Este los Estados Unidos, hablamos ingles aqui!

Two of my three children are outright language nazis. They speak (in this order) English, Finnish, French, Latin, Swedish and German. They correct grammatical errors on sites they visit online. They get perfect marks from their language classes. It's mad!

My other child has dysphasia. No language is easy for her. When she was very small, her brother had to translate her wishes to us. She understood - usually - but could not put her thoughts into language. I feel that way nowadays to a great extent.

Oh, how we look forward to the wider use of telepathy...

reply to post by CosmicEgg


Well I certainly didn't mean to say that this is the norm. But in the United States, Mexicans at least, know the language because they have to tell "the white man" they want to work for them. The majority of immigrants that are here, are here to work. And the majority of Mexicans I know can communicate in English. We Mexicans love tv and its hard to watch the teli without watching an ad or commercial in English. Even when commercials for McDonald's are in Spanish they say "Hot 'n spicy chicken sandwich" everything else in Spanish but the most important part is in English.

My kid brother (7) speaks English, Spanish, and is getting really good at Russian. I think children have great potential for learning languages at a young age.

reply to post by okamitengu


Considering how difficult japanese is, they just may be impressed by your efforts.

My stepfather is/was a japanese translator. I know how difficult it is for Americans to learn.

I tried learning spanish in high school. I couldn't understand the teacher. I lasted about three weeks. I was an honor roll student, and the thought of making less than an A or B was horrifying to me back then, and I knew I wouldn't get that in the class because I was already failing. The teacher spoke spanish to us mostly, and I already had trouble understanding people as it was because of hearing problems. So verbal English for me was hard enough. I wasn't required to take a foreign language to get a diploma, so I left it at that. All I cared about back then was making an A.

That woman was of very low character to be cussing someone like that. Not a pleasant person.

Originally posted by wayno
Sounds like a lot of you Americans are a wee bit nostalgic for the "good old days" when the English speaking person of Northern European heritage was the majority just about everywhere.
Well, it ain't so no more

.
We are well aware of that.

Logically, why would a person bother to learn English if in fact the major language spoken and written by the majority of people in the community they moved into was not English?
Common sense. Out of respect for their new country, their new home and the rest of the people who live here and speak english. Asians speak it, Africans speak it, Italians speak it etc. etc.

There are lots of pockets in the USA where something other than English is the primary mode of communication. Thats the reality folks. Them good ol' days is gone.If we went to their country and refused to speak their language, they would be pretty upset. Many of the spanish speaking community are not here beacause they respect America. They are here for jobs which takes away from legal citizens, they are here for the freebies, they are here to sell drugs and bring their violence, and molest children while getting leaching off the system. While many cannot afford their own medical, their tax dollars are going to fund illegals and the illegals medical care.Many just want to take over. That is tha reality.

Actually these still are the good days, if only new. The expanding diversity in Americana is a refreshing thing.We have had diversity for many, many years and these different cultures learned the language and were respectful and kind. They came here legally, they didn't burn and step on our flag, they didn't yell and scream for rights they had no bussiness getting in the first place, they were not bold and demanding and telling us to leave our own country.

I'm Canadian. I grew up with the firm knowledge that a whole bunch of people in my country speak French better than English. NO PROBLEM. A whole bunch of my relatives spoke Ukrainian better than English. NO problem there either.
Vive la difference.!
There's no excuse for rudeness on anyone's part, but I think you guys gotta get over the fact that you are no longer just an English/Anglo country and move on.

Americans are rude for standing up for our laws and concerns?

[edit on 24-8-2009 by Night Star]

reply to post by Night Star


I suppose you have a bunch of generalizations about Canadians too huh? Boy are you paranoid. It should have been obvious to you that my comment about rudeness was in regards to the way the Spanish speaking woman acted; not the gringo American.

I guess the gist of my commentary was that the US is no longer the same country it was. You have been invaded by Spanish speaking peoples from all over Latin America. In the South-West it may be more of a re-claiming than an invasion, but nevertheless, the reality is that a lot of non English speaking people now claim America to be their home.

In their home and neighbourhood they can speak whatever language suits them. America is not Germany, France or Italy. It is a flood plain upon which people from all of the world are flooding in to reap the riches.

You for whom English is your main language have been in charge only for about 200 years. Your authority is waning in the face of increasing diversity.
Thats life. Get over your arrogance.

Having lived in TX quite awhile one can see the many changes in the area because of this. Personally, I don't care what anyone speaks.


It is a bit strange though. In public schools there are often assisstant teachers in class whose sole purpose is to translate to the Hispanic speech only kids. The Asians, Indians, Europeans, and Africans seem to be able to get along just fine without translators. On the contrary they seem to excel whereas socially it seems unaccepatble to exercise your brain in school. Even school bulletin boards are done in Spanish only at times, not a lick of English.

A client of mine came in to my office a few weeks back. He was from Washington State. He expressed his astonishment and concern over the duality of the languages here in TX. To his pov, it seemed that as a group ( individuals in exception ) that there were 2 classes of people in TX.

The Spanish only speaking, who would be doing the jobs no one really wanted at whatever pay they got. Menial, hard labor, maids, etc... and then everyone else who did not. ( I have several Spanish speaking friends, these are statistical statements not personal )

I live here, to me its just people. People will do as they choose. Some will broaden their horizons others will not. I think tose that choose to live here should learn English and be happy about it. While I enjoy other languages fine, I do find it strange that our schools are catering to the hispanic crowd instead of making them learn it like other groups.


So I ask of anyone else here at ATS, in Europe there seems to be a growing Islamic population. Is there evidence of separation by language there as well? Something more to develop into paranoia or just a buncha cra....


PG


PG

Oh boy what a thread. I have to say I would be extremely upset with the lady from the OP. My girlfriend is Cuban/Honduran and I can tell you they can be pretty mean at times. I don't really like visiting her family unless her grandma (Mima) is in town from Florida. Funny thing is she can barely speak a word of English and she's been in this country for almost her whole life! She's in her 90s or getting close I'm sure. I find it fun to try and have a conversation with her because my spanish is horrible. I can understand some but I can barely speak it.

On another note my Dad travels around for his job (last one was in Africa) but he told me about the last job he got here in the USA was filled with Mexicans. The orientation and safety meetings were entirely in Spanish! He ended up coming home early from that trip because they kept talking trash about him in Spanish thinking he couldn't understand. That and he was pretty mad about the safety meetings

I have to say telling her this is America and we speak English here sounds pretty funny. I can imagine you yelling that at her

I would have followed it up by calling her Mexican out of spite though I KNOW she would take offense to that

Has everyone heard the song, "Press One for English?"

PRESS ONE FOR ENGLISH

Hey, I can't read that sign out there
Please tell me what's it say
We have to have subtitles
In five languages these days
Now we don't ask too much
To share this land of liberties
But if it's not too much to ask

Could you please speak English

(Chorus)

English is my language
It's the language of this land
And every sign that's posted here
I should understand
I do not live in China, Mexico
No foreign place
And English is the language

Of the United States



Now I'll speak very clear for you
So there'll be no mistake
My family fought and died
Protecting freedoms in these states
Now we all welcome those who come
But when you reach our shores
Folks you should speak our language

Not the one you spoke before

(Repeat chorus)

Now I'm proud of this country
And this great Democracy
And I believe an open door
Should be our policy
But for these opportunities
We'd simply ask you this
Hey you're the one who chose to come

Now choose to speak English

Now here's one thing I question
And try to understand
Hey why must I press one for English
When it's the language of this land

(Repeat chorus)

I do not live in China, Mexico,
No foreign place
And English is the language
Of these United States

Now some of our southern neighbors may find this song offensive, but the fact is, from the time America became a Nation, people have came here from non English speaking countries, and when they got here, they learned to speak our language right away. Did you see the immigrants in the video learning English?

This thread is revealing a picture of people acting like two rams butting each other on the head.

Those of you advocating that everyone must speak English and the woman who refused to speak English are both acting in the same bull-headed manner - albeit from opposing perspectives -- like the rams butting their hard heads together.

The civilized approach is while you speak whatever language you want at home, the courteous thing to do is make an attempt to speak and understand other languages that people around you use.

In my immediate neighbourhood one of the primary languages on the street is Arabic. They do however speak to me in English as its obvious I am not Middle Eastern. We all get along just fine.

Its called courtesy, an art that some segments in the states seem to have lost, or never learned.

edit to add: For my part I try to learn their actual Arabic name and not the English ones they sometimes adopt, take an interest in their words for the products I buy; etc. I am not trying to become fluent because the need isn't there, but I take an interest and respect the culture.
Wherever I have traveled in the world I find that goes a long way.

[edit on 8/24/2009 by wayno]

Viva Los Estados Unidos!

In the US, our National language is English. Learn it, Use it, or Perish.

If I were in any other society, I would learn their language and use it, or perish.

I am sick and tired of people, especially those that have been here long-term, using 'the language barrier' as an excuse.

Get real. When in Rome...

reply to post by billybobh3

In the US, our National language is English.

Your words would mean more if you actually had proof o back this up. As of now, there is none.

Not being rude or anything. Just trying to say that the fact there is no law saying English is the national language is part of the reason we are having this debate.

Just think 229 years without any law saying English is the National language.

Originally posted by billybobh3

In the US, our National language is English. Learn it, Use it, or Perish.

Mmm, imagine how the Apache or the Navajo feel about that.

I grew up in a predominantly polish immigrant neighborhood. An odd thing I noticed, even if they had a heavy accent or limited vocabulary, they all and I mean _all_ at least _tried_ to say it in English. I was talking to my neighbor abou tit way back when, and he said something interesting. I could have sworn he mentioned that in Poland, its legislated that you speak Polish. Whether its true now isn't the point, but to them, it was just assumed that if you lived here, you had to learn the predominant language.

I beleive it was also him who was the first one to tell me there was no 'official' (read in a law somewhere) saying English was the language of the land.

I'd have a rough time learning the predominant language here in Chicago.. what would I learn first, mexican, polish, german, chinese, korean or what?

I have enough problems keeping 10 different programming languages straight in my head.

odd fact: almost all programs are commented in english, even if its not the programmers first language. only ones I tend to see not following this as often as the rest are the french.

As I alluded to earlier, my family's ancestry is Ukrainian. My parents kind of went overboard in giving me a very North American first name and made no effort whatever to help me learn Ukrainian. They figured I would be better off if I was as English Canadian as possible.

What a shame that was. I was never able to communicate deeply with my grandparents and many of my relatives. I am unable to explore my history from anything but an English point of view.

Language is more than a means of communicating ideas, it communicates the soul of a people. I applaud those who keep their own and learn others'. I wish I could.

I probably know more Spanish from my travels to the Caribbean, Central America and Mexico, than I do Ukrainian.
Well, I don't regret learning some of that, but I sure wish I knew the language of my heritage too.

Just a little something else to add to the conversation. I don't know about other parts of the country, but here in South Florida, there are a great number of children who were born and raised here in the US that start school not able to speak a single word of English. It puts them far behind their peers as they must first be taught English before they can be taught anything else. If nothing else, those who do not learn the language put their children at a great disadvantage in achieving the American dream. I'm sure that there are studies to prove this.

Oh geez! For everyone defending this could you kindly name a few countries, other than the USA, that make these outlandish provisions for immigrants?!

I am not prejudice but I have to go with Germany on this one! Learn the language of the country in which you reside (or leave)! I would not even travel for a vacation overseas without having at least a basic (conversational) hold on the native language! The US is the only country that allows this slacker mentality. Many of us are simply sick of it. It's not because we don't want 'foreigners' here, it's because we are weary of the unbalanced treatment. This language situation breeds all sorts of other problems (and you already know what they are).

FYI, my bank actually has their automated messages in Spanish, before English......so as an English speaking individual (living in the USA mind you!) I have to sit through a 3 mintue message in Spanish before I get to my native language. Seriously?! I'm tolerant but there has to be a line.

in my opinion if you come to this country for any more then a vacation

you should be forced to at least learn the language if you wish to stay longer then a vacation
if you work here, you should know the language

if you want to use your birth language or any other in the privacy of your own home, fine

but if you want to conduct business here and you have come here to live, you should at least know the language

AND

if you are a foreigner and wish to fly your native country's flag

that is allowed, as it should be but only if you also fly the american flag

im personally sick of everywhere i go hearing nothing but a foreign language and seeing foreign flags flying everywhere without an american flag in sight


im not saying ditch your countries customs, because all the different customs in one place is what makes america america

but dont trash america while supporting your country while you are in america

if you love your country so much

STAY THERE!

personally i would love for america to gain control of its borders and be a bit more controlling as to who is let in this country to live

we absolutely suffer from TOO many illegals and it is truly damaging this country whether you wish to believe it or not

if we had better control of immigration we could improve our economy, and our ways of life, then we could allow more people to immigrate legally, and we would have more money to use for foreign aid

but from where everywhere i have lived in america, illegal immigration is a serious problem



and even though your title is for a reason, i wish it would be in english, just seeing that on here frustrates me as it does nothing but remind me of what i am surrounded by


and for the record i have nothing against immigrants except what i have stated above, immigration has made this country a great place, at least it did back in the day but things cant go unchecked forever

to make a bad comparison its like the deer problem in some areas, sure deer are pretty and nice and everyone loves em, but eventually they grow out of control and become a public health hazard and cause several problems in the community

from my point of view its the exact same with illegal immigration

reply to post by Night Star


Graffiti, trash and crime are not only biproducts of immigrants and the culture they bring here. Plenty of Americans cause many of the same problems.

Originally posted by killing_moon
reply to post by Night Star

 

Graffiti, trash and crime are not only biproducts of immigrants and the culture they bring here. Plenty of Americans cause many of the same problems.

i agree americans are not necessarily better in any way

except the fact that americans are here legally, that is why they are called americans, but at least americans who cause these problems, pay taxes to also fix these problems, unless they are on welfare

but in my opinion it should be a nations priority to help those in their nation that need help, so i am for welfare, everyone needs help sometimes

but should one nation give welfare to those who have entered that nation illegally?
no they should stay in their own nation and get welfare there, and if they cant, then wait until they can come to this country legally

i see many immigrants sitting on their porch all day making more on welfare then some 2 hard working parents, thats wrong to me


on top of all that, how many americans would be forced to be on welfare if they didnt have to compete with illegal immigrants and slave wages to find work?

with a bit of control over illegal immigration, you would absolutely see the welfare burden lessened over time as those on welfare were actually able to find work

and that plays right into the cycle i speak of

less illegal immigration
less unemployment
less welfare
more income in taxes
a more sturdy economy
would allow more migrants to migrate legally
would produce more money for foreign aid
make the world a slightly better place


[edit on 24-8-2009 by Dramey]