Speaking as someone for whom English is a second (i.e. foreign) language I found that it is really the only language I needed to know in detail. It is used almost everywhere and is often the default language for people of different origins to talk with each other. Because of my travels I have leant to speak some other languages but only to a very shallow degree. And even my native tongue, while fluent and natural to me, is only useful in a small domain and I haven't had need to use it in many years.
It might feel different for people that have English as a first language because I expect the incentive to learn another language is not as strong, and is thus usually only done for pleasure, or to be able to find the next bus stop.
I personally wish the whole world would just choose one language. I don't care which one (although probably English would be a suitable choice). Then we can all understand the subtle insults and euphemisms without having to ask someone else (and I won't have to keep translating my evil demands into other languages). Oh yeah, and my pigs are flying as we speak, so ya never know, it might just happen.
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