Running Head: SIGNIFICANCE OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE

Significance of Foreign Language

Education in American
School Systems
Matthew Macedo

Running Head: SIGNIFICANCE OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE

Introduction
Its no secret that the American education system is lacking
when it comes to foreign language education. Little to no effort goes
into making sure public school children get exposed to mandatory
foreign language classes. More and more students are not taking an
additional language class, not because they dont want to, but because
the simply cant. The importance of the complete knowledge of a
foreign language will help immensely in affairs abroad and the
development of ones self mentally.
An article written on the International Business Times website
called U.S. falls behind in foreign languages, addresses this issue
head on. It is written professionally and aims to inform its audience
about the problems monoligulism creates in the U.S., and possibly a
solution.
A meme is a humorous image, video, piece of text, etc. that is
copied, often with slight variations, and spread rapidly by Internet
users. A meme created on quickmeme.com jokingly depicts a clich
American redneck with the caption: Why do I need to learn a foreign
language for? The rest of the world should learn how to speak
American. The different genre tackles the issue from another angle. It
jokingly points out the mentality that some Americans have about
different languages, and how the situation is currently in the U.S.,
specifically because of the education system.

Running Head: SIGNIFICANCE OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE

Audience and Purpose

The specific audience for both audiences varies greatly. The
article is aimed at an older audience who are interested in international
affairs. These people may be browsing the articles on a daily biases
and stumble across this language article and realize that the language
problem is tied in to international business. The picture is casual with a
target audience of young web suffers in search of humor. It can be
found on a number of social media websites as well as humor
websites. It is seen briefly to entice a chuckle and then move on,
however, while humorous, it still brings up the problem of the plague of
American monoliguism.
In the first genre, the information presented is mainly fact based
to open peoples eyes to the problems monolingual American society
presents in international affairs, and academically. The purpose is to
make people aware of the issue and push for a solution.

It will

untimely make the U.S. linguistically capable, for it is falling behind

drastically. It both informs its audience about the problem, and
persuades for a solution. The second genre addresses an issue that the
article brought up, but presented it in a humorous way. The picture
shows a humorous image of an American redneck with asking why he
should learn another language. He says that other people should learn
to speak American instead. This image jokingly depicts American
ignorance and while humorous, raises the issue as a reality, not just a

Running Head: SIGNIFICANCE OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE

mere joke. It is meant to entertain, while also subconsciously raising

the issue of American monloigualism and ignorance.

The articles purpose is to bring its audience to awareness about

the problem of lack of language proficiency in the U.S. and how serious
it is. The article aims to inform its audience that this is a serious issue.
It also tries to convince its audience that this problem requires a
solution. The image presents itself as a casual joke to make fun of how
ridiculous some American mentalities can be. The audience can laugh
about it then immediately relate based on this brief interaction with
the picture. It can entice the audience to think more deeply about the
problem, and perhaps think about what is being done to solve it. It also
just brings general awareness of how some Americans think, and how
the American school system can be a major factor in this.
The older more mature Americans reading this article would most
likely know, based on their experience in most public American school
systems, that foreign languages were hardly enforced or taking
seriously. Therefore once reading into this article, and reading its
shocking facts, they can now see that the problem is more serious than
originally anticipated. In contrast, due it its target audience (young
adults) the image may have an audience that does not know much
about the topic. They might chuckle briefly, and question whether or
not this is entirely true. If so, they might see it as a problem. The

Running Head: SIGNIFICANCE OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE

picture can spread the issue to a larger audience in a more casual

manner.
When one reads the article, it would take roughly five to ten
minutes to read and re read the content. The information presented is
not too difficult to understand because it gets right to the point. The
image in contrast takes a brief moment to glace at, and read, maybe a
minute at most, then the viewer can just continue on looking at
different humorous content that would most likely be accompanied
with the image.
The article is formal because it uses professional language, is
located on a news website, and cites credible sources. It is appropriate
because the article presents its problem as a serious issue that needs
to be addressed. The image is the opposite; it is presented in a more
casual manner with a comedic tone and meant for an informal setting.
Memes

are

usual

used

on

social

media

sites

and

sites

for

entertainment.
The article has some specialized vocabulary such as language
acquisition and PISA. The audience would need to have some
knowledge about linguistics and certain educational organizations. The
language is appropriate because the article is aimed at a professional
audience of adults who are most likely post graduate, and interested in
international affairs. The picture on the other hand has no specialized

Running Head: SIGNIFICANCE OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE

language. Perhaps the only language that one might have to know is
meme, since that what the picture is.
The two genres have vast differences although they are related
to the same topic. Both address the issue of American monolinguals,
however, the article is more saturated with content, emphasizes the
servility of the issue, and provides a solution. Whereas the image just
presents a one sided joke meant for a brief view.
Rhetorical Issues
The first genre establishes credibility by siting professionals in
their field. Also, this article was published on the International Business
Times website, which adds more credibility. The article achieves its
purpose by have a strong credible foundation to make a stand and
inform effectively on. The image has little to no credibility because
anyone with access to Internet can create a meme. Although the
humor does address a real issue, no one can really take it seriously. All
the image does is entire more research for a curious audience.
The article helps evoke an emotional response by starting off the
dissuasion strong. The opening statement: Americans are not, in
general, proficient in foreign languages. That situation, according to
experts, is not good for the nation, not good for humanity, and not
good for the individual monolinguist. At first glance the audience
might take this statement as a hyperbole, however, it draws them in by
thinking that this issue is more important than initially anticipated. The

Running Head: SIGNIFICANCE OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE

article also evokes pathos by stating that a Iraq war veteran struggled
in house to house clearing because there was no competent translator.
This could lead to miscommunication and result in either civilian
casualties or military casualties all as a result of a language barrier
that should be cured. The examples used in this article achieve its
purpose by using effective examples to draw the audience in, make
them aware, and push for a solution. The image uses humor to draw
the audience into relating to the image. The audience will laugh
because of the ridiculous clichs used, such as the American redneck,
and the caption that sounds ignorant. Although this may be a tad bit
exaggerated, it is effective because the audience will most likely be
laughing because they realize that it is true.
The evidence included in the article are comments made by the
director of the CIA, a professor of history at Princeton University, the
U.S. secretary of education, director of foreign language for the
Glastonbury Public Schools in Glastonbury, Connecticut, and the
executive director of the New York State Association of Foreign
Language Teachers. This article utilizes the most amount of credible
sources in a small package. The evidence is sufficient to achieve its
purpose because the author uses many sources to back up his claim.
The image has no evidence because it is just opinion made on a genre
that anyone has access to. Though the image uses great use of a
clich, there is no hard evidence to back it up.

Running Head: SIGNIFICANCE OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE

The two genres are very different in nature. The article is fact
driven with a purpose due to its structure of presenting the severity of
the problem, and giving a reason as to why this needs to change. It
also provides many credible sources that agree about the problem.
Whereas the image has no structure nor sources and sole purpose is to
generate a laugh by using a popular belief.

They both address the

same problem, but in two different ways. Each of them was created to
reach a different type of audience. The article points out the severity of
the problem, and pushes for a solution, while the image just exploits
the problem for humor.
By lacking sources, and presenting itself as informal, the image
achieves its purpose well by keeping it simple. It is not meant to be in
a professional setting, nor solve any problems. Its sole purpose is
humor, and if the creator can make fun of this issue, then it can reach
a wider audience through its informality. Sources and credibility were
left out on purpose because if it did contain these elements, the
audience would lose interest because they are seeking humor.
Structure and delivery
The information of the first genre, the article, is shaped by the
website it is on. For example, since it is on the International Business
Times website, it is expected to have a certain degree of formality and
include information that pertains to international affairs.

But, since

Running Head: SIGNIFICANCE OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE

this website is probably checked daily, like during morning coffee

before work, the article keeps it short and sweet, packing in a much
information and sources as possible to get its point across so it can
keep it within the time span of 5-10 minutes. Anymore, and the viewer
might lose interest or save it for later. Since this is the case, the article
also uses a strong entry statement to draw the reader in.
The image has limitations as well. When creating a meme, one
usually puts a caption at the top, and bottom over a picture that is
popular in the Internet. The text when creating a meme is quite large,
so the creator must fit a short phrase on there to convey the massage
and not block out the image entirely.

The article is organized in a neat manner in a professional easy

to access webpage. It also contains an image of the director of the CIA
before the article begins. He looks to have a determined, argument
expression, which complements the direction of the article, which is,
organized well with spaced easy to read writing. The image has your
basic meme font, which is usually white to contrast against the dark
picture background.

The caption is sized appropriately where the

important part of the image, the redneck, is fully visible. Both genres
present their content in an appealing, easy to process, manner.
Significant differences are that the article is more visually
pleasing and organized because the audience will spend more time on

Running Head: SIGNIFICANCE OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE

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it. Whereas, the image is just right with the bare minimal aesthetic
needs for a casual view lasting no longer that 30 seconds from its
audience.

Conclusion /Synthesis
The article was more effective in conveying its message. That
message being that the American school system is at fault for
producing so many monolinguist.

It does an excellent job at

emphasizing the severity of the problem by using examples of how it

hurts the country, and individual people. It backs up its claim with
many credible sources that are relevant to this issue. The article is also
easily accessible on the website the international business times. A
wide variety of users of this site and find the article, and become
aware or the issue. Perhaps even aid in the solution.
Genres can affect the method of information being presented
and to which discourse community. In this case, the article is more
professional and reaches an audience who is interested in these types
of matters. Also because it is in a professional environment, it keeps a
serious, informative and determined tone. In contrast, the image lacks
all these attributes, yet still pertains to the same matter. In conclusion,
different genres are used to achieve different purposes, even if it is on
the same matter.

Running Head: SIGNIFICANCE OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE

References

U.S.fallsbehindinforeignlanguages.(2010,December9).RetrievedJune11,2015,
fromhttp://www.ibtimes.com/usfallsbehindforeignlanguages250050

TheMonolingualAmerican.(n.d.).RetrievedJune23,2015,from
http://www.quickmeme.com/p/3vo294

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Running Head: SIGNIFICANCE OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE

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