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Comment by Havoc | Hacker News Reader

>English will be a language of economic opportunity for most speakers: they’ll work and think in their mother tongue

I'm not sure I agree with that. I grew up with German as my mother tongue, but with a strong English environmental influence (TV, strangers on street etc). Both taught as 1st language in school.

It starts out with "thinking in one language, speaking another", but as you improve in both it just becomes a blur - to the point where I can't tell you whether the thought I just had was in English or German. Sometimes I think the thought just "is" as an abstract concept language-less concept. Sort-of like a geometric shape isn't German or English.

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I should perhaps add that I support English as a language & hope it prospers. Sure it lacks some of the nuances of German, but as far as getting your point across it is unmatched (based on my limited 3 language experience).

> , but as far as getting your point across it is unmatched (based on my limited 3 language experience).

Don't know if it is common for germans to know three or more languages, or if this is a humble-brag...

According to http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_386_en.p... 28% of Germans know German and at least two other languages well enough to have a conversation.

Edit: I think actually 28% of Germans claim to know their native language and at least two other languages well enough to have a conversation (for some German is one of the other languages). In any case knowing 3 languages is pretty common in Germany.

Yep - English is really strong over there among the younger generation. Don't expect any Shakespeare - but any young person will make an effort to help (in English) if approached. Thats for the native looking Germans - I can't say regarding those with a Turkish background. I'd assume its the same though.

French is pretty strong too, but its seen as slightly more exotic whereas English is seen as a necessity/requirement for being "cool".

Well German schools push English pretty hard (American variety) so pretty much any <30 year old will speak passable English (plus its seen as cool). Pro travel tip that - always approach the young people.

>if this is a humble-brag...

Nah - unique circumstances. German background historically, but grew up in South Africa - where English and to a lesser extent Afrikaans is pretty much compulsory. Especially being white - people address me in either English or Afrikaans and expect that I reply in kind.

The school I went to alternated between English and German as the teaching medium - funded mainly by German though.

Edit: You should see some of the locals. They speak like 6+ languages. Sure they are closely related languages mostly but still...damn. Also...we've got more official languages than any other country.

The workers at the German tourist offices (e.g. those near a Hauptbahnhof) speak 5 languages fluently: English, Spanish, French, Italian, German.

Well that's a biased sample if I ever saw one.

In theory, maybe. In practice I've been to a number of them where they only spoke German. :-)

As a Norwegian it is mandatory to attend English classes from an early age, and it is common to learn a 3rd language as well.

Most Norwegians go to our equivalent of high school (age 16 to 19). Those who wants to be accepted by a university choose a path that targets higher learning, where a 3rd language is one of the mandatory subjects. Many in my class had chosen optional classes for that language when they were 14, so that they could learn something else in their final year.

I can only speak for Norway, but I think this is common in other Scandinavian countries and probably many other European countries as well.

I'm from Norway myself and I think only a small minority of people who took a third language in videregående actually got to a level where you could say that they spoke/knew it.

I was among those who chose an German as an optional class when I was 14 so that I wouldn't have to take it in my third year of high school. Now I can say where I'm from and that I'm hungry, but hardly much more than that.

> Sometimes I think the thought just "is" as an abstract concept language-less concept. Sort-of like a geometric shape isn't German or English.

I've found that learning another language becomes incredibly easier if you can get to that point - linking words in the new language to the idea of the thing itself instead of the word for the thing in your mother tongue.

Then the second language gets so ingrained that you start to struggle when people ask for direct translations between your mutual first language and the second language...

Frankly it took me years to get there (English) - and that was with teachers that were well flawless. Languages isn't really my strong suit and I doubt I'll learn any more.

Regarding German...I'd glad I learned it while I was a kid...its a bitch of language to learn. My school subsidized some of the poor locals - on the condition that they take German as 3rd language. Man those people suffered. Then again they got an education 10x better than anything they could have hoped for otherwise so fair trade.

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