EDIT: This is a continuation of a post started by 'Unclemap' in the html editor forum.

It's pretty funny how that is too here in the US. Foreign language is usually a requirement in most public schools as well as part of the college curriculum's (not sure it's required there, but is definitely offered as alternatives for some of the credits). You would think we'd have a lot more versatility in that than we do here. I have almost 3 years of Spanish under my belt, and at this point I can probably only carry on basics as it's been so many years since I've had to even think about it lol. I actually envy people like you Inger and many of the others on this forum that are not native english speakers. You find places where it's actually necessary to use it and therefore you really do have a need for it. Here in the US it's hardly ever a necessity to speak another language, that's most likely not a good thing at all.

Yes, I'm aware that we over here have a lot more opportunities where we can practise a foreign language. As for myself, I speak 4 foreign languages beside my own. They are English, German, French and Turkish. And some more that I'm able to understand. People growing up in Belgium, The Netherlands or Switzerland usually have even more languages that they master.

I always find it amazing how many people are able to learn multiple languages like that. I had all I could do to wrap my head around Spanish haha. I now know enough to get myself into trouble I'm sure!

Inger, you speak 4 languages? Including programming languages as well.. that is the most awesome thing i've heard in a while..
I'm japanese and mexican and not being able to speak japanese or spanish can get you in trouble lol.. you have to know at least two languages to survive here.. I took a spanish course in school and I don't remember anything..
People use spanish a lot around me, everywhere actually.. my dad speaks spanish but I never bothered to learn

It's all Greek to me. I do know some sign language.

We do have to remember that CSS, HTML, JavaScript, PHP etc are all languages as well. So most of your speak and write more than you think you do.

I definitely speak more than I think!

I must say, learning Turkish is the cleverest thing I've done for a long time. I'm in Turkey right now, and with the language I get much more respect than those Scandinavian women here whose only conversation is with waiters in restaurants. And since I'm very interested in traditions, folklore and culture, the language helps me getting in touch with the female population, and women, as you surely know, are much more tradition and culture bearers than men. I gain access to people's homes and especially the kitchens, which I find very interesting.

Well, Matt, to be exact, I speak 5 languages, the 4 already mentioned ones plus Norwegian, my own language. And as Adam says, there are also some programme languages out there...

Well, don't we all?

I say we open up a forum for CoffeeCup's Language Translations and allow me to ask as many questions about learning a new language as possible. I'm a candidate for exactly this, let's start by learning how to say "Hello, are you single?" in Turkish!
If I get slapped I won't take offense.

Merhaba, yalniz misin?