon the pursuit of knowledge in favor of the one supreme language... On second thought, we could call our supreme language the... get ready for it... Aryan language.

Man, this world has some *different* people in it. :roll:

[HAULN-SS]

links? everybody has links, hooray for more than one source:
and a final note, I already mentioned something about chinese dialects, so obviously I was not taking all of the dialects into account, since I am pretty sure clicking and pitch variations don't make for a very exacting language.

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[Ginger0]

Weren't you done participating?

[HAULN-SS]

yeah, i'm really done now :thumbup: Every spectactular performance deserves an encore

[KPWSerpiente]

Damn dude. You can't be done. I want to hear more about these clicking sounds the Chinese make.

-T

[mrbaggio]

Please bring more. I have been laughing at you all day.