# Am Amurikans dumbererer

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-amurikans-dumbererer/486715>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [February 20, 2009, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-amurikans-dumbererer/486715 "2009-02-20T14:33:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 7

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**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2009, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-amurikans-dumbererer/486715/121 "2009-03-06T17:37:55Z")

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> [@John\_W.Kennedy](#):
>
> The typo has bugger-all to do with anything. You claimed that learning to use a word processor is a significant intellectual achievement. Five-year-old children can learn to use a word processor.

Five-year-old children can learn a foriegn language too, and perhaps easier than you or I.

The entire scope of computer use- word processing, email, searching, etc is a critical skill, one far more important than learning a language that will possible never be used. Nor did I claim that “learning to use a word processor is a significant intellectual achievement”, I specifically said it wasn’t, it was a skill- much like learning a foriegn language.

I specifically dispute that learning a foriegn langauage is a "significant intellectual achievement’, it is more akin to learning to type or computer skills, or automotive repair, etc.

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