MFL teaching and Brexit

[Amber]

I can't bear going anywhere where I don't have at least a few words of the language - I find it embarrassing. Just back from Finland, where I thought I would get by on Swedish and found that no one wanted to speak it, I have now ordered a teach yourself Finnish book so next time I don't get caught out!

English will always be a lingua franca; but that doesn't in any way take away from the other million good reasons to learn a language or two.

[Surferfish]

I'm not arguing against the sense in us learning foreign languages, merely suggesting that English isn't likely to become totally unwanted by the people in other countries, whatever official stance of the EU.

Agreed.

The fact that English is so widely spoken as everyone's second language in Europe and around the world is nothing to do with the UK being part of the EU!

Its far more to do with the influence of American movies and TV and US/UK popular music IMO. It is noticeable that those countries who use subtitles on films and TV (such as Netherlands, Sweden etc) tend to speak excellent English while those countries who use dubbing are less proficient (although still generally better than we are at their language!). Europeans' spoken English (particularly Eastern Europe) often has more of a US twang and vocabulary rather than a British one.

As mentioned though that doesn't mean it isn't worth Brits learning a foreign language. Its always useful and knowing a few words is just a matter of politeness when visiting somewhere, apart from anything else.