When most Americans look at th world, they see so many Spanish speaking nations nearby on our own continent and in the South that it gives them a practical reason to learn it. I would say that most Americans learn a language only because its useful rather than as a creative process for personal growth or enjoyment. So when we look at the world, we often consider the most useful languages to be Spanish, Mandarin and French.

There are a number of reasons. We border Mexico, we have a lot of Spanish-speaking immigrants, and employers often look for bilingual workers.