Immigrants: Should they learn English?

The Dark · Post by **The Dark** » 2003-01-24 05:54pm

True, but the earlier you start learning languages the easier it is. The main problem in the US is most schools don't teach foreign language until a student is 14 or so. I've had 5 years of French and still am barely at a middle school level (some areas stronger, others weaker). Greek and Hebrew are going to be horrible. At least the Greek teacher is fluent.

Damaramu · Post by **Damaramu** » 2003-01-24 06:01pm

I live in Texas (don't laugh) and there's a butt-load of folks down here who don't speak a word of english. I usually don't care...unless...

these non-english speaking people are jockeying the register at Burger King or something. Here's a funny story:

Me at Burger King: Whopper...blah, blah, blah NO ONIONS.

Hispanic Girl Behind Register: *smile*

Me: You got that, right? No onions?

Girl: *smile*

Bi-lingual Co-Worker: *proceeds to relay what I just said in Spanish*

Girl: Oh! OK!

Girl: *pushing total button, does NOT announce final total for purchase*

Me: *forking over cash, as displayed on read-out*

Anyways, what bugs me the most are the assholes who PRETENDS like they don't understand English. Grrrr!

Sidious · Post by **Sidious** » 2003-01-24 09:32pm

I live in Phoenix. 30% of the population of this city is hispanic. Since moving here 2 years ago I have yet to walk into a fast food restaraunt, a movie theatre, department store, or basically any other public building/area and not hear spanish being spoken. The neighbors on either side of my house are hispanic families. Several times a week I will hear very loud music eminating from their cars/garage/backyard. It seems to be comprised of 16 accordians, 3 or 4 trumpets, and 1 very off key sad gentleman singing in spanish to a ponderous alternating beat.

I would say 50% of all apartment complexes in the city have a spanish sounding name. I drive down the street and many many small business have signs... in spanish. I have a friend who speaks 3 languages. (german, japanese, and french) he applied for a job with a "bi lingual" requirement. He was informed he is not actually "bi-lingual" because he doesnt speak spanish. I wont even mention the few times I've had the misfortune of visiting a Wal-Mart here. A scary enough experience in any US city.

I would welcome any law that makes english the required lanuage of this country.

Sonnenburg · Post by **Sonnenburg** » 2003-01-24 09:34pm

When I worked in a truck stop years back, I had two guys who wanted to buy beer with no ID. When I wouldn't sell it they got mad and started yelling things in Spanish that were obviously insulting (based on their expressions and gestures). So I shouted back at them in German. What the hell, it's not as if there's only one other language people in the US know.
"Sollen wir auf English gesprechen? Nein? Ich kann dies aller Tag tun, shiestkopfs."

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-01-24 09:36pm

The English-speaking world has already gotten all international airline flights to use it; immigrants to a country damn well should as well.

GrandMasterTerwynn · Post by **GrandMasterTerwynn** » 2003-01-24 10:28pm

closet sci-fi fan wrote:What do you guys think? Is it reasonable to demand that newly arrived immigrants in America to learn it?

Yes. Of course it's reasonable to expect somebody immigrating to a country to be able to learn the language that is usually spoken there! I mean, would you decide to go live in Russia and not learn Russian? Or go live in Brazil (full-time) and not learn Portugese?

Yes, if somebody is going to take the trouble to come live in the United States and live here on a full-time basis, the least we should expect of them is that they're willing to learn the fucking American language.

consequences · Post by **consequences** » 2003-01-25 02:36am

I don't know how anyone other than a selfish lazy fucktard could even consider "No" as an appropriate answer to this question. That, or an obnoxious 'can't impose our culture on others' fucktard, which might actually be worse.

Nathan F · Post by **Nathan F** » 2003-01-25 02:53am

Yes, immigrants should know the language of the country they are immigrating too. I wouldn't expect anything less of me if I decided to move to, say, Germany or Mexico, and I am sure that the native people of the country would expect nothing less.

The way I see it, if they want to come to our country, they play by our rules. If they don't like our rules, then go back to wherever you came from. Hate to sound harsh, but hey, that's just the way I see it.

As they say, when in Rome, do as the Romans do.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2003-01-25 03:06am

Damaramu: how the hell did that girl get that job?! That's insane that someone in such a position doesn't speak English.

consequences · Post by **consequences** » 2003-01-25 04:13am

Affirmative Action, gotta hate it.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2003-01-25 04:14am

Indeed...

Let's hear it for the legalised quota.

The Dark · Post by **The Dark** » 2003-01-25 12:41pm

Sonnenburg wrote:When I worked in a truck stop years back, I had two guys who wanted to buy beer with no ID. When I wouldn't sell it they got mad and started yelling things in Spanish that were obviously insulting (based on their expressions and gestures). So I shouted back at them in German. What the hell, it's not as if there's only one other language people in the US know.

True. I have a friend who's quadrilingual, and by the time I get my master's degree I'll be quadrilingual also.

"Sollen wir auf English gesprechen? Nein? Ich kann dies aller Tag tun, shiestkopfs."

I do recognize enough German to translate that one. I like using translator programs to figure out how to diss people in obscure foreign languages. Eastern European tongues seem to work best, since they sound harsh (to Romance-language speakers) even when it's just a recipe, let alone actual cursing.

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Immigrants: Should they learn English?

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