Question from the linguistically challenged

[PrzemoL]

Yes, Lance, we here in Europe are forced to learn at least a second language, especially those coming from countries with so rare and "exotic" native language like Polish. And very often the second one is not enough. Far from boasting, I say, just to illustrate the situation, that I speak quite well English, German and Spanish and understand some Czech, Russian, Portuguese and Italian. But it is inevitable if you travel and meet other people. If you travel the same distance in North America as we do here on this side of the pond, you still can go on with English. Here it is impossible.

That is a good one, Drdave! 

[ALBATROS1234]

thing about it is if you drive 200(322km approx) miles in america you are still in america. if you drive this far in europe you drove thru 2 countries depending on which direction and where you start from. so it is much more imperative in europe.

[vincentm]

I agree with Przemol. Besides French and English, I can also speak a bit of German and have notions in Italian and Spanish. I also heard a lot of Polish in my family during my youth. You here may have the feeling that all Europeans are "polyglots" but people who can only speak their native tongue (apart from British of course) just won't sign up on an international english-speaking forum...

But to tell the truth, we tend more and more to use English as a vehicular language. That is, a language which is not native for both speakers but which they both understand. In the past and particularly during Middle Age, the european vehicular language was Latin, although it wasn't anyone native language any longer. This is why it left traces in almost all current european languages.