Uniblaab

In just guessing, but I bet its connected to the fact that you are measuring American English against the other languages. Its tightly connected to the fact that the dollar is the de-facto monetary standard to trade in the world. Other countries have to speak English to get involved but since we already do, there isnt a real reason besides intellectual curiosity to do the reverse.So we are uni-lingual while other countries have to be able to buy sugar in their native tongue and speak English when they want it shipped to their country. The truth of the matter is that virtually every modern immigrant -leaving out the Europization of America- is multi-lingual. If it were the basis of intelligence Americans would be behind the scholarship. So not an mysterious situation. Its because trade starts in many ways with the dollar, so no need to be multilingual.

I didnt get the same feeling. I saw it as another opportunity to show how much science and experts "dont understand". For instance, there is no way that any kind of C.A.T., M.R.I, E.K.G, E.E.G, LMNOP scan could show enough about it to duplicate it. Why even bother. Just try to understand how -if its important enough to you- he accomplished it. It looks like he can because he wanted to. He got fascinated by language and set himself to learn, "LEARN" as many as he could. So the attention isnt created by him. He was found out to be who he is and gained attention, possibly unwanted. So, I think that you may feel like mocking the event. I appreciate it as he doesn't seem to be a savant. Just an ordinary guy that set himself to be able to speak to whomsoever he came across. As a carpet cleaner, I bet it comes in handy.