English scary for Thais

[Pimay1]

The average poster here seems to be on a par with most Thais when in comes to education ands learning....however the main difference is that the Thai ignoramuses (ignorami) happen to be in power and can actually implement their ridiculous ideas.

Come on, don't be so hard on yourself. Have a cold Leo ands relax a bit.

[Songlaw]

Is it true that more people on this planet speak SPANISH

Before the computer age, and corporately driven need for a lingua franca due to globalization, that was in fact true. But due to the need for a common language to mitigate the communication quagmire created by administering businesses across so many linguistic and geographical boundaries, with computers already being formatted in English, it is easy to see why with increasing momentum English has been overtaking Spanish for at least a while now. But Spanish will probably remain a close second for the duration of life on this planet. Anyone considering acquiring a second language for the purposes of communicating with the widest potential sample of people and culture would have to tackle Spanish. It also has the added benefit of dramatically reducing the learning curve for acquiring other Latin-based languages such as Italian, Portuguese and to some extent, French,

[Thai at Heart]

This stems essentially from the fact that Thai's believe that in some way you have to be a genius in order to speak a language.

It just takes effort and determination, which I think might be more of the issue.....

[Crazy chef 1]

...Thais are afraid of English...? If they don't speak it, why are they afraid of learning it? Shocking report. Asia has 4 billion people currently more or less, just how many speak English? Europe has 778 millon people. How many speak English?

O.K., stupid questions.

Lass than in Asia...

[Crazy chef 1]

Is it true that more people on this planet speak SPANISH

Before the computer age, and corporately driven need for a lingua franca due to globalization, that was in fact true. But due to the need for a common language to mitigate the communication quagmire created by administering businesses across so many linguistic and geographical boundaries, with computers already being formatted in English, it is easy to see why with increasing momentum English has been overtaking Spanish for at least a while now. But Spanish will probably remain a close second for the duration of life on this planet. Anyone considering acquiring a second language for the purposes of communicating with the widest potential sample of people and culture would have to tackle Spanish. It also has the added benefit of dramatically reducing the learning curve for acquiring other Latin-based languages such as Italian, Portuguese and to some extent, French,

What about Mandarin...

[Johnniey]

Year of the ox, goat, and dragon. Do people really believe this stupid mumbo-jumbo promoted by weaselly charlatans?

How ignorant, arrogant and closed minded not to believe it. Are youbfrom the US?

[kerrysum]

What is with all the crap about Chinese horoscopes and fortune tellers? What does that have to do with English?

Superstition.......

[maidee]

typical thai ?

you really need to prove qualifications, and the never fail a child diploma holders get cold feet

[spidermike007]

Many Thais are scared of ghosts. Many Thais are scared of snakes. Many Thais are scared of the water. Many Thais are scared of dogs. Many Thais are scared of what other people think of them. Why shouldn't they be scared of English?

Perhaps what Thais need to be taught is courage. Facing ones fears. Looking fear in the eyes, so it ceases to exist. Behaving like a tiger, and not a pussycat. Attacking the world with vigor and fearlessness.

[ratcatcher]

Is it true that more people on this planet speak SPANISH

Before the computer age, and corporately driven need for a lingua franca due to globalization, that was in fact true. But due to the need for a common language to mitigate the communication quagmire created by administering businesses across so many linguistic and geographical boundaries, with computers already being formatted in English, it is easy to see why with increasing momentum English has been overtaking Spanish for at least a while now. But Spanish will probably remain a close second for the duration of life on this planet. Anyone considering acquiring a second language for the purposes of communicating with the widest potential sample of people and culture would have to tackle Spanish. It also has the added benefit of dramatically reducing the learning curve for acquiring other Latin-based languages such as Italian, Portuguese and to some extent, French,

What about Mandarin...

Ah, the question that deserves an answer.

Mandarin is spoken by about 14.4% of the world population, Spanish by 6.15% and English by about 5.43%

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_languages_by_number_of_native_speakers

[cumgranosalum]

Is it true that more people on this planet speak SPANISH

Before the computer age, and corporately driven need for a lingua franca due to globalization, that was in fact true. But due to the need for a common language to mitigate the communication quagmire created by administering businesses across so many linguistic and geographical boundaries, with computers already being formatted in English, it is easy to see why with increasing momentum English has been overtaking Spanish for at least a while now. But Spanish will probably remain a close second for the duration of life on this planet. Anyone considering acquiring a second language for the purposes of communicating with the widest potential sample of people and culture would have to tackle Spanish. It also has the added benefit of dramatically reducing the learning curve for acquiring other Latin-based languages such as Italian, Portuguese and to some extent, French,

What about Mandarin...

Ah, the question that deserves an answer.

Mandarin is spoken by about 14.4% of the world population, Spanish by 6.15% and English by about 5.43%

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_languages_by_number_of_native_speakers

I think a moment's pause and anyone can see why Mandarin is not an alternative.

It is the official language of ONE country and spoken in several very different dialects very much in that region, which also has several other languages within it's borders that are quite different.....so even in China it is not a universal solution.

There are also practical limitations to Mandarin - the number of symbols, the total impracticality for use in It, and the fact that outside China it is a relatively unused language.

The reality is that English and the script used is fantastically adaptable and has NO GOVERNMENT CONTROL so it can be used by anyone relatively easily.

if a German and Mexican meet for business the chances are they will communicate in English....not Mandarin.

At the end of the day the figures for Mandarin speakers are somewhat optimistic as they include a wide range of very varied dialects - it is credited with those numbers because it is the OFFICIAL language. It may not actually eve be tthe first language for many included in that figure.

HOWEVER - if you look at how many people use English as a SECOND (or THIRD) language then the numbers dwarf any other language on the planet.

In don't know if anyone has been watching those Scandinavian detective drama with English sub-titles, but I watched a scene in one episode where the Swedes/Danes had to go to Netherlands - the scenes there didn't require sub-titles as the dialogue slipped quietly into English - QED

[cumgranosalum]

Year of the ox, goat, and dragon. Do people really believe this stupid mumbo-jumbo promoted by weaselly charlatans?

How ignorant, arrogant and closed minded not to believe it. Are youbfrom the US?

Don't be silly - the world, science and reality do not depend on culture.

[jcisco]

Year of the ox, goat, and dragon. Do people really believe this stupid mumbo-jumbo promoted by weaselly charlatans?

How ignorant, arrogant and closed minded not to believe it. Are youbfrom the US?

Don't be silly - the world, science and reality do not depend on culture.

Surely this is a sarcastic reply to say our cultures and the world as we perceive it together through those identities and classifications isn't the source of the construct is insane. You are going to have to explain this or I'm going to go choke hook line and sinker.

[Oziex1]

"The banker admitted that he should have heeded the notion that this year could be bad for him. A Chinese fortune-teller had earlier advised him to avoid bad luck by moving his office to an upper floor. Another advice is he must not be in Thailand during the Chinese New Year, which falls on February 19."

ooooooooooookkkkkkkkkkkkaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

Time to change banks.

To another that uses Tarot cards to judge the markets!

There a superstitious bunch.

[TheDiva]

English scary for Thais

They scare me too, and I am English..............................................oh, they're talking about the language