Turkey (the Country) Changing it's Name

[JimBob1952]

 

[Kaila]

The Turks that I met there a few years ago, all spoke several
languages, beside Turkish, they all spoke, Greek, German,
Iranian, Russian, Italian, English, plus one other that I forget,
I was really impressed, I thought that I was good, when I was
young, I, too, spoke several languages, but not any more.

Mike.

Do they place more value on learning other languages,
than is put on that subject in our USA schools?
Or do they naturally learn them, due to the people around them, using and knowing so many, that it's easier to become fluent in several?

 

[jujube]

Do they place more value on learning other languages,
than is put on that subject in our USA schools?
Or do they naturally learn them, due to the people around them, using and knowing so many, that it's easier to become fluent in several?

Even over 50 years ago, when I lived there, they were teaching English in the elementary schools.

If you got in a bind somewhere and no one around spoke English, someone would run over to a nearby school and "borrow" a student to translate.

So, there have been at least two generations who have learned at least rudimentary English.

 

[Mike]

In recent years Kaila, Turkey has become a tourist hot spot and
languages are a necessity for lots of people, Russia is just to the
North, they are also surrounded by different countries, Eastern
European countries all had to learn Russian in school, beside their
own language, so that is a good one to know if they are in the
tour business.

To communicate with Western Europeans, they need to learn their
language, or might be able to by using English, all Middle Eastern
countries speak Arabic, so that is another handy one, I listed it as
Iranian, but it is a version of Arabic.

Because I hired a car, I bought a map, but the only language version
that they had was Dutch, which was one of my languages.

So mainly it is a personal choice, though foreign languages are always
taught in schools, probably location will determine which one, though
I suspect that several are compulsory, teaching the young is easier than
teaching adults.

Mike.

 

[Kaila]

Even over 50 years ago, when I lived there, they were teaching English in the elementary schools.

If you got in a bind somewhere and no one around spoke English, someone would run over to a nearby school and "borrow" a student to translate.

So, there have been at least two generations who have learned at least rudimentary English.

Thank you very much, for the reply!!! I appreciate it, and find it fascinating!

 

[Kaila]

In recent years Kaila, Turkey has become a tourist hot spot and
languages are a necessity for lots of people, Russia is just to the
North, they are also surrounded by different countries, Eastern
European countries all had to learn Russian in school, beside their
own language, so that is a good one to know if they are in the
tour business.

To communicate with Western Europeans, they need to learn their
language, or might be able to by using English, all Middle Eastern
countries speak Arabic, so that is another handy one, I listed it as
Iranian, but it is a version of Arabic.

Because I hired a car, I bought a map, but the only language version
that they had was Dutch, which was one of my languages.

So mainly it is a personal choice, though foreign languages are always
taught in schools, probably location will determine which one, though
I suspect that several are compulsory, teaching the young is easier than
teaching adults.

Mike.

Oh gosh, thank you as well, Mike, for that detailed and fascinating reply. Very, very interesting! Thanks for sharing all of that!