The big problem Americans have with learning languages isn't we're stupid or disdainful of other languages.  The problem is we never - well, hardly ever - get to use it.  Even in foreign countries the first mistake or hesitation and people start talking English at you because they want to practice their foreign language skills.

If you grow up learning a language from your parents or, worse, grandparents people look at you funny since you're using words, phrases, slang, and grammatical constructions that "no longer exist."  Examples, in Swedish the Formal ni (you) has been replaced almost entirely by du, det (that) and mig (me) have lost their final consonant.  


She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre