Is it normal that i'm only fluent in one language?

84% Normal
25 Comments

I'm only fluent in English (surprise) but I feel bad that I don't know more languages. I used to know Spanish (I had a Spanish nanny) but forgot it over time and now I'm only okay in it, but not fluent. Anyway, is it normal that I only speak one language fluently? I feel stupid and alone. I'm working very hard to change that, but most people just get annoyed when I am relearning my Spanish at school and talking to myself in it. I'm making some real progress and the fact I used to know it I believe helps me a lot. Is it normal I only know one language?

P.S. I'm from the U.S.A.

Voting Results
84% Normal
Based on 64 votes (54 yes)
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Comments ( 25 )
  • Pen16
    10 years ago

    I prefer someone who knows English over someone who knows all the languages except English (trust me it is the most important and beautiful and simple language.)

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    • WokeUpScreamingFilmNoir
      10 years ago

      English is far from the most simple language.

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      • NurseDiesel
        10 years ago

        And no where near the most beautiful.

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        • Pen16
          10 years ago

          A lot of things have beauty in them it is just that we humans tend to avoid and hate on anything that is common.Plus 1 billion people know English and less than half of them aren't native speakers.

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          • NurseDiesel
            10 years ago

            I definitely have an appreciation for English since I've been speaking it all my life, I just think some other languages sound much nicer. I especially love to hear people speak English when its clearly not their first language. The grammatical errors and all that, I love it.

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            • disthing
              10 years ago

              You can't appreciate the beauty because English is your native language. You learnt the sounds, the nuances, the colloquialisms from childhood - you barely had to think about it.

              One of the effects of growing up with something and being surrounded by it most of the time is you become numb to it. It represents the ordinary, the mundane. It's almost impossible to imagine it from a 'foreign' perspective.

              Most people don't love their first language. Most people prefer the sound and novel structure of other languages more. The beautiful, distinctive qualities of their native tongue are forgotten - in their minds it is reduced to a tool that delivers thoughts, nothing more.

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    • PureLikeSnow
      10 years ago

      What you picked up easily may not be the same case for everyone else. Foreigners would say otherwise.

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  • EccentricWeird
    10 years ago

    The majority of individuals on this planet speak English, either as a first or second language. So if you're going to worry about knowing just one language, be thankful that language is English.

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  • VirgilManly
    10 years ago

    I'm flatulent in any language.

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  • handsignals
    10 years ago

    I'll have the 'Creem of sum yung gai'

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  • StarTeddy
    10 years ago

    Statistically speaking, the majority of people, especially in places like Europe, know more than two languages (don't know about fluently or not)...so I guess I'd say it's not normal, globally speaking. In places like the Unites States it's normal, though.

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    • Summernight
      10 years ago

      Exactly :)

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  • [Old Memory]
    10 years ago

    I only know English and various names of foreign foods.

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    • Kittykinz
      10 years ago

      Thanks for sharing

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  • RoseIsabella
    10 years ago

    Unfortunately, this is quite normal for Americans, but don't let the assholes get you down. You can relearn and get your Spanish back!

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  • NurseDiesel
    10 years ago

    Ya...I was going to say I bet you're american.

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  • DolphinAngel
    10 years ago

    I would say I'm quite fluent in English as my 2nd language but I still make many mistakes I guess...

    I suck at Spanish =P

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    • RoseIsabella
      10 years ago

      English is my native tongue, but I've studied 2 years of high school German, 1 year of college German as well as being exposed to Spanish my whole life and taking 1 semester of college Spanish and still to this day I'm pretty much just an English speaker. I feel like a jerk saying this but I'm really grateful that English is my native tongue because it's so universal.

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      • DolphinAngel
        10 years ago

        I took Spanish for 5 years in school and still can't really speak it since you only learn grammar and stuff at school but not actually how to talk... plus I'm very shy and not really willing to practice speaking :/

        I'd be glad if my native language was the most universal language all around the world :D

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  • Shiroyasha
    10 years ago

    I guess it is relatively normal. However, I would say that truly mastering a language beyond your native tongue is quite hard.

    For instance, I have been learning English since I was 5 years old... but I still speak with a weird accent and make several mistakes.

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  • dickwashington
    10 years ago

    i work with people who speak mostly spanish i feel like were slowly switching languages except they learn english much more quickly then i do spanish its really hard

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  • Cuntsiclestick
    10 years ago

    Normal. I'm only fluent in English as well. I tried learning Spanish a few times but it never really sank in.

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  • loopoo
    10 years ago

    I'm english, and can only speak English, I don't know anyone who is bilingual.

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