The never ceasing battle over whether people should or should not speak a foreign language in their own country is raging in Hungary. A recent report indicates three out of four Hungarians aged 25-64 lack any knowledge of a foreign language even though 95% of Hungarian children study a foreign language at school. It is not surprising that English is the most popular language in most European Union schools. The issue is not whether children study a foreign language at school, but whether they are able to speak a foreign language. Neither of my parents ever went to school, but each spoke three languages.
We also have to ask the basic question-what is the purpose of learning a foreign language? Some argue it helps in business or in social contacts. I suspect we are moving toward an era in which English will serve as an international language.
