d_volaric@vaxa.uwa.oz (03/22/89)
In article <132@sopwith.UUCP>, snoopy@sopwith.UUCP (Snoopy) writes: > In article <21572@shemp.CS.UCLA.EDU> loving@cs.ucla.edu (Mike Loving) writes: > > | I personally think that it is sad that so few people in the US speak > | ANY foreign language. I thought US English was a foreign language :-)... I would of thought that most of what was happening in computers was happening in English-speaking counties, or if that is a gross mis-statment, most initial development was in English, so It's become a de facto standard (I don't bvelieve I used that phrase) of communication. Although understanding of other cultures and languages would enhance under- standing, would it yeild a substantial benefit in a field like computers? > > Isn't it supposed to be much easier to learn (natural) languages when > you are young? Post-grad is a bit late, foreign languages should be > taught in grade school. I guess ages 0-4 are optimum, but at grade school, although the mind is more of a sponge (soggy :-) the motivation is not there. I was force-fed French in grade school and spat it right back. Now I wish I hadn't. > > It would be nice if natural languages were as easy to learn as computer > languages. (more logic, less memorization) Someday I expect to turn > the TV on and hear, "I'll take German irregular verbs for $500." Actually, when I recently tried to lean a foreign language, I was very frustrated by the fact that the teacher was tring to teach by example, rote, etc instead of by algorithm and noting exceptions. > /_____\ Snoopy (not a Jeopardy fan) Darko J. Volaric Discliamer: Spelling is a virus from outer space...