Follow up questions on foreign language
- At what age should children start learning a foreign language?
I think children should start learning a foreign language at the age of 4 or 5 when they enter school because things learnt during that phase of life are retained and understood forever. It is the best age to build a base in perceiving and grasping anything, even a foreign language like English.
- Which skill is more important speaking or writing?
I think both skills are equally important. If a person does not have good speaking or writing skills, they will not be able to communicate their thoughts or ideas effectively and clearly. Both these skills are required in daily routine as well as in professional life.
- Does a person still need to learn another language if he is good in English?
Well, I think learning one global language is sufficient unless there is no special need for learning another foreign language for specific purposes such as working in a French firm or moving to a province like Quebec in Canada may require one to learn French even if he/she is well versed with English.
- Do you think minority languages will disappear?
Yes, I believe so because due to the dominance of global languages like English, French and Spanish, many regional languages like Navajo (pronounced as Navaho) are not being paid emphasis upon and are no longer being used by the local people to communicate. As a consequence, the young generation refrains from learning these languages which will ultimately lead to their disappearance.
