Half of Europe's population speaks at least 2 languages

[Guest web_norah]

Half of European citizens speak a second language, according to a

European Union survey released Friday.

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The poll, conducted in June across Europe, found that tiny Luxembourg had the highest percentage of bilingual citizens, with 99 percent of those questioned saying they could master a conversation in a second language.

Hungary had the lowest number with 29 percent of its citizens able to speak another language. Britain was second last with 30 percent.

The survey also found that almost eight out of 10 students — ages 15-24 — can have a normal conversation in at least one foreign language.

In the United States, by contrast, 9 percent of Americans speak both their native language and another language fluently, according to a U.S. Senate resolution designating 2005 the "Year of Foreign Language Study."

In the European survey, English was identified by 34 percent of respondents as their second language, followed by German which was a second language for 12 percent, then French which was spoken as a second language by 11 percent, according to the survey.

Spanish and Russian are spoken as a second language by 5 percent of those surveyed. Russian has become more common due to its widespread use in the 10 mostly eastern European countries that joined the EU last year.

It is not, however, listed as one of the EU's 21 official languages, and so receives no funding from EU education programs.

The poll, which surveyed 29,328 people across the 25-nation EU, Turkey, Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania, was released to coincide with European Day of Languages on Monday, which aims to promote the study of languages. The survey had a margin of 3.1 percentage points.

[Guest pod]

I speak English and Foul.

[Guest mursa]

..Europes education requirements/level is light years ahead of ours .

i speak 3 languages fluidly ! ;D

[Guest saintjohn]

i speak 3 languages fluidly !

I believe you mean "fluently."

[V. Barbarino]

I speak english and jive...

[Guest slamminshaun]

I speak english and jive...

http://larry.teamoverkill.com/jive/illness.wav

[Guest mursa]

i speak 3 languages fluidly !

I believe you mean "fluently."

Nope , i did mean Fluidly .......as in smooth and conitnuous/natural and without any noticable accent .

[Guest web_norah]

i thought it was kind of cool this article.

[Guest saintjohn]

Nope , i did mean Fluidly .......as in smooth and conitnuous/natural and without any noticable accent .

I understood what you were trying to say, but you could've chosen a much better word to characterize your mastery of the English language.

fluent - adj

1a. Able to express oneself readily and effortlessly: a fluent speaker; fluent in three languages.

1b. Flowing effortlessly; polished: speaks fluent Russian; gave a fluent performance of the sonata.

2. Flowing or moving smoothly; graceful: a yacht with long, fluent curves.

3. Flowing or capable of flowing; fluid.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/fluent

fluid - adj

1. Of, relating to, or characteristic of a fluid.

2. Readily reshaped; pliable.

3. Smooth and flowing; graceful: the fluid motion of a cat.

4a. Changing or tending to change; variable: a fluid situation fraught with uncertainty.

4b. Characterized by or allowing social mobility: a fluid society.

5. Convertible into cash: fluid assets.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/fluid

Google search for the phrase "speak fluently" = 131,000 hits

Google search for the phrase "speak fluidly" = 820 hits

I'm just teasing you, though. I have enough trouble with one language. You wouldn't want to hear my attempts to speak French - très désagréable!

[Guest Fez]

Europeans speak various languages, most of the time...

but only 1 fluently...not all of them...

Spaniards, Italians and Portoguese....usually speak all 3...w/out problem...

I speak Spanish, Italian & English...

i took 8 years of French...but i never liked it...i speak a little...but i don't like it...

[Guest mursa]

Nope , i did mean Fluidly .......as in smooth and conitnuous/natural and without any noticable accent .

I understood what you were trying to say, but you could've chosen a much better word to characterize your mastery of the English language.

fluent - adj

1a. Able to express oneself readily and effortlessly: a fluent speaker; fluent in three languages.

1b. Flowing effortlessly; polished: speaks fluent Russian; gave a fluent performance of the sonata.

2. Flowing or moving smoothly; graceful: a yacht with long, fluent curves.

3. Flowing or capable of flowing; fluid.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/fluent

fluid - adj

1. Of, relating to, or characteristic of a fluid.

2. Readily reshaped; pliable.

3. Smooth and flowing; graceful: the fluid motion of a cat.

4a. Changing or tending to change; variable: a fluid situation fraught with uncertainty.

4b. Characterized by or allowing social mobility: a fluid society.

5. Convertible into cash: fluid assets.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/fluid

Google search for the phrase "speak fluently" = 131,000 hits

Google search for the phrase "speak fluidly" = 820 hits

I'm just teasing you, though. I have enough trouble with one language. You wouldn't want to hear my attempts to speak French - très désagréable!

Hey , im an innovator of words ! ........... i like it, and you understood my drift all along , therefore !

[Guest saintjohn]

Only "dead" languages stay the same.

[Guest pod]

30 years from now it won't matter.

[Guest jamu]

I doubt that the US would EVER be capable of being a little more humble and understanding that it is important to learn other languages.

[Guest dj_release]

I doubt that the US would EVER be capable of being a little more humble and understanding that it is important to learn other languages.

+1

Chinese will take over eventually... then we'll see what happens here

[Guest Cosmigonon]

I doubt that the US would EVER be capable of being a little more humble and understanding that it is important to learn other languages.

Well, that's because english is the universal language, so they don't feel the need to learn another one.

[Guest JMT]

i speak 3 languages fluidly !

I believe you mean "fluently."

Nope , i did mean Fluidly .......as in smooth and conitnuous/natural and without any noticable accent .

is english one of the 3?

[Guest saintjohn]

PWN3D!

[Guest mursa]

omfg ...i got sooo owned !!!!!!!!!!!! :

[Guest codequeen]

In several european countries its mandatory to master as least two languages in order to graduate. In the us its considered an elective. at least when i went to school it was.

[Guest saintjohn]

Yeah, it's pretty much still like that - even at the college level.

[Guest Electric Eel]

In Israel everyone takes English as a required course throughout much of their middle/high school years. Here we are required to take 2 years of a foreign language, at least in my school people took whichever one was an easy A and didnt learn a thing.

I know 2 languages right now but once I have some time there are definitely others I want to learn.

[Deni0517]

It's a joke but also true...

How do you call a person who speaks 2 languages? Bilingual

Person who speaks 3 languages? Trilingual

Person who speaks many languages? Multilingual

Person who speaks one language? AMERICAN ;D

[Guest Devilicious]

i speak 3 languages fluidly !

I believe you mean "fluently."

Nope , i did mean Fluidly .......as in smooth and conitnuous/natural and without any noticable accent .

is english one of the 3?

lol i considered posting that exact statement, but I've been mean enough to mursa lately

[Guest mursa]

This thread made me think of that dope ass song they had in the patio ...it goes

..."fucking you , makes me bilingual "

& yea , Tal ..you have been mean enough lol...........lets keep it a good vibe from now onward .