Not for me thanks Foxy.

I had enough trouble picking up pigeon in New Guinea. That has only a couple of hundred words, & a bush highlander in Rabaul would be conversing in just a couple of weeks.

Dear Banjo Patterson,

Thank You so much for your post.

I was becoming somewhat disheartened however you've
been like a breath of fresh air - and I feel revived.
I grew up in a household where several
languages were spoken - and I considered this quite
normal. I think that part of the problem in this country
may be that the teaching of languages has only been
done on a superficial level. And this needs to be corrected.

I shall have to do much more research on this topic -
and see what suggestions do the
language experts have to improve the teaching of languages
within our education system. Not only the teaching of
English - but the entire spectrum of languages. Learning
is not always easy - however, it is indeed worthwhile
and opens up an entire world - if done properly - be it
science, mathematics, literature or languages. You need the
right teachers and the right tools, and of course funding.

Once again - Thank You.

Banjo
Australia isn't part of Asia, it never has been, I don't know if you noticed on your travels but we're in the southern hemisphere and Asia is in the north?
Should Argentina and Zimbabwe also embrace their "Asian environment"?
There's no reason other than greed to look toward Asia and absolutely nothing we can learn from the masses of low IQ people to the north, "culture" is something only Europeans have.
Asia is Islam and variants of Confucianism, neither of which can be compared to European cultures, Asia is ritual, Europe is liberated thought.

.

Dear Foxy,

.

Having said all that, perhaps I should answer your question : “ Should Asian Languages be mandatory in our schools? ”

I must confess that the method preconised by Julie Bishop of rendering an Asian language compulsory as a second foreign language, in Australian schools, in order to promote “soft diplomacy” with our Asian neighbours, reminds me of Mao’s notoriously disastrous project of the “Great Leap Forward” which, as we all know and deplore, ended up in the “Great Chinese Famine”.

Even Dr Yoko Kinoshita’s, declaration in her article published by “The Conversation” (for which you kindly provided a link) that “We need strong leadership from government” makes me cringe a little.

I don’t think we need “strong leadership” from government. I think we need “strong support” from government whatever language we choose as our compulsory second language. I see government’s role in this domain, as in most others, as that of a “facilitator” rather than a “leader” and certainly not that of a “strong leader”.

In my view, a more acceptable model than Mao’s “Great Leap Forward” would be Adam Smith’s “invisible hand” whereby students choose whatever second foreign language they feel is in their best personal interests. It is their future which is at stake and they should be empowered to make that choice.

I am more confident in Australian students making the right choice for themselves than Julie Bishop making it for them. Whatever is right for them, individually, in my opinion, is globally right for Australia.

There is little doubt in my mind that Asian languages will become increasingly important over the coming years. I anticipate that more and more Australian students will choose them as a second language without any prodding from the government.

It would be a mistake to force everybody to study an Asian language, at the exclusion of all others, simply because Asian languages are becoming increasingly important. All languages have their importance, in my humble opinion, and none should be neglected.

.

.

Dear Jay Of Melbourne,

.

You observe :

« Australia isn't part of Asia … »

That’s correct, Jay. But it’s closer to Asia than it is to Europe and our relations with Asia have long surpassed our relations with Europe in just about every domain except that of defense where we depend heavily on the US.

You ask :

« Should Argentina and Zimbabwe also embrace their "Asian environment"? »

They don’t have one. We do. The Japanese bombed neither Argentina nor Zimbabwe. They bombed Australia which was within their range.

You consider :

1. « There's no reason other than greed to look toward Asia … »

That is incorrect, Jay. The main “reason” we “look toward Asia” is for trade (commerce, buying and selling). Unless you live in autarky, I imagine you occasionally buy some food, drink or clothing etc. yourself, Jay, probably in exchange for money. If you do, that is not called “greed”, it is called commerce. A reciprocal exchange of items or products, without any monetary transaction, is not called greed either. It's called “trade”.

2. « There's … absolutely nothing we can learn from the masses of low IQ people to the north …»

That is incorrect, Jay. As my good friend, One Under God used to say :

« A fool can learn nothing from a wise man but a wise man can learn something from a fool »

3. « "culture" is something only Europeans have »

That is incorrect, Jay. Asia also enjoys a very rich culture of the arts, opera, music, literature, cuisine, etc. The Chinese script is the oldest continuously used writing system in the world.

4. « Asia is Islam and variants of Confucianism … »

It is also Hinduism, Taoism and Buddhism, among others, which collectively make up Eastern philosophy and religion, all of which have nothing to envy of European cultures and religions.

5. « Asia is ritual, Europe is liberated thought. »

Europe also has its ritual and Asia its liberated thought: through the balanced opposition of the yin and the yang.

.

*I think we need “strong support” from government whatever language we choose as our compulsory second language.*

Your problem is right there Banjo, ie forcing students who have no interest or inclination whatsoever, to learn a second language, in a country like Australia.

Firstly, our situation cannot be compared to Europe, where people only need to travel a few Km, in order to face the language barrier. Travel around a small country like Switzerland for instance and you can face speaking German, Italian or French, all in the same tiny country. In that case yes, there is a need for students to learn other languages, unlike in Australia.

Trade. There is nothing that you cannot buy and sell in English. It is the language of trade. Yes, other languages can be helpful. So how many % of the Australian population will encounter that problem as an insolvable issue in their lives? Given our high rate of immigration, we already have a huge number of people who are bilingual. Training those who have no interest, is a complete waste of resources.

Make language training available for those who have an aptitude and interest. That is all that is required.