At 2:22 AM 3/28/96 -0800, Timothy C. May wrote:
... In any case, the issue is not the classes taken by _some_ (the few percent who study Russian, Japanese, Mandarin, etc.), but the topic of this thread: "Why Americans feel no compulsion to learn foreign languages."
I, at least, want to know something of the language of the countries I travel in. Being able to get a meal or a room for the night is useful. As a rock bottom minimum, I want to know the phrases: Hello, Good by, Please, Thank You, More beer please, and Where's the bathroom. The look of pleased surprise on the face of the Budapest resident when I said "Thank you" to in Hungarian as he gave up his seat to me because I was loaded down with caving equipment is something I still treasure. Regards - Bill ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Bill Frantz | The CDA means | Periwinkle -- Computer Consulting (408)356-8506 | lost jobs and | 16345 Englewood Ave. frantz@netcom.com | dead teenagers | Los Gatos, CA 95032, USA