[53033] in Cypherpunks
RE: Why Americans feel no compulsion to learn foreign languages
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Dr. Dimitri Vulis)
Sun Mar 31 00:26:13 1996
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
From: dlv@bwalk.dm.com (Dr. Dimitri Vulis)
Date: Sat, 30 Mar 96 16:55:38 EST
In-Reply-To: <199603301919.LAA26825@dns1.noc.best.net>
jamesd@echeque.com writes:
> A foreign language is useful only when there are large numbers of
> folk around who speak *one* *particular* foreign language, and these
> folk have knowledge and skills and power and wealth, for example
> if you are close neighbor of Germany or France.
Why do you suppose people study Latin or Sanskrit or classical Greek?
> Americans feel no compulsion to learn foreign languages because
> the only time they need a foreign language is spanish to
> negotiate with whores.
It's interesting to note that while Tim speaks Spanish to gardeners,
James speaks Spanish to whores. Can't blame him, considering what
American women must be like where he lives. :-)
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<a href="mailto:dlv@bwalk.dm.com">Dr. Dimitri Vulis</a>
Brighton Beach Boardwalk BBS, Forest Hills, N.Y.: +1-718-261-2013, 14.4Kbps
