http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/soccer/07/21/beckham.language/index.html "Obviously, I'm not fluent," the English captain told Real Madrid's Web site in an interview from the squad's training camp in the south of Spain. "I'm learning Spanish and I understand what's being said in training but I'm going slowly. Spanish is very difficult for me, although I'm taking in more all the time." How he cannot know Spanish after a year over there is beyond me.
He said he understands what's being said in training. Everyone has a different learning curve and I think it's much easier to learn a foreign language at a younger age anyway. He's obviously giving a shot at it and that should be appreciated. Can't expect him to be fluent after a year.
What are u complaining about....every coach's dream. A player who understands what u are saying but can't answer back.
You're kidding, right? Have you ever studied a foreign language extensively? Look, I studied German in high school for three years, went to Germany for a month after I graduated, and couldn't understand a word anyone was saying. Sure, I could read it OK and could speak it fairly well, but understanding the accents and dialects was nigh impossible. Later I went back to Germany, this time for two years. It took me almost six more months before I felt completely fluent, and this was with me really studying the language extensively. I'm sure Beckham hasn't had a lot of time to spend on studying Spanish, what with that football thing he dabbles in and all.
That's funny, but the truth is that Spanish is one of the easiest languages for an English speaker to learn. Everything is spelled exactly the way it is pronounced and there are tons of cognates. I wouldn't expect him to be fluent, but he should be able to communicate by now. He may not be making the necessary effort - one or two hours a day with a private tutor should have done the trick for him.
I'm no expert on German, but my understanding is that it is a much more difficult language to learn, with very complicated grammar.
to danks: i guess you would be surprised how easy it is to soley surround yourself with english when leaving in a foreign country, especially when you are able to surround yourself with the upper class (more likely to know english) to sachsen: your example isnt relevant. he is living in a spanish speaking country. plus high school language courses generally suck,
I would like to point out that Toronto is filled with people who can't speak English and have been living here for 30 yrs.
I, initially, was going to flame him for not being fluent after a year, but have given it a second thought. I had a high level of fluency after spending a year in Brasil(with no prior experience with the language) and portuguese is generally considered much more dificult than spanish for an english speaker. However, it's not as if he is a student or independent traveler immersing himself into the culture. He's a multi-millionaire with an English wife, had an english speaking coach, he probably had english speaking friends, and english language TV. So, Mr. Beckham, I forgive you for not being fluent. Although, Sir, you are an A$$.
on my tv (skysports news) today the they interviewed beckham and he said that he will start learning spanish from now on. he said he hadnt time for it before and didnt need to becuse quieroz could speak english.!
When I moved to Mexico City the learning curve for Spanish varied dramatically for me.. At first I had a hired translator and learned in my spare time and it went slow at first. As soon as I got a Spanish speaking girlfriend, the curve zoomed and in a few months I found I was thinking in Spanish most of the time.. When you have to learn fast you do, in most cases.
It's true, a girlfriend or boyfriend is the quickest way to learning a language. So the answer is simple, he just needs a non english speaking spanish girlfriend.
To be fair to Beckham, he's not completely fluent in English yet either: http://www34.brinkster.com/spottersbadge/beckham.htm
LOL.. This one sure made the point: "Well, I can play in the centre, on the right and occasionally on the left side" -when asked if he thought that he was a volatile player.
We all know that Beckham will not last one more year after this season. He was about to go after his wife, who will not live in Spain, and he has only stayed because Real's bad year is hurting him financially more than anything else (his popularity, add the last EC to it, is going down sharply, and so his sales). If I was him, I would not be very interested in learning Spanish. Actually, if it was me I would be getting rid of him this year and replacing him with Xabi or Baraja next to Vieira. Real can still cash in a lot for him, next year he is already 30 or 31.
People should just cut Becks some slack on the language issue. He obviously had no prior formal learning in Spanish (and who knows if in ANY second language), and it's not like he'll ever be confused with a Rocket Surgeon any time soon.