@MrsT :
Now see, that seems a lot harder than English. Lol

@MrsT : However, English is the #1 language spoken globally.

@Atascocita888 :
Oh most definitely. That's why I said "harder" not hardest. 😂

@Cbear :
Depends on where you're getting your info from. Most sources will say Mandarin is first, Spanish second, followed by English.

@MrsT :I think it's more about "foreigners" learning the native language of the country they are now living in as being "respectful" to that country and its long-term residents....As an American, if I go to live in China, I'd feel it an obligation for ME to learn enough of their language to communicate with them...To me I would be disrespecting them to expect THEM to learn my language in order to communicate with me....

@EddyFree :
Most do learn it at some point. That doesn't mean they're going to be perfectly fluent in it, it takes time. Plus the older they are the harder it becomes. They probably know way more English than any one of us know of another language. I'm gonna dip out because I can't argue against anyone who thinks being multilingual is a bad thing. 😂

@MrsT :You injected that...I never said such a thing....All I said was it was respectful to learn the language of the place you'll be living....In fact I said I would learn Chinese if I were to move there...Now, that would make me "multilingual" so how could you say I'm saying being "multilingual" is a bad thing if I used it in my example?....

@EddyFree :
And YOU assumed I was originally referring to people refusing to learn English when they move here. I'm referring to English speaking Americans who act disgusted at the thought of learning another language.

I'll tell a quick little true story here...Happened to me when I was in my late teens...At that time I had a job doing plumbing end-stage "trim" work(setting faucets/toilets/etc.) in brand new homes in Katy...And for those that don't know, there are many Mexican folks who work in the new home construction industry in various fields...Anyhow, one day I went into a bathroom to set a toilet and there was a Mexican guy in there hanging wallpaper...As I was working, for some reason he asked me if I knew Spanish...I told him no and he replied "are you going to go to school to learn it?"...I couldn't believe he just asked me that...I told him no again and continued working....

I grew up in East End Houston. Many of my friends taught me a little. I also took lessons as an adult. Even still, I don't know very much. I would absolutely LOVE to be fluent in Spanish though.

I have had some Spanish classes and can understand some though can't speak much. It is helpful to meet in the middle when Spanish speakers speak some English. I do wish I were one of those people that picked up languages easily…

@Catmae : Me too... I took classes through HS but didn't keep in practice so lost most of it. Started the Duo Lingo thing a while back but got busy and didn't hold on to it. A while back we went on a big family trip to Mexico for a week and I felt like an idiot... my step mother was there and is very fluent-her mother was born in Mexico- and she was basically our translator. I feel like extra knowledge is never a bad thing... Don't learn because you're supposed to, learn because you want to.

@EddyFree : Well said.

Our phone translating apps are doing a pretty good job. They're not perfect, but can assist in a pinch. The next generation of AI stuff should be much greater in aiding people to understand each other.

@EddyFree : WTF?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!