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- Mar 5, 2008
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If you were immersed in a culture where X was the dominant language, the language almost everyone spoke.... you think it would take you longer than five years to become reasonably proficient in it?
I doubt that. I took two years of Espanol in high school, about five hours a week 9 months a year, and at the end of that time I could hold a decent conversation in Spanish. I've gotten a bit rusty since due to lack of practice, but I haven't spent any siginficant time in nations where Espanol is the dominant language.
I speak English, a modest amount of Spanish, and a little Japanese. I am not truly fluent in anything but English, but I've had little reason to be and limited opportunity to practice. If I moved to another country where another language was spoken, one of my first priorities would be to become fluent in that language.
So you expect more of others than of yourself.