I think the best thing to do is instead of going back to UK, where people have cut all their ties. I think they should move to a part of Spain that has not been hit as hard in the crisis. The Balearics.

The Balearics is having the same bad time as the mainland, if not worse - its just more expensive to live there I believe

Jo xxx

Everywhere is Hit...where isn't ?

GERMANY LOL!! They reckon that its not affected them very badly - methinks they're not telling the whole truth!

Jo xxx

Not sure if its been said so far, don't really care if it has... but you do realise whats one of the most widely spoken languages in the world is don't you?

ooooh you don't mean Spanish do you

Yep, more than English according to Wiki



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...ative_speakers

Must go, just off to Irdu classes

I knew you were going to say that one. Going rate for Urdu translators is about £80 per hour (at least). Where to we take a TUFL

I was actually thinking of Umbundu...

English seems to be the main business and financial language tho- Its also the most widely used language in the film industry and even pop songs - most radio stations and pop charts are full of english songs and British or american artists. Spanish artists tend to sing alot of their songs in English and Spanish youngsters tend to "worship" American and English popstars and celebrities - even the music played in Mercadona is primarily english/American. So the desire to speak the language is there

Jo xxx

With some of the MnM songs they play in muckydonnas do you think they understand English ?

yes, I've heard some songs that havent been sensored in there too - my kids find it amusing

Jo xxx

Sorry Jo, but this is nonsense.

I worked to help set up a well known online music store in Spain. As I said previously, around 70% of all music sold in Spain is from Spanish artists and even more than that is from Spanish-speaking artists (Latin America).

English speaking songs get a higher proportion of airplay on the radio because their record companies pay for it to try and increase sales in Spain. Plus I've noticed half the radio stations in the CDS are English!

Spanish kids like English speaking TV shows, films and music because they are exposed to it such a lot, but they are even more crazy about Spanish celebrities. They can relate to them much more.

There may be a healthy mix of Spanish and English used in the future, but there's no way Spanish will die out, far too many people speak it and are passionate about it. It's like Catalan, it may become "watered down" in certain ways but it will never die out!! People with Catalan heritage almost always speak Catalan with their children; forget immigrants and the like, it is the people called Joan, Jordi and Montse who will keep it going. I have friends who are married to Catalans and they are not giving up their language and culture without a fight! Similar thing in the Basque country (incidentally, Basques are generally more reluctant to "marry out" as they are determined to keep the Basque genes pure). This is why Catalan schools teach almost exclusively in Catalan, pretty much considering Spanish a foreign language, along with English and French or whatever. I don't like this policy from a personal point of view as I wanted my son to learn English and Spanish, so I voted with my feet! It would be like going to England and expecting them to teach my son in Spanish! (say nothing, the non-politically correct amongst you!)

Thanks SaritaBarcelona for highlighting the passion that languages hold for people in Spain and their link to culture.

If the English language ever became a threat to Spanish culture (and I dont think it will) then Spain will react just like the Catalans have and force schools to teach only in Spanish and force shops to have Spanish speakers, menus, signs etc.

Language is part of culture and part of identities. It is why Spanish, Catalan, Basque and Gallego will not die out in Spain. Spanish people are incredibly proud of their local identity. For Christ sake, it was partly what the civil war was about!

And btw, the Catalans have done very well economically despite having very pro-Catalan politics