Ben Brereton Diaz

[bluebruce]

1 hour ago, Armchair supporter supremo said:

British people are generally shite at learning languages (learning well enough to have a fluent conversation anyway!) 

Just a fact and it was no different 2 years ago when they first started calling the lad up to the Chilean squad! Hypocritical of them to use that against him now, they should simply say he's not being picked because his form for club/s and country the past 6-12 months has been poor

British people aren't shite at learning languages, they're lazy at it because English is so widely spoken that there's less need. And Ben is indeed being very lazy, it's no excuse.

Also they haven't said he's not being picked because of this, the coach has been clear on it not being the cause. So clearly it's because of his poor form.

[Upside Down]

11 hours ago, bluebruce said:

British people aren't shite at learning languages, they're lazy at it because English is so widely spoken that there's less need. And Ben is indeed being very lazy, it's no excuse.

Also they haven't said he's not being picked because of this, the coach has been clear on it not being the cause. So clearly it's because of his poor form.

Too true.

There's also some other factors.

One is the fact they don't bother teaching you a foreign language until secondary school, by which time you're entering adolescence and don't give a fuck about such things.

The second is the arrogance of Britain in general seeing itself as superior to the rest of the world. Oi, Pedro! Do u du chips?!

[doctorryan]

1 hour ago, Upside Down said:

Too true.

There's also some other factors.

One is the fact they don't bother teaching you a foreign language until secondary school, by which time you're entering adolescence and don't give a fuck about such things.

The second is the arrogance of Britain in general seeing itself as superior to the rest of the world. Oi, Pedro! Do u du chips?!

Sung together in chorus by all the Yanks & citizens of the Home Nations:

We are the world.....

We are the children....

We are the ones who make a brighter day ....

YOU WANT TO MAKE SOMETHING OF IT?!?

[Blow-in]

On 12/03/2024 at 18:53, Armchair supporter supremo said:

British people are generally shite at learning languages (learning well enough to have a fluent conversation anyway!) 

Just a fact and it was no different 2 years ago when they first started calling the lad up to the Chilean squad! Hypocritical of them to use that against him now, they should simply say he's not being picked because his form for club/s and country the past 6-12 months has been poor

I think the main problem is that everyone speaks English to some extent so you can go to France, Germany, Italy Spain and by definition their English will be better than your ability at their language.

The Irish are the same, though I do sometimes wonder if I have a genuine learning disability when it comes to languages, I spent 14 years doing Irish in School and apart from telling someone I need a piss I have no Irish at all.

Edit: Jesus Bluebruce you are ruining my day. He made the point before me.

Edited March 13 by Blow-in

[bluebruce]

2 hours ago, Blow-in said:

Edit: Jesus Bluebruce you are ruining my day. He made the point before me.

And got downvoted for my troubles, for some reason! 😂

[Armchair supporter supremo]

1 hour ago, bluebruce said:

And got downvoted for my troubles, for some reason! 😂

 I didn't like your tone and think it's just "lazy" of you to simply label British people lazy👍

 

Does that answer your question precious? 

 

Eithervway who actually gives a fuck, whatva boring subject and why did i get involved (more fool me!) 

Edited March 13 by Armchair supporter supremo

[bluebruce]

4 hours ago, Armchair supporter supremo said:

 I didn't like your tone and think it's just "lazy" of you to simply label British people lazy👍

 

Does that answer your question precious? 

 

Eithervway who actually gives a fuck, whatva boring subject and why did i get involved (more fool me!) 

You had just said British people are shit at learning languages, implying an actual lack of skill. I think saying we can't be bothered to learn them because there isn't as much need is an improvement on that.

I'm also British, so reckon I'm alright to give an opinion on a people I belong to. But you do you.

[lraC]

8 hours ago, Blow-in said:

I think the main problem is that everyone speaks English to some extent so you can go to France, Germany, Italy Spain and by definition their English will be better than your ability at their language.

The Irish are the same, though I do sometimes wonder if I have a genuine learning disability when it comes to languages, I spent 14 years doing Irish in School and apart from telling someone I need a piss I have no Irish at all.

Edit: Jesus Bluebruce you are ruining my day. He made the point before me.

I honestly believe that it depends on where you live and what your circumstances are, but do accept it might be a step too far for some.

I live in a little Spanish Town not far from Alicante and hardly anyone speaks English. Unless you are prepared to learn Spanish, you simply won’t get by.

I have spent around 8 years on it, starting in my early fifties. It hasn’t been easy, but I do speak it pretty well.

To make matters slightly worse, I have lost 60% of my hearing, so use hearing aids too. I do love a challenge, so feel pretty proud of my achievements. 

[Lancaster Rover]

All schools teach Spanish and/or French from KS2 Y3 onward, so the notion that languages aren't taught in Britain until high school is factually incorrect. The general attitude toward learning languages and the small man mentality vast swathes of the nation has toward Europe is the root of the problem. 

[bluebruce]

5 minutes ago, Lancaster Rover said:

All schools teach Spanish and/or French from KS2 Y3 onward, so the notion that languages aren't taught in Britain until high school is factually incorrect. The general attitude toward learning languages and the small man mentality vast swathes of the nation has toward Europe is the root of the problem. 

I definitely wasn't taught it until high school. If it's changed, fair enough.

[rigger]

9 minutes ago, bluebruce said:

I definitely wasn't taught it until high school. If it's changed, fair enough.

I had french lessons at primary school (Cedar Street) circa 1968. It was all very loose, only at secondary school did I have structured language lessons.

[Mattyblue]

English is the world lingua franca,  I doubt Americans, Australians, New Zealanders are much better. 

If the USA spoke French, so films, music, popular culture, people working in bars, restaurants abroad all spoke French too, I’d wager French would be much wider spoken by Brits.
 

[simongarnerisgod]

i did spanish in high school,was compulsary to do one of french,german or spanish for two years,teacher was a raving lunatic who threw whatever was in reach at anyone in range,put me of wanting to learn a language for life,it was survival mode for an hour🤕,there was`nt any bullying from other kids in 80`s comprehensive schools,it was the teachers you had to watch  out for!!!!!!!!

[Upside Down]

8 hours ago, Lancaster Rover said:

All schools teach Spanish and/or French from KS2 Y3 onward, so the notion that languages aren't taught in Britain until high school is factually incorrect. The general attitude toward learning languages and the small man mentality vast swathes of the nation has toward Europe is the root of the problem. 

Some primary school teach other languages but it's not part of the curriculum until secondary school, maybe that's changed but you are 100% correct about the bonehead mentality of many folk from the UK.

[ABBEY]

personall,y I for one could not give a flying shit.

[AllRoverAsia]

19 hours ago, simongarnerisgod said:

i did spanish in high school,was compulsary to do one of french,german or spanish for two years,teacher was a raving lunatic who threw whatever was in reach at anyone in range,put me of wanting to learn a language for life,it was survival mode for an hour🤕,there was`nt any bullying from other kids in 80`s comprehensive schools,it was the teachers you had to watch  out for!!!!!!!!

We had a few of those nutters back in the 60s.

One ran the senior prefects as his Private army. In those days it was good to have an older brother with a good punch and older lads from the village who were up for a scrap.

Edited March 15 by AllRoverAsia

[Lancaster Rover]

13 hours ago, Upside Down said:

Some primary school teach other languages but it's not part of the curriculum until secondary school, maybe that's changed but you are 100% correct about the bonehead mentality of many folk from the UK.

Been on the national curriculum for 10 years or so I think to teach a modern or ancient foreign language at KS2.

[RoverDom]

6 hours ago, ABBEY said:

personall,y I for one could not give a flying shit.

Yeah - it's a shame there's not 100s of other threads you could read and are stuck reading just this one. 

[PotterLog]

On 12/03/2024 at 16:57, K-Hod said:

I think she grew up in Stoke, but was born in Chile.
She’s effectively English really.

She came to UK when she was about 15 or 16 so still mainly grew up in Chile really. Personally I lay the blame squarely at her feet, she never spoke to her kids in Spanish at all growing up. Massive waste of an opportunity - and seemingly paying for it now!

I think it was pretty unnecessary for the new Chile manager to come out and say that really, especially when he won't have even met the bloke, never mind seen him with the squad. The stuff about team spirit doesn't make much sense when you consider the players and fans have loved him since he's been with Chile, his impact has only ever been positive in that regard. To me it smacks of a new boss in town singling out a popular player to make an example of. It may be a bit of a miscalculation, a lot of fans won't be happy he's been left out.

Regarding learning the language, to offer something of a defence of him, it can be quite hard to get opportunities to practise a language when you're an English-speaker, because everywhere you go there will be people who speak at least a bit of your own language, and are keen to practise themselves. I suspect that will be the case in the Chile squad, there will be a core of players who speak a reasonable bit of English who he's fallen in with, and his attempts to interact in Spanish will be reduced to a bit of a novelty on the bus or in the pub, rather than any meaningful everyday communication. I'm sure he's been taking classes but that alone can be very slow-going in terms of getting up to speed with real-time spoken interaction. For anyone saying they've got up to an "intermediate level" on duolingo, I'd like to see you go and interact in real time with a big group of working-class lads speaking at a hundred miles an hour, using all sorts of slang and niche football terminology etc. I've spoken (Chilean) Spanish to a very high level for at least 15 years and even I get lost quite easily - following that kind of language as a learner is near impossible.

But again, all his mum's fault really!

Edited March 15 by PotterLog

[PotterLog]

Looking like he's been called up anyway in the end due to others having to drop out

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/C4p2lAiNmai/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=ae67425d-0b0b-4d6d-b6a0-c2ed290e8aef

[Leonard Venkhater]

On 15/03/2024 at 07:19, ABBEY said:

personall,y I for one could not give a flying shit.

Aw, and I was just about to share my knowledge of Latin!

[Andy]

Nice to see him get 2 goals and an assist yesterday.

Seems to be doing quite well at Sheffield.

[philipl]

7 hours ago, Andy said:

Nice to see him get 2 goals and an assist yesterday.

Seems to be doing quite well at Sheffield.

Seems to be showing he can tear a Premier League defence apart so can do it at the highest level which many doubted.

[Upside Down]

On 01/04/2024 at 18:24, philipl said:

Seems to be showing he can tear a Premier League defence apart so can do it at the highest level which many doubted.

Really glad we let him go for nothing now.

Good work venkys.

[47er]

I thought that when Mowbray came, we had a plan to gradually build up the squad over a few years and make it to the Premier League.

Instead we allowed contracts to wind down, couldn't afford to replace those we lost with same quality and have virtually given away half a potential EPL team ( I'm including Ash Philips in this).

The result is we are farther away from promotion than ever, we are struggling to avoid relegation to Div 1, there is no plan, no money and no hope under these owners.