Will read up on that, thanks. Yep, in South Africa it's always been my mother tongue, alongside the good old Afrikaans (compulsory in schools), and nowadays the kids have to do Zulu as well, the latter two both being absolutely useless overseas.....
I heard the strangest things from a friend that is leaving for Oz in August - he says that Japanese is a compulsory 2nd subject in schools - I was flabbergasted as I have not seen this whilst looking into your schools curriculums.... I am sure it's not true..... my youngest of 11 is hoping that we emigrate, especially since he does not have to do 2 second languages by force.