This post piqued my interest (the "monolingual" part, not the "IPA" part):

sparksbet:

Fenris_kcf:
Using English orthography to clarify the pronunciation of a word is like eating soup with a fork — works to a certain degree, but is definitely the wrong tool for it.

While obviously Esperanto words are best represented in their own orthography, I defy you to name the "right" tool (or any other tool, for that matter) for clarifying pronunciation in writing to a monolingual English speaker who doesn't know the IPA.

(my emphasis)

How many monolingual English speakers are there in the US?
Is foreign language education part of the obligatory academic curriculum?
If yes, does it start in pre-school, primary, secondary or tertiary education?

What "weight" do foreign languages in education have?
Are they considered to be something essential like algebra or science?
Are they considered something exotic?
Are they considered something unnecessary?

Can you get a college degree without a single foreign language?
Can you get a doctor's degree without a single foreign language?

What is the situation in the United Kingdom compared to the United States?

Yes, it is possible to earn a doctoral degree in the USA without the knowledge or study of one single foreign language. There are even some here who are proud of the fact that they can add PhD to their names without having studied a foreign language or even philosophy for that matter. One of them is the woman who was the chair of the department at Florida Atlantic University for just three months and who fired me - probably because I am proud that I speak not one but several foreign languages and HAVE studied philosophy. She used the fact that I am gay to get rid of me - yes, that too is legal in the State of Florida! She is no longer chair but she continues to have a toxic influence on the department in which she teaches. She is a "born again Christian" and also very xenophobic and a racist.
So, yes, you can get far in the USA without any foreign language. The study of foreign languages is not (yet) very honored here. But the days are numbered. Of that I am sure. Just as the mighty Latin language crumbled, so shall English - the victim of the pride of those who force it on others.

I entered the Los Angeles school system and watched children learn to speak English so they could translate for their parents. I felt stupid and I wished that Spanish or Apache or some other language were available for me to learn in school. Nothing available until the last four years before High School graduation. The only language learning in the United States is by people with a desire to learn languages.

In Russia, they study English six years or more, but finally most of students cannot speak English, unless they use computers for other aids and need know English for it.

According to the author of Bilingual: Life and Reality most of the world's population is bilingual, and a few rough estimates are:
Europe: 56%
Great Britain: 38%
Canada: 35%
United States: 17%

I started learning Spanish in elementary (primary) school and continued learning it through my junior year in high school. I don't believe more than 1-2 semesters are required in high school, and I'm not sure any is required in elementary school (but I did go to public school so it may very well be required). Even with all of that time spent on it, foreign language studies were not very important/weighted. My school also offered AP (Advanced Placement) college-level Spanish classes, but I didn't partake.

You can most definitely get any degree level you want without a single foreign language.

robbkvasnak:Yes, it is possible to earn a doctoral degree in the USA without the knowledge or study of one single foreign language. There are even some here who are proud of the fact that they can add PhD to their names without having studied a foreign language or even philosophy for that matter. One of them is the woman who was the chair of the department at Florida Atlantic University for just three months and who fired me - probably because I am proud that I speak not one but several foreign languages and HAVE studied philosophy. She used the fact that I am gay to get rid of me - yes, that too is legal in the State of Florida! She is no longer chair but she continues to have a toxic influence on the department in which she teaches. She is a "born again Christian" and also very xenophobic and a racist.
So, yes, you can get far in the USA without any foreign language. The study of foreign languages is not (yet) very honored here. But the days are numbered. Of that I am sure. Just as the mighty Latin language crumbled, so shall English - the victim of the pride of those who force it on others.

Wow, how is that legal? She sounds like a total fiulino. According to my understanding a true "born again Christian" would be unable to harbor such judgement and hatred toward her fellow man. Sounds like a fundamentalist nutbag to me.

History has shown many times over that "normals" do hate philosophers, so you must be a good one if she felt like she had to "exile" you.

sergejm:In Russia, they study English six years or more, but finally most of students cannot speak English, unless they use computers for other aids and need know English for it.

Ĉu angla estas ne-evit-ebla en rusa bazlernejo?

Is the English language mandatory in Russia?

In Canada, we have to learn French from grade 4 to 7. I don't know why those years specifically or if it was just for the schools I went to. After grade 7, there was no requirement for learning French.

Yet, in spite of this, most Canadians can't say a single word in French. Also, we forget all the math and science that we learned (for the most part).

I guess forcing people to memorize things doesn't work. TV is the real educator.

Oijos:Ĉu angla estas ne-evit-ebla en rusa bazlernejo?

Is the English language mandatory in Russia?

In most schools there is no election: the only foreign language is English.

kaŝperanto:According to the author of Bilingual: Life and Reality most of the world's population is bilingual, and a few rough estimates are:
Europe: 56%
Great Britain: 38%
Canada: 35%
United States: 17%

I dare say that 17% for the US includes all those Hispanic kids out there who learn Spanish at home. The 2011 census figures give a 7.8% number for non-Spanish FL use in the home by 5-year-olds and older. The same census figures indicate that of all white-alone US residents, over 5 years of age only 3.9% speak something OTHER than Spanish at home. Of course, these figures don't say anything about people like us here at Lernu who speak other-than-English but just not at home.

kaŝperanto:I started learning Spanish in elementary (primary) school and continued learning it through my junior year in high school. I don't believe more than 1-2 semesters are required in high school, and I'm not sure any is required in elementary school (but I did go to public school so it may very well be required).

I'd be very surprised if it's required. Most FLES (foreign language in the elementary schools) programs usually have to fight to keep from getting cut.

kaŝperanto:You can most definitely get any degree level you want without a single foreign language.

The 7 universities I've researched in my day all required 2nd year proficiency in a FL for a Bachelor of Arts degree (Bach of Science usually required more math and science courses), though I've been hearing of some BS students needing one year of a FL here at the U of Iowa.

kaŝperanto:Wow, how is that legal? She sounds like a total fiulino. According to my understanding a true "born again Christian" would be unable to harbor such judgement and hatred toward her fellow man. Sounds like a fundamentalist nutbag to me.

Yes, that's perfectly legal in 18 states, and a further 5 protect LBGT people only in state employment.
and yeah, fundamentalist nutbag is a good term.

orthohawk:

kaŝperanto:According to the author of Bilingual: Life and Reality most of the world's population is bilingual, and a few rough estimates are:
Europe: 56%
Great Britain: 38%
Canada: 35%
United States: 17%

I dare say that 17% for the US includes all those Hispanic kids out there who learn Spanish at home. Considering "Non-ethnic" usonanoj, and that figure would probably plummet to around 4 or 5%.

This is quite interesting indeed. 17% of the US population are bilingual, and 16.4% are Hispanic or Latino... (Not implying that ALL hispanics or latinos are bilingual).

And most of the non-Hispanic Latino's are already bilingual the day they immigrate, as Spanish is their second language and English will be their third.