Modern languages are still used for human communication, with English being the most widely taught and used in the US. Spanish is predominant in some border counties with Mexico. Schools offer secondary modern languages such as Spanish, French, German, or Chinese. Universities offer a wide range of modern languages, including underused ones like Welsh or Sri Lankan Sinhala. Arabic has become more popular due to conflict in the Middle East. The Modern Language Association maintains an interactive map of language usage in the US, with English predominating but Spanish becoming more common in border counties.
Modern language refers to any dialect that is still used as a means of human communication. In the United States overall, the most widely taught and used modern language is still English. In some border counties with Mexico, Spanish is the predominant modern language. So-called “dead” languages like Latin or Sanskrit, by contrast, may be taught in some settings as classical languages, but that doesn’t make them modern.
Depending on the country and even the region of that country, several modern languages may be the first taught to children. Others, such as English or French, are common secondary acquired languages. All are considered modern languages, as long as communities of people somewhere on Earth use them. Trends vary by country. In India, for example, two languages are commonly spoken: Hindi spoken at home and English used at work or school. In many non-English speaking countries, English is by far the most commonly taught second language.
Public schools in the United States offer a handful of secondary modern languages for students to acquire more than one useful language. Common to this group are Spanish, French, German or even Chinese. Many schools, particularly college-preparatory programs, also offer Latin or Classical Greek to illustrate many of the common roots found in modern Western languages.
Universities are the principal repository and perpetuating force of all modern languages, apart from the native countries which use them the most. American liberal arts colleges typically offer instruction in a wide range of modern languages. These range from Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, French and Arabic to even more underused languages such as Welsh or Sri Lankan Sinhala. International relations or international business students often attempt to achieve absolute fluency in one or more extra languages to improve their chances of success after graduation and to more closely hone in on some chosen culture.
In the United States, Spanish is the predominant language taught as a second language at the university level. A decade ago, Arabic was one of the least popular, ranking tenth, according to the Association of Foreign Language Departments. Today, perhaps due to more persistent conflict and involvement in the Middle East, Arabic and its dialects have enjoyed a healthy American renaissance.
The Modern Language Association maintains a detailed, interactive map of the United States showing, county by county, which languages are spoken by which percentage of the population. English predominates the nation, of course. A cursory survey, however, of dozens of counties along the U.S. border with Mexico reveals that Spanish has slowly become, if not the official modern language, then at least the actual modern language of the locals.
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