Speaking the language of your home country

[DARKLARK]

I work in in the fast food industry in Arizona, a border state, so i would love it if everyone spoke english but i also have three years of spanish under my belt so i get by alright

 

[Dapsen]

and possibly German, because German just kicks ass.

Do you know German? Are you learning German? If so, I'm sorry. Please disregard this.

But if not, then FFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-.
I'm forced to learn it in school if i want to get a higher education, and it is the most boring, load of crap I've ever tried to learn.

It's not especially hard if you take proper notes for it, it just has 1000 ways to bend words for different occasions, that aren't needed.
I mean other languages can get on with a comfortable amount of rules to it, but German has to be a giant complicated pile of verbs.

It may sound awesome when spoken angrily, but apart from that it's just... Fuck'all.

EDIT: Yes this is as rant...

 

[VanityGirl]

The United States has no official language at the Federal level, and no official religion. I believe the founding fathers wanted a country where everyone could be themselves, practice their own religion, use their own languages, and all have the same constitutional rights on American soil, even if the people are illegal immigrants, non-citizens, or citizens. From the way they have written things, this seems to be the case.

I personally don't think people should be forced to learn a new language, if they don't learn it, they are only closing a lot of doors.

You're right about the US not having an official language.

However, when you ask most people what language an American speaks, they will tell you English. America was founded on English, English is taught in schools, most Americans speak English.
While it may not be official, you should still be considerate and at least attempted to learn. Why? Because America=speaking English.

Also, I generally find the "No official language/religion" to be a weak excuse; an excuse that people use when they do not want to learn another language.

I lived in Singapore, whose official language is English, however, a LOT of people spoke Mandarin, so you know what I did? I learned some Mandarin.

 

[YarnBarf]

I've got something of a libertarian streak. I don't think the government should tell me what to do, what language to speak, or how much I should assimilate to the dominant culture. If I want to give my money to a business that gives me the option to "press two for Klingon," then that's my right. If I don't want to conduct business in English, or even learn the darn language, well that's my right too. There may be consequences (it might be harder for me to make snarky forum posts, for instance), but my actions and their consequences are up to me.

 

[zHellas]

If I don't want to conduct business in English, or even learn the darn language, well that's my right too.

Since when did people have the right to be ignorant jackasses? (Just commenting on that part of your post, not meaning to offend you.)

 

[thahat]

my oppinion is: wherever the fuck you go to, ALWAYS at least know english.
if that fails, german, if that fails, try ordering a croisant.

but if it boils down to actualy going to live somewhere, OF COARSE you should learn the language. elsewise, how could you call it your country? language these days is neary the only thing that makes you belong to one place or another...

 

[spartan231490]

of course they should, it shows a respect for that country, and if you dont respect it, go back where you came from then. Not being a jerk im being serious, if you dont respect the country your moving to enough to learn it's language, than you should stay where you are.

 

[spartan231490]

I've got something of a libertarian streak. I don't think the government should tell me what to do, what language to speak, or how much I should assimilate to the dominant culture. If I want to give my money to a business that gives me the option to "press two for Klingon," then that's my right. If I don't want to conduct business in English, or even learn the darn language, well that's my right too. There may be consequences (it might be harder for me to make snarky forum posts, for instance), but my actions and their consequences are up to me.

you are one-hundred percent right, it is your right. But some of these people arent even living with the consequenses. In the last 20 years, how many businesses and stores have added spanish to the menu, or push 2 for spanish. And Some argue that it is "racist" or "ignorant" to say they should learn english. Im sorry, but if you dont want to learn english, why should I learn spanish to make it easier for you. I was here FIRST, and so was english. And i wasn't being sarchastic, I agree with you and dont think that anyone should force these people to learn english, but no one had better start saying that I have to learn spanish because they want to come here and not learn english.

 

[JohanGasMask]

Before i went to Denmark for a cople of weeks i was currently learning danish in my school and i hated every second of every danish class, but never the less i tried to speak it and order something like a hotdog...it was fun seeing the danish people reactions to my wierd accent and they would often just talk english whenever i would fuck up and say "No no! You say, har en sodavand not Jeg spiser en soda".

 

[Yumi_and_Erea]

They should, but you have to accept the fact that they don't always get that chance.
Still, if it's English they should learn, then they really should, because English is a second/third language in many countries of the world, and is as close to a global language as we're ever going to get.

Oh, and as an aside: it's The Netherlands, not Holland.

 

[Nickolai77]

...and possibly German, because German just kicks ass.

Ich liebe dich

Shucks.

Corrected

I love all your ideas Madbird, you deserve a cookie.

 

[Nimbus]

... and all have the same constitutional rights on American soil, even if the people are illegal immigrants...

Err, no. Illegal immigrants have no rights. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Snow Fire]

... and all have the same constitutional rights on American soil, even if the people are illegal immigrants...

Err, no. Illegal immigrants have no rights. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Why not, no where in the Bill of Rights (First ten amendments) does it use the word citizen, only people. Why wouldn't they have the same basic human rights declared in the U.S. Constitution as everyone else. To say they have no rights is to say they are not human.

Just look near the beginning of the Declaration of Independence.

[blockquote]"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."[/blockquote]

 

[Stone Wera]

Sounds like they think the universe revolves around them.
I'm from America, and if you've been here for more than five seconds you know our attitude to people who live here and don't speak English.

 

[thylasos]

Being a linguist in any case, I think it's highly impolite to even visit another country without learning the basics of its (majority) language, without regard to how well the natives might speak English. People (except the French, perhaps) always appreciate the attmempt to engage them in their own tongue, even if you're not entirely successful.

 

[Nimbus]

... and all have the same constitutional rights on American soil, even if the people are illegal immigrants...

Err, no. Illegal immigrants have no rights. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Why not, no where in the Bill of Rights (First ten amendments) does it use the word citizen, only people. Why wouldn't they have the same basic human rights declared in the U.S. Constitution as everyone else. To say they have no rights is to say they are not human.

Just look near the beginning of the Declaration of Independence.

[blockquote]"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."[/blockquote]

They don't have the right to BE in the country in the first place. Just by being where they aren't allowed they are committing a crime. They have the right... to be deported, immediately, upon being discovered.

 

[YarnBarf]

If I don't want to conduct business in English, or even learn the darn language, well that's my right too.

Since when did people have the right to be ignorant jackasses? (Just commenting on that part of your post, not meaning to offend you.)

Since when do you have the right to decide for me what an ignorant jackass is?

 

[Kurokami]

Hi escapists!

Whether or not you know, America has a bit of a problem with illegal immigrants from South America. Actually, a relatively big problem, since the number of illegal immigrants was about 12 million in 2005.

The big thing that's been bothering some people in the bordering and southern states is that many illegals looking for work, ordering food and even asking for directions cannot speak English.
I'm not saying as soon as someone moves here, they should be fluent, but I feel like anyone who moves (illegal or not) should try to adopt to the language of their new home.

Take for instance my very own mother. My mother moved to Holland for work and a few months before hand bought books and took some classes to learn to speak a little Dutch. While she wasn't fluent, it was very obvious that the Dutch respected her for trying to learn and trying to speak what little she knew.

Even I learned a bit of Mandarin when I moved to Singapore, even though the national language was English. (I knew enough to get me around).


The thing that bothers me most is that many of the immigrants do not even see a need to learn English. My friend's mother is a Hispanic woman who fluently speaks English and Spanish. She works for a place that teachers immigrants English (for FREE). She said most of her students did not show any desire to learn English and did not try. As a Hispanic woman who came to America legally and forced herself to learn English, she is extremely dissapointed with the people. She went on to tell me that all the people who are illegals are the ones who think they do not need to learn English.
This sounds unbelievable, but it's sadly true.



What do you guys think about language? Do you think people who move to another country should learn the language of said country?

This thread has been done so many times, I'm happy to say you seem to be one of the more reasonable posters however. (Most others are a bit more flametastic)

My mother traveled across Europe when she was younger and learned around 7 or so languages.