Hmmm.. but if you'd compare it to Europeans that's a poor record. Almost all Europeans speak English. Are you obliged to learn a second language in school or anything?
It's fascinating stuff because I've experienced that a lot of native English speakers have problems learning a new language. The Australians I know can't speak three words in Italian after a year in Italy. And they're intelligent.
One of the things that is very difficult for them is getting the accent right. And I understand that one of the factors might be that if you don't hear enough languages when you are young, you seem to become unable to hear the difference.
hold on yes we do learn other languages in school. what the language is changes between school to school.
yes there would be more europeans that speak 2 languages then aussies as well as any other english speaking nation. as in reality english is the language of the world.
but i think we should learn 2 languages, its a great thing to be able to speak two languages.
i personally do and have been told by many i dont even have an accent. i first learnt italian when i went to italy when i was 9 before that i could only really udnerstand most of it as my dad spoke it to me ( he is from italy). i picked it up really easily i was there for about 3 months. after time i still spoke but not as fluently. i went again last year and spoke it very easily again and many people thought i was from italy. i speak completely fluently now.