[Aniki]

Originally Posted by MMM

If learning English only requires knowing 26 letters, then why was I studying English through 12 years of school and then still taking English writing classes all through college?

Because it isn't as easy as you'd like to think.

I see the words "and that's just the writing system" were skipped in my previous post. Check your eye sight.
I never said "learn the 26 letters of the alphabet and you'll know English".

Originally Posted by MMM

That's an interesting story, but I am not sure how it makes learning English easy.

This is how I see the presence of English as the second official language in Japan. English will lose the status of a 'chosen' second language and starting from elementary school everyone will be taught no matter they want it or not. And being an "official" language in going to be used in courts, government meetings, food products, documents (of any kind) and other merchandise will be printed in both languages, all street signs, advertisement sign boards will have both languages in them, same goes for the media foreign movies will dubbed in Japanese with English subs and otherwise.
A Japanese person would find English easier to learn when it's a part the everyday environment in which he was born.

The same "scenario" which you see above was used in USSR.

Originally Posted by Nyororin

Surprise surprise. It is already taught from elementary school whether you like it or not. Let me go a bit further - it`s taught even in preschool and kindergarten.

Question No.1. Is it being taught in ALL Japans kindergartens/preschools/elementary schools?
Question No.2. Is the English teaching program the same as in America, or Great Britain?

Originally Posted by Nyororin

An interesting scenario - but tell me, how will it be able to be used in courts, government meetings, etc if those involved in the meetings do not speak it? You`re speaking of a scenario which requires something that is not present. It`s sort of a catch-22. In order to be used in government meetings and in any official context, the officials have to be proficient in the language. In order for the officials and those involved to be truly proficient and to switch over in any short time they would have to be in an environment pushing them (more than present) to learn and use English. In other words, they would have to already be in the environment you are outlining. But in order to make that environment.... See? It goes in a circle.

Don't think if today Japan decides to have English as the second official language, then tomorrow everything going to be like in my "scenario". And I can only speculate how everything might be done when a country chooses to have a second language by itself, not being forced.
I'm guessing the officials won't be touched in the beginning, but after, about 6-8 years when the next generation shows up, they'll simply make an official decree stating that from now on English is going to used in parliament and other government places.
So unless, you're writing a book with a story where a country decides to have another official language don't ask me such questions.

Originally Posted by Nyororin

Obviously it will be easier for someone to learn English in that environment. The problem is, first of all, that environment does not exist.

It existed in USSR. Also, go to Belgium or Canada and you'll see that there are some similarities with my "scenario". Here's a wiki page on how bilingualism works in Canada.

Official bilingualism in Canada

Originally Posted by Nyororin

But the biggest problem I think is that you did not say that in your previous message. You said, quite clearly, that English is an easier language than Japanese - citing the alphabet as proof.

I just showed one of the differences between the two languages where English has advantage over Japanese. Though I agree with it being harder then Japanese, my point was that in the environment I told about, it would be easier than Japanese.

Originally Posted by jesselt

English doesn't have just 26 letters as it's been pointed out in every debate of the topic - "A" and "a" look nothing alike, and the typed version of "a" doesn't look like the written version. Then there's cursive.

Right. I'm already imagining how the teacher is saying "Children, today we're gonna learn the first letter of the alphabet and it's letter "A" /eɪ/, and tomorrow we're gonna learn another letter which is... also "a" /eɪ/, but smaller". Even if it does not have just 26 letters... let's say 42 if you like, it's still nothing compared with the Japanese kanji amount.