Only 9% of native English speaking Americans can speak any foreign language and that includes;
Italian, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Japanese and anyother so called foreign language you can think of.
I've even seen Americans brag about not knowing a so called foreign language.
A proposito. 46% of Italians speak another language and that's considered low by European standards.
At any rate compare 46% to 9%.

Why are Americans, with their staggering wealth of resources and (for example) the most highly ranked graduate schools in the world,
do so poorly by any measure on their command of foreign languages. Did you know that John Kerry is said to have had to attempt
concealment of his fluent bilingualism to avoid bad press during his Presidential run, and Nebraska in the early 1920s had a law making
foreign language instruction illegal, and in that very same state as recently as 2003 a father was threatened by a judge with loss
of the right to visit his child if he didn't speak English during his visits. This U.S. could not exactly be said to be uniformly
friendly toward polyglotism(speaking many foreign languages). Nor does it always honor the accomplishment of those immigrants and
Native Americans who speak a heritage language at home and English elsewhere — in fact punishment of Native American children for
speaking their Amerindian American language while in school used to be commonplace.)

I lived in Italy for two years and learned Italian. However I was
one of very few Americans to do so. You see Ameicans take their bad attitude about learning foreign languages with them where ever
they go around the world. I was even riduculed by my fellow Americans for wanting to learn Italian. Just imagine, living in Italy
and told not to learn Italian by other Ameicans.Fortunately I did not listen to them and even was spurred on to learn Italian even
more. Eventually I became an interpreter and was much sought after to translate for my fellow reluntant Americans.

It's most unfortunate that Ameicans for the most part take their bad attitude about learning foreign languages with them wherever
they go around the world. Many times if not most of the time they do not realize that when they are in another country that language
of that country is not foreign anymore. It's very ironic ma e vero.

I think in Europe, there is much more interaction with other cultures and languages through travel and the closeness of foreigners, forcing you to learn more.

In the US why would I need to learn another language? (rhetorical question).

I shop at English speaking stores, my tv and internet are all in English and I work with mostly English speakers (especially since India's primary language is English).

So, really, why learn another language? (again, rhetorical).

I'm learning Italian so I can "fit in" more while I travel and to better experience my visit's to Italy.

I am finding it very difficult, mostly because I'm old and haven't had to learn anything for so long! But with a trip planned in ottobre I should start studying every day!

I think it's a gift from us Brits! The only reason we had an empire was to force everyone else to speak English so we wouldn't have to learn another language. The UK is equally as bad at learning foreign languages, and if the news is to be believed, the school leavers now are even struggling with English!

Someone once told me that the USA doesn't have an offical language. Does anyone know if that's really true or not? She said that it's standard to speak English, but it's not "official" language.

If you are going to live in another country that speaks I different language then I think out of respect you should at least try to learn that langauge. When I first moved to Holland I had a few people tell me that I don't have to learn Dutch because most Dutch people know English. One of the first things I learned how to say in Dutch was "I'm laarning how to speak Dutch", so that's what I would say to them in Dutch. There were other people who were hard on me telling me I shouldn't have moved to this country if I didn't know how to speak Dutch. I agree with them, but I was trying to speak Dutch to them. I never asked them to speak English to me. In my opinion my Dutch is still at a child's level. It's just enough to get by. My neighbor who is elderly and doesn't know English says I know it well enough now and I get better at it by the year. Now I'm at the point where I'll continue to speak English to those who switch to English after hearing my accent and I'll speak Dutch to those who continue to speak Dutch with me.

In Holland you have to take 2 years of English,, 1 year of German, 1 year of French, and 1 year of a language of your choice in order to graduate. There are some people who will do even more years than that. Most people around my age know how to speak their native language of Dutch, English, German, and French. Some people even know Spanish and Italian on top of that.

I wish I had the talent of learning languages easily. I would love to be able to speak more than just English and Dutch.

It seems like the USA and France are the two most stubborn countries. Oh Even when they go outside their own countries they expect people to know their language. When I was a cashier there were a few times when people would speak French to me. Then when I said I didn't know French they would get angry with me. I thought it was so odd since we were in the USA at the time.

My Spoken Italian is still very bad. I understand quite a lot (a normal conversation about 90% - technical or legal 50% at best), but struggle with speaking for fear of mistakes (and I make many). It is difficult in a small village where they are not used to having foreign residents in the winter, and despite the fair hair (OK - greying a bit now) and blue eyes, they assume I'm Italian - when I have difficulty in answering people who ask for directions etc., I'm sure many go away wondering which asylum I've escaped from! Some people have an aptitude for learning languages (Villa is a good example), others, especially those of my age, find it difficult, but carry on regardless - It will all work out with time I'm sure.

I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one who struggle with another language. Just like you are nervous to speak Italian I'm nervous to speak Dutch. That's why my speaking is at a child's level. Grammar confuses me and I'm so affraid of making a fool out of myself by getting the wrong grammar. There's a women who helped me with learning Dutch and she keeps telling me it's okay if I mess and you learn by messing up. For some reason I'm still nervous to speak pass a child's level even with her or my husband.

How long have you lived in Italy? Did you learn the language after you moved there or before you moved there? Do you also happen to have trouble understand the language when someone speaks fast? I have trouble understand an Amsterdam accept sometimes because they speak so fast. It's pretty much the Dutch version of a New York and Boston accent combined.

To answer your question-

There is no offical language in the United States of America, at the Federal level. The National Language however; is English.

I think you're on to something here Mark. It really does make sence what you're saying about it being a gift from the Brits.

At any rate I'm behind you all the way in your learning of Italian. Sounds like you're doing well if you can understand 90%. Understanding is the first stage of learning a language. Soon
I bet those Italian words will be flowing out of your mouth.
Don't forget to read out loud in Italian ogni giorno.

Don't know about the Nebraska thing but here in Texas they start teaching spanish in elementary school or at least where I am from and they offer it as an elective in middle school. Then you are required to take 2 classes of a foreign language to graduate high school. Then too if you come from out of state and get a degree at a college in Texas you have to take 2 courses. My high school did offer Spanish, Latin, French, and German. Most take spanish here as that is the most prevalent here and it is fairly common and quite a few people will probably end up hiring people who speak spanish.

Then along the border like Brownsville and Laredo you really need to know spanish. Even elsewhere though in the state they almost always have someone that is bilingual and sometimes you see signs in English and spanish. Oh and our ballots for voting were also available in spanish. Also you have more than a couple spanish radio and TV stations in most of the major cities here.

Right now I am still really excited as I am just starting my first Italian class and I did make at least some progress on my own before and it helps that I can actually see it now. I am still learning and really look forward to actually being able to speak and write it.I pick up other languages fairly well depending on the environment especially when I have class. I passed french while failing English in high school so hmm.

Some local places and states are trying to make english the official language though.

One thing to though I have noticed is that the native spanish speakers here don't really like it when the students try and use like at restaurants or at the store. So they are kind of bringing some stuff on them selves. I think that leaves a bad taste with some americans and then older people are stubborn and claim that they fought for the right to speak English here. My father even goes as far as getting frustrate at me and saying it is like I am betraying him when he fought for this country and the way it was/is. That is just with wanting to learn italian. All the italian though is on my mothers side.

True, but those Brits who do speak another language (of which there are many) tend not to live in the UK, so they fall out of the statistics.

Melissa, I find the Dutch are able to speak any language you require from them. Their language abilities appear to be a national talent!