forgetting your roots

[Busyman]

It's quite possible to have two or more official languages without giving them the same status.

We have one official language used by the majority here, that's the one that goes on road-signs and similar. Then there are a bunch of minority-languages, and some information is available in these languages, but one language is still the norm. It works quite well.

Children whose first language/whose parents' first language isn't the norm learn the norm, and their own, and they have a right to learning their own language as a subject in school ("hemspråk/native language").

Being bilingual is never a bad thing, it has been proven that people learning two or more languages stand to gain a lot, both by having a greater ability to communicate, and by being better at learning yet more languages.

Your first language is, psychologically, an important part of your identity, and something you should be allowed to keep.


I've noticed that some of you use the expression "assimilation" rather than "integration", assimilation is usually regarded as being more negative since it's a loss of part of your ethnicity and identity, as opposed to integration where your ethnicity remains intact while you become a part of society. Many countries today strive towards integration as it's been proven to be better for the individual. And an important part of this is that you get to keep your own language.

I'm not saying Hispanics shouldn't keep their language. I'm saying they should learn ours. I know how others feel when they walk into a store and just about all the employees don't speak English (especially McDonald's )

Politicians have their head so far up the voting booth's ass that they don't take a firm stand on the issue.

[vidcc]

Hobbes and busy

You are showing my point about "they should become us". The only division is because of your attitude. Government puts official forms into different languages because they are often complex. There are Americans that speak only "English" that have trouble understanding some of those forms. What road signs are in two languages? I live in this bi-lingual state and I have seen none apart from a few right on the boarders in TX,AZ and CA which are more for the benefit of tourists than immigrants (this happens the world over)
instead of seeing an opportunity to gain, you see an attack on your own myopic world. instead of thinking of how to profit from something you close your eyes, cover your ears and shout "nonononono"
the point about 57 different languages is complete bollocks and I said it would be unworkable.
hobbes said you studied languages at school..... do you remember much? would you be more fluent if you got the chance to speak those languages.
Your view that people wouldn't bother learning a second language says more about your own myopic attitude. I know only one Spanish speaker that isn't fluent in English, and she is working hard to change it.....why... because only government forms are in both languages and she needs English to do everything else. She can communicate in spoken word reasonably but the written word is harder for her.

@ boab

your view shows laziness.... "why should I learn another language when everyone else made the effort to learn English?"..... I know you are no spring chicken but come on...let the empire attitude go....India has it's own flag.

[HeavyMetalParkingLot]

I know only one Spanish speaker that isn't fluent in English

As someone how grew up in the hispanic community, I have to say, there were far more people who spoke only spanish and didn't give a whip about english.

[vidcc]

As someone how grew up in the hispanic community, I have to say, there were far more people who spoke only spanish and didn't give a whip about english.

and those people will only be able to cut hobbes grass for a living.

[MCHeshPants420]

My tutor marked my last piece of coursework in American-English. :glare:

So I threw her in the harbor.

[Busyman]

I have to say, there were far more people who spoke only spanish and didn't give a whip about english.

Same here. If they don't have to learn it well......

[HeavyMetalParkingLot]

I agree with you that being bi-lingual is becoming more and more an important job qualification. But what determines which languages people should have to know? Around here English and Spanish are the prodominant languages, but there are also Vietnamese speakers, Chinese speakers, Japanese speakers, Korean speakers, Samoan speakers, and so on and so on. I myself am already bi-lingual, but say if I move to Minnesota, I may as well only speak English. Should I then have to learn yet another language just to live somewhere? I mean I already speak English and 98% of the time, everything around me will be in English. Should I have to learn a couple Native American languages so I can order a hamburger at whatever fast food joint I step into?

[Busyman]

Hobbes and busy

You are showing my point about "they should become us". The only division is because of your attitude. Government puts official forms into different languages because they are often complex. There are Americans that speak only "English" that have trouble understanding some of those forms. What road signs are in two languages? I live in this bi-lingual state and I have seen none apart from a few right on the boarders in TX,AZ and CA which are more for the benefit of tourists than immigrants (this happens the world over)
instead of seeing an opportunity to gain, you see an attack on your own myopic world. instead of thinking of how to profit from something you close your eyes, cover your ears and shout "nonononono"
the point about 57 different languages is complete bollocks and I said it would be unworkable.
hobbes said you studied languages at school..... do you remember much? would you be more fluent if you got the chance to speak those languages.
Your view that people wouldn't bother learning a second language says more about your own myopic attitude. I know only one Spanish speaker that isn't fluent in English, and she is working hard to change it.....why... because only government forms are in both languages and she needs English to do everything else. She can communicate in spoken word reasonably but the written word is harder for her.

@ boab

your view shows laziness.... "why should I learn another language when everyone else made the effort to learn English?"..... I know you are no spring chicken but come on...let the empire attitude go....India has it's own flag.

What are you on about? I said they should learn our language not become us.

So what now...they come over here and I'm supposed to learn their language?
Fuck that shit!!

That's the whole reason there Comcast has a Spanish Pack. There are tons of Spanish-only speaking paying customers.

You also touched on a very good point about an "oppurtunity to gain" which is why things are going this way.

[vidcc]

What are you on about? I said they should learn our language not become us.

So what now...they come over here and I'm supposed to learn their language?
Fuck that shit!!

That's the whole reason there Comcast has a Spanish Pack. There are tons of Spanish-only speaking paying customers.

You also touched on a very good point about an "oppurtunity to gain" which is why things are going this way.

And i've said they should learn English to become a citizen...i have also said that if you wish to just speak one language that is your choice. Who has suggested that you would or should be forced to learn a second language?. I have even said that there are some that don't have a suitable English vocabulary, and that is their loss.

you also still look at it in one sentence as having to learn to placate them... but that is not the way i am putting the case

your other sentence is

You also touched on a very good point about an "oppurtunity to gain" which is why things are going this way.

[Busyman]

And i've said they should learn English to become a citizen...i have also said that if you wish to just speak one language that is your choice. Who has suggested that you would or should be forced to learn a second language?. I have even said that there are some that don't have a suitable English vocabulary, and that is their loss.

you also still look at it in one sentence as having to learn to placate them... but that is not the way i am putting the case

Well now since they don't have to learn English then this whole argument is a wash and part of the problem...them not learning English.

I don't have a problem with Comcast's Spanish Pack, just merely pointing out that many hispanics not having to learn English is the object of marketing gurus attention.

America is placating them.

I am forced to learn their language if I want to communicate in a place of business. Hamburger and fries please. H-A-M-B-U-R-G-E-R A-N-D F-R-I-E-S.