I think the issue is not about right or wrong, but on which words are the most appropriate in a given context, and this varies from country to country. To use a more drastic example, you can have the same word being absolutely acceptable standard Spanish and sounding vulgar and unacceptable in certain Latin American countries and the other way round.
In Spain, Ustedes does exist, but with a more limited scope, so it will sound different to a Spaniard than to a Mexican and it will fit better in that country to use vosotros as well.
Uds./vosotros is thus to be distinguished from examples like "lift" and "elevator", which are just different words without carrying different connotations.
And even if Spaniards just are 8 % of the Spanish speaking world, I do not see why they would give up vosotros soon to adapt to Latin America, since the usage in Spain is still quite uniform- British English retains its own existence vis-a-vis American English, too.

Actually, by posting statistics I was going to say (but didn't) that I guess it IS a good thing that the Spanish teachers are teaching it.

Yesterday, 18 Sep, I happened to be seated next to a Maestra from Guadalajara, Jalisco (Mexico) on a flight from Madrid to Newark. I told her I taught the 2nd person plural to my students in Philadelphia even though it was not included in the text. She said that in Mexican primary schools she doesn't teach the 'vosotros' tense. How about that?

Um, duh. We don't teach British usage/orthography in the U.S., either. The point on vosotros is this: when teaching Spanish in the U.S., we professors/teachers have an obligation to expose our students to the main varients of Spanish in the world. Not all the details, but the main features. That's why we include VOSOTROS and why we also point out lexical variations such as coche/carro/auto.

he he he... rgf you crack me up...

i agree with rgf, eddie. why should a primary edu teacher in Jalisco, Mejico teach vosotros? they don't use vosotros there. it doesn't meant that those children will never be taught it, or shouldn't learn it...

it is as important as reading. just because you can talk, converse, and listen does not mean that you can read. reading allows you to basically have conversations with yourself via someone else's thoughts that were written. imagine extracting worldly ideas from ink written in shapes on a piece of chopped up tree. vosotros is the same (a little diff! ), it expands your comprehension of something that you previously did not understand (were ignorant of). what is wrong with learning something new that expands your comprehension? what's more, it is something that you can USE.

learn it if you want. don't learn it if you don't want. but understand that it is REAL and by not learning it you limit your own understanding.

What do Americans think about Spaniards?
It's my impression that Americans rarely think of Spaniards.
Cantabene

That's right. Although I often think of Spain and my wonderful Spanish friends, the vast majority do not. It's sad to say that a lot of people(ignorant) even think Spain is somewhere in Central or South America! Vaya la gente...

I agree...Americans really don't think of Spaniards at all. The real questions is what do Spaniards think of Americans? My experience is that they will often berate and talk down anything American....there is just a general feeling of dislike. In a way it often times comes across as jealousy. Example: Spaniards will buy any american products they can. How many times have you seen kids wearing a t shirt that say something like "Eskimo Sport Products" that you know they paid 4000 ptas for! Just some bogus English words on a shirt. Not to mention Bart Simpson everything....

Leche

I never got the impression that Spaniards had any disdain for "americans." I think they have as many misconceptions of "americans" as some "americans" have of them. I certainly got that when I told Spaniards I was from Texas. They automatically thought I lived on a ranch, had lots of vacas and oil!
I only asked one Spaniard (from Galicea) what Spaniards thought of "americans." He replied that Spaniards are a very open, loving people that did not have a bad opinion of us. Obviously a survey of one has little statistical significance, but my experience bears this out.

I have never felt disdain or anything even similar from anyone in Spain. My passport was issued in Hawaii and that usually generates a terrific response when people see it - No, I am not of Polynesian ancestry, so the Hawaiian aspect isn't a visible thing. But have traded rudimentery hula lessons for the same in flaminco in some rather odd places - hostales, of course, but stores as well. It actually has proved to be a great way to meet people - there are always onlookers. I have always found the Spaniards to be open and gracious without being effusive. Perhaps their perception of us is in how we behave individually - as it should be.

[This message has been edited by Puna (edited 10-05-2000).]