In Sweden, 86% of the population speak and/or read/write English (compulsory subject in school since the 1940'ies)
In Canada that number is 85.4%.
I started in 3rd grade (9 years old) all the way up until the end of school. Ironically I learned more from computers by programming, gaming, watching demos, reading and writing scrolltexts, playing text adventures etc. as well as watching mostly british or US shows and pirated VHS movies (no subs obviously). We never dub movies here (except childrens movies for the youngest ones) and end up with subs (on telly and in the cinema, but then most of use have cable/internet boxes and get international channels without subs) but to me they're mostly a nuisance since I don't need subs but can't help move my eyes down to the subs as they show up. I've been training to ignore subs. Heck, I can even understand scouser dialect unless it's too garbled.
So I thank my lazy years in front of computers, imported pirate vhs horror movies in the 80'ies etc. for learning English faster and better than being taught in school.
But... ffs, canucks, Sweden above you among the English speaking populations? When the logical and flawless metric system has replaced the imperial system in the North Americas completely you can drop canuck-french while you're at it. It makes no sense to have people in Canada that only speak French. But that's the french for you, they refuse English. Then we have USA. The list claims that 95% of the population speak English. Let me modify that a little bit. Most of those 95% speak bastardized English where words were apparently too difficult for early Americans to pronounce (aluminium became aluminum.. that's a mistaked a 5-year old would make.. and that's just one of many examples). Let's call it American toddler-English.
In Sweden, 86% of the population speak and/or read/write English (compulsory subject in school since the 1940'ies)
In Canada that number is 85.4%.
Well, English isn't the only dominating language in Canada. French is also very widely-used. Plus, the difference in the two countries' populations is quite significant with Canada having 25m citizens more.
Nonetheless, the statistic still remains impressive for a country where English isn't an official language.
Yet the level is quite dramatic when you talk to most people below the age of 30 around here.
Not that abnormal when you have experienced the level of English classes over here. Many times I need to help out the teacher and I had to help people with the English parts of their thesis. Which is rather bad since I'm a Belgian without a degree... never finished high school.
I even see it happen in Belgium, while I grew up with the Beebs, games and nearly all cartoons not being dubbed... What I see these days is that there is a lot of (horrible) kid shows produced by Belgian broadcasts that is spoken in Dutch and the others get dubbed. Horrible because they seem to be made with the thought that kids are retards.
There's a bigger push for localization in games and programs. Way too many times I have to get out of my way to have it in English because most of the time the program automatically decides for me what language I'd like to read...
So while that statistic is accurate it doesn't tell you the most important thing: you wont have meaningful discussions with the majority around here.
And it will only get worse with current level of schooling (it's truly a joke, everywhere), the push for localization and the dubbing on kids shows.
Yet the level is quite dramatic when you talk to most people below the age of 30 around here.
Not that abnormal when you have experienced the level of English classes over here. Many times I need to help out the teacher and I had to help people with the English parts of their thesis. Which is rather bad since I'm a Belgian without a degree... never finished high school.
I even see it happen in Belgium, while I grew up with the Beebs, games and nearly all cartoons not being dubbed... What I see these days is that there is a lot of (horrible) kid shows produced by Belgian broadcasts that is spoken in Dutch and the others get dubbed. Horrible because they seem to be made with the thought that kids are retards.
There's a bigger push for localization in games and programs. Way too many times I have to get out of my way to have it in English because most of the time the program automatically decides for me what language I'd like to read...
So while that statistic is accurate it doesn't tell you the most important thing: you wont have meaningful discussions with the majority around here.
And it will only get worse with current level of schooling (it's truly a joke, everywhere), the push for localization and the dubbing on kids shows.
So yeah... stats: meh.
Yeah localizing and dubbing will make things worse.
Quite pathetic indeed. In before call of "bigotry".
Leo, you are a very critical thinking person, yet whenever manipulative mccondell is opening his assh.. ehm mouth, you just sit there and clap and swallow everything that he says.
I do not know how many of the rapes in sweden are actually performed by muslim immigrants in sweden (maybe they are the majority), Pat Condell clearly tries to manipulate the viewer with his skewed wording, which takes away ANY credibility that he might have.
It is well known that Sweden has a different counting for rapes and Pat is using that and displaying the Sweden Democrats of all people, to be the clear minded, rational thinking party of Sweden? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweden_Democrats
They are nothing but far-right wing idiots, like NPD, EDL, Front National and other fuck faces across europe, is that the agenda you subscribe to nowadays? Are these the "democrats" that will save Europe from islamization? Because when the muslim is gone and their shitty right wing politics fuck their countries again, it'll be the jew again, then the gypsy, then the old and crippled and so on and so on ...
I have honestly no clue about how bad the situation in Sweden is, but Pat Condell and his generalizations about muslims, his twisted wording and mixing of various themes, that he is using to support his agenda, his manipulative and populistic speeches and his support for Sweden Democrats, should ring some bells in any critical thinking person.
Maybe Sweden needs a change in mind on immigrant related problems. Maybe there need to be major changes and maybe there needs to be more dialogue and action. But populist idiots like Condell have no place in this process at all, because he is nothing but a bitter old idiot, who is only pouring fuel into the fire...
I have always shared my fear that radicalization would rise due to islamization and poverty. I just happen to agree with many of his views. Could be that Condell has been pushed to the limit. It happens from time to time to everyone when Islam extends its fingers To remind you, if you forgot after 70 years, any sort of radical nationalism in Europe would not serve me well either, so I don't see you'd think what you posted.
From the link you posted, rape cases have increased and there are some leads to connect with Islamic immigration into Sweden. Even if not the "rape capital", there is still very concerning statistic that you brush off as "maybe". "Maybe" "maybe" "maybe", but Condell cannot share his opinion ... because why? "Generalization against Muslims".
It is interesting that when Pat Condell has spoken against Christianity, none of this "criticism" was pointed at him. But once he shifted to Islam, a much bigger issue currently than Christianity, in his opinion (I agree), he is getting flack from some.
From the link you posted, rape cases have increased and there are some leads to connect with Islamic immigration into Sweden. Even if not the "rape capital", there is still very concerning statistic that you brush off as "maybe". "Maybe" "maybe" "maybe", but Condell cannot share his opinion ... because why? "Generalization against Muslims".
I'd rather say maybe than not, because I stated several times that I do not know if that is really the case, so why shouldn't I mention that I am not sure about that data?
IMO
He's more dangerous than most of the 'right wing' idiots out there. He sells half truths with genuine issues. He tells things you could agree with but at the same time tries to manipulate you. Twist it so that the more radical things become somewhat reasonable to you.
Pretty sure he can be quite successful with the majority of common people these days. I'll always be very wary of those kinds of people. It/he has a purpose tho, sometimes it takes radicals shouting to put the genuine issues under a light and others picking it up. Saw it a bit in Belgian politics, where the mainstream parties took a hint from the right and suddenly address some of the things they were using to convince people over.
There are big issues in Sweden, yet most of the Swedes still believe it's some paradise compared to other countries and a lot of foreigners believe everything is great here. What I see is: if they don't address some of the issues they're going to have a harder time with a multi-cultural society than the troubles The Netherlands, Belgium and some other central European countries have/had. The structure that is in place here, won't suffice and has a greater potential to become unmanageable.
what's up, hermano! i've learned americano en la calle, you know?
Seriously, if you go to Miami or New York, you'll hear a lot of conversations like this in the streets.
EDIT: and also relates, here in Chile, a Spanish spoken country, only a 20% of the population can understand proper Spanish And the % of people that speaks two languages is minimal. OCDE Country we are... yeah right!!
This is my favourite Pat Condell video and his statement about his core defining belief has been sampled in remix track from one of my favourite recent drum and bass artists, Invaders of Nine. I feel pretty much the way he feels about all religion, it's not limited to any one specific religion, but all of them.. they're all dehumanising garbage, all about control, all about intolerance to anyone else but their followers.
IMO
He's more dangerous than most of the 'right wing' idiots out there. He sells half truths with genuine issues. He tells things you could agree with but at the same time tries to manipulate you. Twist it so that the more radical things become somewhat reasonable to you.
Pretty sure he can be quite successful with the majority of common people these days. I'll always be very wary of those kinds of people. It/he has a purpose tho, sometimes it takes radicals shouting to put the genuine issues under a light and others picking it up. Saw it a bit in Belgian politics, where the mainstream parties took a hint from the right and suddenly address some of the things they were using to convince people over.
There are big issues in Sweden, yet most of the Swedes still believe it's some paradise compared to other countries and a lot of foreigners believe everything is great here. What I see is: if they don't address some of the issues they're going to have a harder time with a multi-cultural society than the troubles The Netherlands, Belgium and some other central European countries have/had. The structure that is in place here, won't suffice and has a greater potential to become unmanageable.
Exactly what I think. I share some of his thoughts, but not all of them and I definitely dislike his twisting of facts to match his views.
Why would I remove it? I couldn't find it myself, because I thought it would be in general or news thread, and also thought that the title was "fun fact" instead of amazomg fact
I couldn't reply to your thread in time as you deleted it
Signature/Avatar nuking: none (can be changed in your profile)
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" on my part.
