Thanks, Sue. I was just wondering if anyone recalled it mentioned or shown that she knew a language well enough to try to speak it. I'll probably go the high school / college route.
Originally posted by MrsLuthor:
I know in Canada is mandatory to take French (our countries official second language) from -I think - 3rd grade all the way up to 9th grade. After that you have the option to continue taking it if you want to.
Doesn't the USA have something similar for Spanish? I always assumed they did, but that could just be because of tv shows lol. It wouldn't be shocking if she spoke some Spanish if that's the case.
I wish! I have my daughter in a dual-language immersion program that teaches kids from Kindergarten -grade 6 in both English and Spanish. Reading & Math in English; Social Studies and Science (and next year - reading) in Spanish. But this is NOT the norm here. Most classes in the states are still English only, and foreign languages are not taught until high school. (See, just another reason why Canadians are more well liked around in the world than Americans.
)
Lois did visit the Congo. She may have picked up some French, which is widely spoken there. I think Swahili is also spoken in the Congo, along with a few others.
I know, that's why that plot never made sense to me. Why would Lois try to cover a story in a country where she didn't know the language? It could have been her naiviety in thinking that she could cover any story, any where, because English is spoken (taught and therefore, spoken) everywhere in the world :rolleyes: (I've traveled enough to know that usually ISN'T the case, but that many not-well-traveled Americans
do assume that.) Lois was young at the time of the assignment and I could see it as a learning experience for her, teaching her that there were limits to her abilities as a journalist (not that she would ever admit that outloud). Either that or she thought her high school French would be passible. My guess is that she probably hired a translator while in the Congo, or went with a more experienced correspondant -- perhaps Claude.
Oops. Went on another Lois-Like ramble. Sorry.
It's not a major plot point in my story (and it's not about the Congo!), just wanted to get my facts straight. Thanks for the info.
