4 ms·

> I don't think that's the case, especially among the younger generations which are largely English speaking and grew up with the internet. Have you been to Eu

> I don't think that's the case, especially among the younger generations which are largely English speaking and grew up with the internet. Have you been to Europe outside of its big touristy capitals? To describe the younger generation as "largely English-speaking" is absurd. I'm from a medium-sized city in northern France. Go there and try speaking English to the young people in the street. See where that gets you.

dkjaudyeqooe 4y ago
OK, maybe I should have been a bit more specific. Most young people speak some English is what I meant, not that it was their primary language, which is obviously not the case. I'm here in coastal Croatia and English ability is common, if mixed, with younger people being mostly proficient. Of course the French are in a class of their own when it comes to (not) speaking English, but I'd still posit there are plenty of young French people who speak or understand English to some degree. If I needed help on your streets with only English I'm sure there would be someone who would be able to help me out.
revelio 4y ago
France is an exception. In most parts of Europe the young people speak excellent English or are even fluent. France takes a sort of cultural pride in the French language that other cultures don't.
- justeleblanc 4y ago
  I've traveled a lot in Europe. People like to harp on France, but I've found that in most countries, outside big cities, English proficiency was not widespread.
  - revelio 4y ago
    Not been my experience but I guess it depends a lot on what you mean by proficiency. Also depends where you are and who you talk to. In the Nordics I never encountered a young person who wasn't nearly fluent in English. In bigger countries like Germany you can easily find people who don't speak English but they tend to themselves be immigrants and e.g. working in shops. Germans themselves learn it in school and do better.

dkjaudyeqooe 4y ago

OK, maybe I should have been a bit more specific. Most young people speak some English is what I meant, not that it was their primary language, which is obviously not the case. I'm here in coastal Croatia and English ability is common, if mixed, with younger people being mostly proficient. Of course the French are in a class of their own when it comes to (not) speaking English, but I'd still posit there are plenty of young French people who speak or understand English to some degree. If I needed help on your streets with only English I'm sure there would be someone who would be able to help me out.

revelio 4y ago

France is an exception. In most parts of Europe the young people speak excellent English or are even fluent. France takes a sort of cultural pride in the French language that other cultures don't.

justeleblanc 4y ago
I've traveled a lot in Europe. People like to harp on France, but I've found that in most countries, outside big cities, English proficiency was not widespread.
- revelio 4y ago
  Not been my experience but I guess it depends a lot on what you mean by proficiency. Also depends where you are and who you talk to. In the Nordics I never encountered a young person who wasn't nearly fluent in English. In bigger countries like Germany you can easily find people who don't speak English but they tend to themselves be immigrants and e.g. working in shops. Germans themselves learn it in school and do better.