Or is it smarter than us? A few years back I had the rare privilege of attending a conference in England. Most of the chaps at the conference were my age, assistant professors in their mid-30s to mid-40s. What I found remarkable was, first, their facility with languages. While most of them spoke English tolerably well, they were equally able to converse with those from the continent in the latter’s tongue of choice: French, Spanish, German–probably some Dutch as well. Now I know that proximity must breed familiarity, but damn, I was impressed.
We in the states are usually expected to gain some “reading knowledge” of foreign languages in our graduate programs, as if we were going to rush right out and start translating articles. The “reading knowledge” requirement for my Ph.D. was at best a joke. Two semesters and done. No depth, no understanding. I forgot my Spanish completely as soon as I was done. My French comes back to me in small doses, but only because I had taken it in high school and college. And it didn’t help me at all when I was in Paris. In fact, I kept my mouth shut, afraid I would stick my foot in it.
Perhaps, after all, what I am describing is the typical problem with Americans, one that extends far beyond language. We don’t need to learn a foreign language because we expect the world to speak English, just as we expect the world to fall in line in other ways. I am reminded of the moment in Before Sunrise when Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy were walking through the streets of some German city, lost. They stopped to ask directions in English, and the two Germans asked them why they couldn’t speak German. Why did they just expect the Germans to speak English instead of the other way around? Funny moment, but true too.
The Brits were also working on their second or third books, when I was just getting started on my first. I don’t know too much about the British system, but I know the American one. We spend years and years in the classroom listening to each other prattle on. My understanding is that during this time our English brethren are in the library, researching, writing, thinking. And when we’re not in the seminar room, we’re usually teaching several sections of freshman composition for the tuition remission. Oh, yeah, and also because the professors, who ostensibly value strong writing in their students, won’t teach it–but that’s another matter.
Perhaps those who graduate from the English system do so having been “professionalized,” ready to take on the burdens and delights of rigorous scholarship. We in the US, however, are too often beaten down after 8 or 10 or 12 years of trying to fulfill any number of onerous requirements.
I’d like to hear from those across the waters.
We English do speak English tolerably well do we not? I wonder why that is so professor?
We also speak American quite well - “rental” (Hire car in UK), “Rubber” (an eraser in UK), “Half-bath” (a toilet in UK). “Jumper” (a jersey in UK) “pumps” (tennis shoes in northern England) Purse/pocket-book (handbag or notebook in UK) “gasoline” (petrol) ….the list is very long///almost seems endless. But what I don’t understand is why when I’m in the USA people don’t translate back to English. If we ask for a “hire car” we get a blank look. Yet if an American says “Rout[e]” (we can work out that they are not talking about the consequence of an easy battle but the route) etc
We spend more time in the library and writing because being a reserved people (except when drunk and rowdy) we are not such good orators as our American cousins. Something to do with us not having “show and tell” in early schooling perhaps? And because we are told to be seen but not heard as children.
We are strangely pedantic fellows though – which leads me by my very snooty English nature to point out (sorry..we say that a lot too) there are no Assistant Professors in England …just Lecturers, Readers and Professors.
Are we smarter …no. Remember, you guys own half the patents in the world.
Yes, our “Lecturers” are underpaid adjuncts. Most of us are “Readers” by nature (save for the students). And some of us are “Professors” in name only–I count myself. I’ve done a quick poll: folks around here are divided on rout/route.