Why learn a foreign language

Question

Just for anyone who wants a little humor on a Friday afternoon:

Reason to learn a second language:

A Mexican bandit made a specialty of crossing the Rio Grande from time to time and robbing banks in Texas. Finally, a reward was offered for his capture, and an enterprising Texas Ranger decided to track him down. After a lengthy search, he traced the bandit to his favorite cantina, snuck up behind him, put his trusty six-shooter to the bandit's head, and said, "You're under arrest. Tell me where you hid the loot or I'll blow your brains out." But the bandit didn't speak English, and the Ranger didn't speak Spanish. As luck would have it, a bilingual lawyer was in the saloon and translated the Ranger's message. The terrified bandit blurted out, in Spanish, that the loot was buried under the oak tree in back of the cantina. "What did he say?" asked the Ranger. The lawyer answered, "He said, 'Get lost, Gringo. You wouldn't dare shoot me.'"

And why not to bother:

Two highway workers were busy working at a construction site when a big car with diplomatic license plates pulled up. "Parlez-vous français?" the driver asks them. The two workers just stared. "Sprechen Sie Deutsch?" The two continued to stare at him. "Fala português?" Neither worker said anything. "Parlate Italiano?" Still no response. Finally, the man drives off in disgust. One worker turned to the other and said, "Gee, maybe we should learn a foreign language..." The other answered, "What for? That guy knew four of them and what good did it do him?"

Nice ones. - kenwilliams, Dec 10, 2010

so funny, my vote! - margaretbl, Dec 10, 2010

Answer 1

That second one reminds me of a time at my international high school in Venezuela. During a weekend BBQ at the school for the families of the students we spotted a little girl, 5-6 years old, sitting by herself, crying her eyes out. Not knowing what language she spoke, we asked her in every language we could think of if she spoke that language - Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, German, on and on. Finally she yelled out, "I want my mommy!"

oh = so funny - margaretbl, Dec 10, 2010

Answer 2

Thank you Stadt The first one was quite funny and showed how valuable learning a language could be and the second was very funny!

We would say why learn (not why ''to' learn) a foreign language

Thank you again for the two humourous examples

Edited, sorry for my ( Deep South-Texas mixed derivation) improper English. - Stadt, Dec 10, 2010

You don't need to apologise Stadt It wasn.t meant as a negative criticism but simply to help you :) - FELIZ77, Dec 10, 2010

I would once have said that I think my English is beyond help, but I actually have found that I am learning English here as well. I have been corrected enough times that I may even remember how to spell separate. :-) - Stadt, Dec 10, 2010

It is true, I am actually bettering my English here (I think) - margaretbl, Dec 10, 2010