Rents in UK now most expensive in Europe

remorseless

ruggedtoast wrote: »

This isn't really the problem though, it's more that there is no hunger for a second language among learners.

I feel very blessed that since a very early age I was taught to converse in multiple languages. One of my first jobs I was doing some support in 4 different languages that enabled me to see the world from a very different perspective but also put me at advantage of employability.

ruggedtoast wrote: »

They just don't think they will ever need to use them, so why bother.

I suppose so, if most around can speak your language, why bother? Though it puts speakers of English only in a vulnerable position and the animosity towards migrants 'stealing' jobs is no surprise. They can come here with ease, you cannot go there with the same ease!
Does it make the Brits feel less 'integrated' in EU?

PasturesNew

ruggedtoast wrote: »

.... there is no hunger for a second language among learners. They just don't think they will ever need to use them, so why bother.

The point most British people realise that Spanish, French or German would actually be very useful in their lives, is generally the point when it is too late. ...

At what point do people "realise" it'll be useful?

I've not realised yet ....

I've never been abroad, never come into contact with furreners and will probably never go abroad. How would it be useful?

For others English is told is the language to learn, so they all learn it. For the English there are too many random choices that can be made, without any particular "point". Which would you choose? Then, of course, is it taught in the school/s you go to - and/or is it available locally to learn? Access to languages isn't straight forward - choosing one's purely "what you fancy".

With people in other countries having the shared/common 2nd language of English there's more chance for people/friends to "have a laugh" and speak in English together. Not so here, if you're in a room one will have a bit of French, one German, one Spanish.

remorseless

PasturesNew wrote: »

I've never been abroad, never come into contact with furreners and will probably never go abroad. How would it be useful?

:rotfl: maybe it's time to leave from the mushroom you live in?

I speak 4 European Languages (3 + English) and 1 Asian, pretty much all fluent enough to do business (I may need a day or two to adjust and sharpen my tongue )

In the continent, where Brits can legal work and live, there're plenty of entry level jobs that grads could do if they spoke a second language fluently.

Speak French? http://amaris.com/en/careers/job-offers/page-offers.aspx?ref=3535
Speak German? https://dell.taleo.net/careersection/2/jobdetail.ftl?job=1006769&src=JB-12823
Speak Italian? https://hp.taleo.net/careersection/2/jobdetail.ftl?job=3075793

Usually these jobs will be taken by native French, Italian, German speaker who have a good command of English... the point is not to move to Bucharest forever, but in EU to spread in different cities and get experience. Why can't a Brit do the job? (maybe I am wrong, but I have never met one in those roles)

This in EU has been going on for ages, back in the 90's all these jobs were in the Netherlands, then moved to Ireland, then to Slovakia and now to cheaper locations as western EU countries change their workforce...NL, IE, SK have the same jobs now, but more skilled rather than entry level.

Languages are very important and we can hide behind the excuse that everyone speak English but the reality is that services need to be supported in local EU languages (have a look at population by country) and that English is used as a 'commodity' language which puts English speak only at a disadvantage. I guess that is why UK wants to close the border!!!

ruggedtoast

PasturesNew wrote: »

At what point do people "realise" it'll be useful?

I've not realised yet ....

I've never been abroad, never come into contact with furreners and will probably never go abroad. How would it be useful?

For others English is told is the language to learn, so they all learn it. For the English there are too many random choices that can be made, without any particular "point". Which would you choose? Then, of course, is it taught in the school/s you go to - and/or is it available locally to learn? Access to languages isn't straight forward - choosing one's purely "what you fancy".

With people in other countries having the shared/common 2nd language of English there's more chance for people/friends to "have a laugh" and speak in English together. Not so here, if you're in a room one will have a bit of French, one German, one Spanish.

Good grief...

padington

ruggedtoast wrote: »

Good grief...

With the handle 'pastures new' as well ?

ruggedtoast

remorseless wrote: »

I feel very blessed that since a very early age I was taught to converse in multiple languages. One of my first jobs I was doing some support in 4 different languages that enabled me to see the world from a very different perspective but also put me at advantage of employability.



I suppose so, if most around can speak your language, why bother? Though it puts speakers of English only in a vulnerable position and the animosity towards migrants 'stealing' jobs is no surprise. They can come here with ease, you cannot go there with the same ease!
Does it make the Brits feel less 'integrated' in EU?

There are very few British people to whom it would even occur, to search for jobs outside the UK, so no - there isn't much visceral excitement about the possibilities of EU membership for many people.

Part of the problem also is that people overestimate the language competency that they would need to just get 'a' job on the continent. At my point in life its too late for me for me to work outside the Anglophone world unless I had a very understanding employer or I wanted to bus tables or drive a taxi.

Nevertheless there are a lot of grad level first line tech support jobs, like the ones you linked to, where the ability to ask people to turn it off and on again multilingually would be quite handy.

One thing Brits can do all over the globe, mostly where and when they please, which non native speakers cant - is teach English, and a lot do. The job opportunities for that are pretty much limitless although that has pretty severe eventual limitations in terms of career progression, in my experience.

remorseless

ruggedtoast wrote: »

There are very few British people to whom it would even occur, to search for jobs outside the UK, so no - there isn't much visceral excitement about the possibilities of EU membership for many people.

That's amazing!!!! Why?
Mind you - I have met plenty of British in Australia so they must be searching in English speaking countries.

I must correct myself, when in Amsterdam, there was a girl from Cornwall who spoke French and was doing support! Though was the only one :rotfl: good on her!!!

padington

remorseless wrote: »

That's amazing!!!! Why?
Mind you - I have met plenty of British in Australia so they must be searching in English speaking countries.

I must correct myself, when in Amsterdam, there was a girl from Cornwall who spoke French and was doing support! Though was the only one :rotfl: good on her!!!

Britain is incredibly multilingual in some ways. Our open arms immigration policy has ensured we have an amazing multi lingual workforce in our capital city. The old guard arnt great at it but the new blood are.

We also have a highly prized diplomatic network developed from our empire days extending our reach all over the world in ways no other country quite enjoys.

silverwhistle

I actually thanked PasturesNew because a lot of what they said was fairly accurate in terms of the choices to be made and the opportunities resulting.
As a kid I lived abroad and spoke the language with a local accent, although I went to an English school and never studied the local language formally. Returning to England I did OK at French due to my other language experience and passed O level in 4th form and literature the year after.In 25 years with a large company I never once used my foreign languages although I put myself down on the language register.

Following redundancy I looked around widely, and didn't get anything language related, and used my L2 once in a random phone call in one of my jobs. After another 5 years I went back to my childhood country to teach English and re-consolidate the language. Back in the UK 7 years later the need to work is less, but age and the competition means I still haven't used the language for employment here. (Actually, I tell a lie, I did some evening classes some years ago, but economically they were insignificant).

I've seen no sign that where there is a need and the opportunity that British people have innately less ability in languages, although circumstances sometimes enable us to get away with our laziness.

remorseless

PasturesNew wrote: »

I've never been abroad, never come into contact with furreners and will probably never go abroad. How would it be useful?

wow, Ryanair or EasyJet haven't found an airport near you!
How can you have not ever been abroad?