Is Spanish as popular in Britain as it is in the US?
Is Spanish as popular in Britain as it is in the US?
What do you mean by "popular"? I can guess it's not, living in Ireland, Most people who learn a language in school learn French, then German is probably the next most popular, but I can't say for sure. Either way it can't be as widely spoken as in the US
The short answer is No.
We speak English in Britain. When we are in Spain we TALK ENGLISH SLOWLY AND LOUDLY. Also, millions of Mexicans cant get into Britain to do all our sh*t jobs. Sh*t UK jobs are reserved for people from the newer EU countries (like Poland). Many British people can speak Spanish but can't be arsed to speak it.
We speak English in Britain. When we are in Spain we TALK ENGLISH SLOWLY AND LOUDLY. Also, millions of Mexicans cant get into Britain to do all our sh*t jobs. Sh*t UK jobs are reserved for people from the newer EU countries (like Poland). Many British people can speak Spanish but can't be arsed to speak it.
Spain is a very popular tourist destination for Britons, there are also 350.000 expats living there, but when it comes to learning languages they prefere French and German for economic reasons, as well as cultural traditions.
Many people think there are more Germans than British in Spain, but that's not true. Here's the top ten:
1.- Romania: 728.967
2.- Morocco: 644.688
3.- Ecuador: 420.110
4.- UK: 351.919
5.- Colombia: 280.705
6.- Bolivia: 239.942
7.- Germany: 180.650
8.- Italy: 157.435
9.- Bulgaria: 153.664
10.- Argentina: 145.315
Spanish expats are in:
1.- Argentina: 255.243
2.- France: 159.579
3.- Venezuela: 119.591
4.- Germany: 83.465
5.- Switzerland: 71.746
6.- Brazil: 63.637
7.- Mexico: 51.098
8.- USA: 45.394
9.- UK: 44.713
10.- Uruguay: 40.720
Many people think there are more Germans than British in Spain, but that's not true. Here's the top ten:
1.- Romania: 728.967
2.- Morocco: 644.688
3.- Ecuador: 420.110
4.- UK: 351.919
5.- Colombia: 280.705
6.- Bolivia: 239.942
7.- Germany: 180.650
8.- Italy: 157.435
9.- Bulgaria: 153.664
10.- Argentina: 145.315
Spanish expats are in:
1.- Argentina: 255.243
2.- France: 159.579
3.- Venezuela: 119.591
4.- Germany: 83.465
5.- Switzerland: 71.746
6.- Brazil: 63.637
7.- Mexico: 51.098
8.- USA: 45.394
9.- UK: 44.713
10.- Uruguay: 40.720
<< Spanish expats are in: >>
What's the difference between an 'expat' and an 'immigrant'?
What's the difference between an 'expat' and an 'immigrant'?
The difference is your point of reference. People of one nationality who live permanently in another country are ex-patriates ("outside of one's country") or emigrants ("people who have moved away") to their co-nationals, and they are immigrants ("people who have moved in") to the nationals of the country they now reside in.
So, a Spaniard would call a Briton living in Spain "an immigrant", right?
What about a Briton living in the US? Would a British person living in the US say "I'm an immigrant" to an American? Or would they say "I'm an expat"?
What about a Briton living in the US? Would a British person living in the US say "I'm an immigrant" to an American? Or would they say "I'm an expat"?
Well, you would be both at the same time. You are an ex-pat to yourself and your former compatriots, as you are living outside your own country, but you are an immigrant to the natives of your new country. It doesn't matter which countries we are talking about.
That's why I said that it's the point of reference that matters -- your term will depend on which relationship you are referring to: your relationship with your old country (ex-pat) or your relationship with your new country (immigrant).
It's a little like terms in a family situation; you might be one person's nephew but another person's son-in-law. The one doesn't negate the other; it just depends on which relationship you are talking about at the time.
That's why I said that it's the point of reference that matters -- your term will depend on which relationship you are referring to: your relationship with your old country (ex-pat) or your relationship with your new country (immigrant).
It's a little like terms in a family situation; you might be one person's nephew but another person's son-in-law. The one doesn't negate the other; it just depends on which relationship you are talking about at the time.
In Spain Britons, Portugueses, Germans, Italians and so one are not immigrants, it would sound silly and no one say that, they are foreign residents.
Most of Britons in Spain come to retire and to spend their holidays, but a few of them look for a job in Spain, hence they are not less immigrant than let's say Romanians or Moroccoans.
People spending their holidays abroad are not counted as ex-pats or immigrants. On the other hand those living there on a regular basis certainly are, whether they are looking for a job or not. So if Spaniards don't call British ex-pats in Spain "immigrants"... well they should.
Spanish is most definitely not as widely spoken, or understood, as it is in many parts of the United States for obvious reasons - the Americans have a Spanish speaking country firmoy tacked on to their nether regions and appear to have great problems trying to stem the flow of immgrants - legal or illegal.
It seems that these southern parts of the US are now virtually bilingual, and I may just be correct in saying that the Spanish Language has the upper hand in many places and English is probably a minority tongue there.
The UK simply doesn't have the equivalent situation when it comes to Spanish.....here the flow is in the opposite direction - Brits are taking the English Language to Spain which they use exclusivey in their retirement colonies in the sunshine of the Costas, and many gazillions of Brits nip down to Sunny Spain every year either on holiday or on weekend breaks or even stag/hen "night" cum Club 18-30 bashes....all with absolutely no intention of using Spanish anyway apart from the occasional "por favor" or "gracias" or whatever the Spanish is for "where is the nearest English bar?".
It seems that these southern parts of the US are now virtually bilingual, and I may just be correct in saying that the Spanish Language has the upper hand in many places and English is probably a minority tongue there.
The UK simply doesn't have the equivalent situation when it comes to Spanish.....here the flow is in the opposite direction - Brits are taking the English Language to Spain which they use exclusivey in their retirement colonies in the sunshine of the Costas, and many gazillions of Brits nip down to Sunny Spain every year either on holiday or on weekend breaks or even stag/hen "night" cum Club 18-30 bashes....all with absolutely no intention of using Spanish anyway apart from the occasional "por favor" or "gracias" or whatever the Spanish is for "where is the nearest English bar?".
<<It seems that these southern parts of the US are now virtually bilingual, and I may just be correct in saying that the Spanish Language has the upper hand in many places and English is probably a minority tongue there. >>
Not exactly.
True, there are many immigrants who speak Spanish, but English is still the official speak everywhere. The situation you describe above might be observable in small neighborhoods where families and friends who are Spanish speaking speak Spanish to one another, but to say that Southern parts of the US are bilingual in general is a BIG stretch. That's a whole lot of hype. It's not a situation like in Belgium for sure.
Not exactly.
True, there are many immigrants who speak Spanish, but English is still the official speak everywhere. The situation you describe above might be observable in small neighborhoods where families and friends who are Spanish speaking speak Spanish to one another, but to say that Southern parts of the US are bilingual in general is a BIG stretch. That's a whole lot of hype. It's not a situation like in Belgium for sure.