Do you need to learn the language?

I'll spare you yet another Beeb link on the suggestion all those English should learn at least a 1000 words of another language. But this did make me think about the above question which has been raised many times on many forums. So I understand the debate, but thought it would be nice to have it here on this forum. I'm happy with the argument that you will get more out of the experience here if you can speak the language, but I may well also be of the opinion that I don't need to get more out of it thanks! Obviously it is a lot easier in day to day living e.g. going to query a bill, answering the phone or something, but most of the time you can get by. Also what do others think on methods of learning - classes, CD, PC (e.g. Rosetta Stone), books or flip cards perhaps. The latter we found very useful as we could carry them everywhere, mind you I also converted the idea to a little PC macro that did the same...

I think it depends very ,uch on how much you need or want to integrate. We have a daughter at school and run a business here so we have to integrate (and want to).

I found Michel Thomas really good to start off with and then I did classroom lessosn for 6 months. But nothing replaces practice. I think it's very hard to learn wehn you are in the UK. I would say it took me 2 years before I could reliably speak on the telephone. Reading the newspaper every day really helped with my Italian. If you can face it then watching Italian TV is good too - Don Matteo being a favourite in this house.

Yes, we too really liked Michel Thomas and having got Rosetta Stone as a present, very expensive in my opinion (I'd already looked..) we have only just started, but must say it seems excellent, even if it does remind me of "Janet and John" type leaning...

Why, oh why, are the only Italian verbs I need to use irregular?