I think if someone is moving here from another country they should make an effort to learn the language. Not saying they need to speak perfect English but be able to communicate and understand. Especially if they’re bringing children with them. If just visiting learn some basics they can communicate with. I travel to Mexico and the Dominican and have learned enough Spanish where I can get by. If I were to move there I’d learn the language. Not perfect Spanish but enough to where people would understand me.

If I’m traveling I see a reason to learn the basics. If I have no plans to travel there, I won’t learn. I’m a Polish immigrant. It makes sense to learn the most commonly spoken language in the country you live in. English is the most common in the USA- you should know it.

This is a small example of American Exceptionalism. But going back a while it was considered that French was the language of Culture and Diplomacy. That was French Exceptionalism. Fast forward a century it may be Mandarin. Who knows.?😷

Conceited in any country - including my own England - not to make allowance for the visitor's limited knowledge of one's own language.

Equally conceited to visit anywhere abroad and not make at least some effort at the host's language, if only little more than the etiquette words on Page One of the phrase-book.

'

By the end of a fortnight's holiday on Crete I'd scraped up enough to try pronouncing the word on a large building near our holiday-flats.

Phy...? Phyta..? Phyto...? Phylla...?

Then I twigged (oh dear). Of course - phyto and phylla are the Greek roots(!) of many botanical terms.

The place was a garden-centre.

Nothing like generalizing some behavior to everyone in the county.

Visiting is different than living here and not learning at least some English. You cannot assimilate without it. I've known people who came here and said they would not lower themselves to learn English.
How conceited is it to come here to live, expect not only to not learn English but that society here accomodates them only knowing their own language??

No. The international language of business and aviation is English.

The conceited part is a person thinking that everyone they come in contact with should know and speak their language. Or maybe insecurity on their part as well. As far as learning other languages a lot of it comes from most just not having the immediate need to do so.

Learning another language is beneficial in so many ways. It's sad that many people don't see it that way. They are missing out on so much!!!!!!!!!!!!

How many languages would English speaking people have to learn? Two? Five? Ten?

People in other countries really only have to learn one. English is pretty much universal.

Personally, I think you're painting with a very broad brush. I'm not sure what your compulsion is, but "seems" is a rather vague word to use to enhance the point you're attempting to make.

I could say, it seems that many Brits wish to eradicate the British monarchy, but it would be untrue.

So be careful how generalizing you decide to become. I worked for many years at the beach, and we got thousands of people who showed up every year....particularly from Canada. I spoke no French, they spoke next to no English....we got along very well through facial expression and hand movement. I wasn't pissed, neither were they. We enjoyed our interactions.

So multiply that by I couldn't tell you how many.

I don't feel your point is valid. Sorry.

I don't believe there's much truth to this. What tourist actually goes to another country and expects them to speak the same language

A little bit. But dad said language isn't so good in schools in the USA and the UK, so that's why.

I don't know that'd true.

It's quite arrogant and very lazy. There are many people in the UK who do the same.

It’s arrogant for someone to go to another country without bothering to learn enough of the language to get by; even carrying a common phrase book is probably appreciated by the locals.

What many folks in the U.S. probably don’t know is that we don’t have an official language, although of course English is spoken by 78% of those who live here. We still have indigenous people and indigenous languages.