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Should English be an optional subject not a compulsory one?

  • 22-02-2012 09:00PM
    #1
    The Scientician
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,724 ✭✭✭


    I mean Mandarin is going to displace it as the lingua franca of global commerce at some stage this coming century so it just seems like a waste of time. Listening to teenagers on the bus home there I realised sure they barely learn it after 13 years of schooling anyway. What say you AHers?

    What say you? 149 votes

    English should be compulsory
    0% 0 votes
    English should be optional
    100% 149 votes


«1345

Comments

  • #2
    J K
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 468 ✭✭J K


    they learn it good they do.


  • #3
    Fluorescence
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,490 ✭✭✭Fluorescence


    Make them all learn Esperanto. It's a much more viable alternative to English for global language of communication :D


  • #4
    positron
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,598 ✭✭✭positron


    It should be mandatory. And no, Mandarin is not going to be the global business language either. It would be an advantage to know, but Chinese will learn to do business in English.


  • #5
    J K
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 468 ✭✭J K


    The Mandarins, a great bunch of lads.


  • #6
    4zn76tysfajdxp
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,944 ✭✭✭✭4zn76tysfajdxp


    http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lzh2b9hOCE1qe4kh8.png


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  • #7
    kojack
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 292 ✭✭kojack


    The language of love should be compulsory. Imagine a world full of lollipops, rainbows and unicorns, where people skip with joy.


  • #8
    Sindri
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,059 ✭✭✭Sindri


    Trying....to....find....grammatical....errors....in....OP.


  • #9
    AngryBollix
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,536 ✭✭✭AngryBollix


    The Scientician wrote: »
    I mean Mandarin is going to displace it as the lingua franca of global commerce at some stage this coming century so it just seems like a waste of time. Listening to teenagers on the bus home there I realised sure they barely learn it after 13 years of schooling anyway. What say you AHers?


    At least they are fluent in it. (english that is. in fact now i think of it theres a better chance of them being fluent in mandarin than irish)

    No subject should be compulsory at LC level


  • #10
    Yakult
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 7,943 Mod ✭✭✭✭Yakult


    We need to start learning Klingon. It's clearly the way forward.


  • #11
    3hn2givr7mx1sc
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,838 ✭✭✭✭3hn2givr7mx1sc


    Going by the appalling grammar displayed on here from time to time then no, it should definitely be compulsory.


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  • #12
    AngryBollix
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,536 ✭✭✭AngryBollix


    baz2009 wrote: »
    Going by the appalling grammar displayed on here from time to time then no, it should definitely be compulsory.


    G'wan ourra dat


  • #13
    Fromthetrees
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,846 ✭✭✭Fromthetrees


    http://www.loonwatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/chinese-military.jpg


  • #14
    AngryBollix
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,536 ✭✭✭AngryBollix


    J K wrote: »
    they learn it good they do.


    English makes my brain think good too


  • #15
    AngryBollix
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,536 ✭✭✭AngryBollix


    Fromthetrees wrote: »
    http://www.loonwatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/chinese-military.jpg


    They're already here

    http://blogs.riverbed.com/.a/6a00e5508a3ca78834012876f22d4d970c-800wi


  • #16
    TeddyTedson
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,758 ✭✭✭✭TeddyTedson


    Only 10% of the marks of an English Leaving Cert paper are allocated to grammer and spelling and all that ****, as far as I remember.
    Every subject should be optional for Leaving Cert me thinks. :)


  • #17
    GLaDOS
    Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 23,257 Mod ✭✭✭✭GLaDOS


    Considering the appalling level of English used by a significant amount of people every day in a country that uses it as it's primary language, I think it definitely should remain compulsory.

    Cake, and grief counseling, will be available at the conclusion of the test



  • #18
    Bad Panda
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,205 ✭✭✭Bad Panda


    I won't dignify the original question with a proper answer as it's beyond ridiculous.

    However, more emphasis should be placed on grammar in secondary school.


  • #19
    Sindri
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,059 ✭✭✭Sindri


    Bad Panda wrote: »
    I won't dignify the original question with a proper answer as it's beyond ridiculous.

    However, more emphasis should be placed on grammar in secondary school.

    You did though ;).


  • #20
    Zaph
    Registered Users, Subscribers, Registered Users 2 Posts: 47,418 ✭✭✭✭Zaph


    When you read the number of people each day on Boards who think that alot is a word and that they hate it when their team is loosing, I think extra English classes should be compulsory, not less.


  • #21
    Daniel S
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,533 ✭✭✭Daniel S


    OP U hav to b kiddin!!1!

    shure haf the cuntry cant rite proper!!!!!!


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  • #22
    GLaDOS
    Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 23,257 Mod ✭✭✭✭GLaDOS


    Zaph wrote: »
    When you read the number of people each day on Boards who think that alot is a word .
    Always makes me think of this.

    Cake, and grief counseling, will be available at the conclusion of the test



  • #23
    TeddyTedson
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,758 ✭✭✭✭TeddyTedson


    ScienceNerd wrote: »
    Always makes me think of this.
    Witch in turn makes me think of this
    This one's for you Dr.B ;)


  • #24
    Mardy Bum
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,674 ✭✭✭Mardy Bum


    I don't mind spelling mistakes, some of the greatest writers ever couldn't spell for their lives; by the time a person reaches secondary school the emphasis on spelling and grammar should be dropped. I think English in secondary school classes should concentrate solely on literature. Literature is about the only way to expel general ignorance (race, gender etc) which pervades most areas in society. The only way people will learn is through the classics.


  • #25
    Fluorescence
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,490 ✭✭✭Fluorescence


    Mardy Bum wrote: »
    I don't mind spelling mistakes, some of the greatest writers ever couldn't spell for their lives; by the time a person reaches secondary school the emphasis on spelling and grammar should be dropped. I think English in secondary school classes should concentrate solely on literature. Literature is about the only way to expel general ignorance (race, gender etc) which pervades most areas in society. The only way people will learn is through the classics.

    Absolutely not. Everyone should be encouraged to write themselves.


  • #26
    Ghost Buster
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 5,172 ✭✭✭Ghost Buster


    The Scientician wrote: »
    I mean Mandarin is going to displace it as the lingua franca of global commerce at some stage this coming century so it just seems like a waste of time. Listening to teenagers on the bus home there I realised sure they barely learn it after 13 years of schooling anyway. What say you AHers?

    Hmmmmm. Lets see.I can speak English and have ok grammar, spelling and punctuation. I cant speak irish in spite of having learned it from age 5 to 18. I have good working French having only learned it from age 14 to 18.
    Nah. Keep English I reckon. And French.


  • #27
    Mardy Bum
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,674 ✭✭✭Mardy Bum


    fluorescence wrote: »
    Absolutely not. Everyone should be encouraged to write themselves.

    Well obviously students would respond to their texts by writing. The only way to learn how to write, if someone would like to pursue it, is through reading and engaging with the classics otherwise its a waste of time.


  • #28
    Pacifist Pigeon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 504 ✭✭✭Pacifist Pigeon


    Should life be optional or compulsory?


  • #29
    Sindri
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,059 ✭✭✭Sindri


    Mardy Bum wrote: »
    I don't mind spelling mistakes, some of the greatest writers ever couldn't spell for their lives; by the time a person reaches secondary school the emphasis on spelling and grammar should be dropped. I think English in secondary school classes should concentrate solely on literature. Literature is about the only way to expel general ignorance (race, gender etc) which pervades most areas in society. The only way people will learn is through the classics.

    This is the greatest load of pseudo-intellectual bull**** I have ever heard.




    But I agree about the classics. Classical Studies should be compulsory.


  • #30
    Sky King
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,431 ✭✭✭Sky King


    Their / there / they're

    You're / your

    etc etc etc

    Learn that shit up some.

    Additional:

    Etc is pronounced Et Cetera and not EK-SETRA


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  • #31
    Seanchai
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,401 ✭✭✭Seanchai


    baz2009 wrote: »
    Going by the appalling grammar displayed on here from time to time then no, it should definitely be compulsory.

    Clearly the compulsory English policy in schools is a failure and we need to change it rather than continuing to waste public funds on this failed policy. At the very least we need to change the way we teach English given the number of people who cannot speak it properly.


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