Contrary to popular belief, English is not the most commonly spoken language in the world. In fact, it is not even the second most commonly spoken language in the world. English takes its place as number three on the list of the top ten most commonly spoken in the world. However, this fact seems to be widely lost on Americans. Why?

While Americans are constantly told that English is spoken everywhere in the world from other American parents and teachers, people from outside the U.S are constantly criticizing us for only speaking one language, claiming that more are necessary. So, who’s right? Well, according to some estimates, only about 12 percent of the global population speaks English fluently. This means that the probability of an English-speaker needing to converse with a non-English speaker is much more likely in the grand scheme of things. This leaves us with the question: Why are we told that English is a world-wide language?

The answer most probably lies in the fact that English it’s the most studied language in all of the world, with over 1.5 billion learners. However, it is important to note that these people are learning English, and just like we forget the languages we study in school, so do they. Also, this statistic is not based on fluency, it is based on enrollment in English language courses. This widespread learning of the English language is mostly due to the rising popularity of the Internet and a new online language which is primarily based upon and created by its majority of English-speaking users. Taking this into account, English has still not made it past the number three mark in the top languages in the world. So, how does the Pat-Med community feel regarding the learning of a foreign language?

Our high school’s own LOTE department has quite a few insights into this trend. Ms. Vultaggio believes, “Learning a language is important because it gives your brain a boost in vocabulary not only in the foreign language, but also in your own language. This will help create connections with other cultures and perhaps give an advantage for job opportunities, which may require knowledge of a second language. This will increase your friendship network and perhaps establish deep connections with other cultures, as well as understanding them. It gives you facts about other issues regarding food, shopping, traveling and customs.” Ms. Dapolito says, “Aside from all the practical advantages such as improving cognitive abilities and expanding career opportunities, learning another language teaches us a new culture. We become aware of other cultural traditions, appreciate different ethnic values and customs. We learn a new way to communicate which can give us new experiences and help us to build relationships. This is where world peace can begin.”

Some students here at school, all of which have been taking a foreign language between three and five years, had some remarks on the importance of learning a language other than English. David (grade 11), who is already fluent in Spanish but has been taking Italian for three years says, “Not only is it important to learn language as the world will eventually become more interconnected, it’s also vital to learn about cultures in order to increase sensitivity. I am trilingual: English, Spanish, and Italian.” Brianna (grade 11), stopped taking a foreign language this year because it did not fit into her schedule says, “I think it’s important because it allows our minds to develop further, challenging our brain’s capacity, and allowing more knowledge intake.” Over the past several years, budget cuts, low enrollment, and teacher shortages have been diminishing the already dwindling foreign language programs in American schools. Language programs have been decreasing and disappearing at alarming rates, causing less and less encouragement or opportunity to study a foreign language in America.

In other nations, learning a second language and even a third is essential to life and is sometimes done without even second thought. It is estimated that over half of the world speaks more than one language. This is especially true in Europe, where there is a plethora of diverse languages being spoken in a very concentrated area. It is safe to say that a lot of criticism of American foreign language programs comes from these European countries. In fact, French author Claude Gagnière once noted: Un homme qui parle trois langues est trilingue. Un homme qui parle deux langues est bilingue. Un homme qui ne parle qu’une langue est anglais. Translation: A man who speaks three languages is trilingual. A man who speaks two languages is bilingual. A man who speaks only one language is English.

So what? What’s the point of droning on about how many Americans don’t believe that learning a foreign language is important? This decision is largely up to you. Do you believe that in an increasingly globalized society Americans should be defunding language programs? Do you believe that Americans should speak more than one language because more than half of the world does? Or do you believe that, as majority English-speakers, Americans have no need to study a foreign language because so many other people around the world are learning English? Is it up to us to learn to communicate with others? Or is it up to them to learn to communicate with us?