Curious Obama continues to hispander; "Your kids NEED to learn Spanish"

[General Zod]

Learning Arabic, Chinese, or French is a mark of intelligence. Learning Spanish is an error in judgement.

Actually, of those you listed, learning all but Chinese over Spanish would be the error in judgment. Spanish is the fourth most widely spoken language in the world.

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0775272.html

That leaves us with Hindustani and Chinese. China's markets are difficult for American companies to get a foothold in. Consequently, learning Chinese for business would currently have little value. After the U.S. and the U.K., India ranks third in having the most English speakers. So, there's little business advantage to learning their language, when they're already proficient in ours. Additionally, a lot more business is being outsourced to Latin America, because of the timezone issues and the rising costs of doing business with India. From a business perspective, I'd rather be fluent in Spanish.

Mexico shares a continent with us. And whether we like it or not, there's a lot of Spanish being spoken here. So, from the perspectives of practicality and proximity, I'd rather be fluent in Spanish.

When vacationing/traveling/retiring, I'd much rather do so in various Latin American destinations; Mexico, Panama, Costa Rico, etc. So, from the perspective of someone who travels and would love to retire some place warm and beautiful, I'd rather be fluent in Spanish.

If you feel choosing Arabic over Spanish, bares the marks of intelligence and insightful judgment, I respectfully disagree.

Zod

 

[dorian gray]

dorian, this is the stupidest thing you've ever written.

A new level
Of competence
And power

 

[dorian gray]

Anyway, I liked your rant but I wonder if we're talking about the same thing. Obama said something to the effect of, "I I I uh...they'll learn English. You you you need to make sure your uhhh child can speak Spanish." WHY? I realize this was taken out of context and maybe he answered this question later but let's be honest: Spanish-speaking immigrants will not learn English. They don't. Why does my child need to learn Spanish? I want someone to answer this for me. I don't know any illegal immigrant Spanish-speaking-only physicians, physicists, engineers, etc. I know a multitude of Spanish-speaking-only laborers, gardeners, and uhm...........well, that's it. Why does my child need to learn a language that is spoken by the bottom-feeders of a society? Further, if Obama is right and their children will learn English, what's the point of learning Spanish? Who gives a fuck then? It simply makes no sense.
I feel like you're basically saying that I should pay for my child (if private) and/or everyone else's child (if public) to learn a language simply because the poor, downtrodden, uneducated Central Americans are moving into this terrible monster of a capitalistic society and we should feel sorry for them.

 

[dorian gray]

Actually, of those you listed, learning all but Chinese over Spanish would be the error in judgment. Spanish is the fourth most widely spoken language in the world.

I wasn't citing any particular reason save for that, in high school, the honors students studied Latin and French, while the dumb kids "studied" Spanish.

On a serious note, I don't see how sheer numbers of speakers has any bearing on this topic.
Do the combined GDP of all these Spanish-speakers equal that of Germany (until recently the country with the highest rate of export in the world)? China? Does any Spanish-speaking country other than Venezuela have large stores of oil? Does Venezuela's oil reserve even remotely compare to that of say, UAE? Kuwait?
I don't know the answers to those questions and I don't pretend to but I feel like my children would do better to learn some African dialects instead of Spanish.

 

[Reign in Acai]

Anyway, I liked your rant but I wonder if we're talking about the same thing. Obama said something to the effect of, "I I I uh...they'll learn English. You you you need to make sure your uhhh child can speak Spanish." WHY? I realize this was taken out of context and maybe he answered this question later but let's be honest: Spanish-speaking immigrants will not learn English. They don't. Why does my child need to learn Spanish? I want someone to answer this for me. I don't know any illegal immigrant Spanish-speaking-only physicians, physicists, engineers, etc. I know a multitude of Spanish-speaking-only laborers, gardeners, and uhm...........well, that's it. Why does my child need to learn a language that is spoken by the bottom-feeders of a society? Further, if Obama is right and their children will learn English, what's the point of learning Spanish? Who gives a fuck then? It simply makes no sense.
I feel like you're basically saying that I should pay for my child (if private) and/or everyone else's child (if public) to learn a language simply because the poor, downtrodden, uneducated Central Americans are moving into this terrible monster of a capitalistic society and we should feel sorry for them.

Bravo Jonathan, Bravo!!!

 

[Conspicuously Absent]

I learned more applicable Polish in 5 months in Poland than I ever learned of Spanish in 3 years of classes.

Same here... I learned more german in my first 3 months of learning than I did in 9 years of french in school.

Its all about being able to USE it. Its so easy(and cheap) to country-hop in Europe, that you can take 3 months of language X, then go to that country and be proud that you could stammer through that menu alone, and order your food politely.

 

[General Zod]

Anyway, I liked your rant but I wonder if we're talking about the same thing. Obama said something to the effect of, "I I I uh...they'll learn English. You you you need to make sure your uhhh child can speak Spanish." WHY? I realize this was taken out of context and maybe he answered this question later but let's be honest: Spanish-speaking immigrants will not learn English.

For starters, I would suggest that his motivation for saying what he said was not to pander, as the thread title suggests. Unless there's some large Spanish voting contingent in Powder Springs, GA I'm unaware of. I suspect the reason he said it was twofold. First, (and I'm only speculating) his view of diplomacy is that America needs to get off its high horse. That we to stop acting like we're better than everyone based solely on the geographical location of our birth. So, when he said what he said, he probably meant, "Yes, immigrants need to speak English, but we all need to do more to reach across the aisle." After all, does anyone actually believe he's going to get into office and enact legislation that mandates that all school kids learn Spanish? Second, the loudest voice in the English/Spanish debate is that of racists.... the "speak English or die" contingent. It's only natural that Obama doesn't have a great affinity for this group.

Your kid should learn to speak another language. It doesn't have to be Spanish. If I had a child, I would recommend to them that Spanish be the secondary language they learn.

Zod

 

[skeptik]

This thread is full of stupid.

 

[dorian gray]

Second, the loudest voice in the English/Spanish debate is that of racists.... the "speak English or die" contingent. It's only natural that Obama doesn't have a great affinity for this group.

I don't know much about the speak English or die contingent. I'll have to look into this.

 

[dorian gray]

This thread is full of stupid.

I really like you and Matt and I'm always interested to hear what you say but you both come off with an overwhelming tone of pretentiousness, as if your Bachelor of Arts education provides you with some amazing insight into all topics that no one else can see. Just letting you know.

 

[skeptik]

I only come off that way because I'm better than everyone.

 

[Reign in Acai]

For starters, I would suggest that his motivation for saying what he said was not to pander, as the thread title suggests. Unless there's some large Spanish voting contingent in Powder Springs, GA I'm unaware of.

Everything that is spewed out of these candidates melee mouths is mendacious. If nobody had any qualms with Rev Wright, Nigbama would still be behind a pew on his hands and knees shaking his head to and fro like Ray Charles in an apple bobbing contest. Twenty years with a church, and it takes some heat on his negar nape for him to step back and say, "ooh ooh ahh ahh dis ain't right!." McCain by the same token is trying to shrug off his liberalism and herd all the Christian fundamentalists in to his Levitra love shack. A couple years ago he's calling Pat Robertson a cad, and today he's feeding him grapes hand-picked by Mexicans. PATHETIC!

First, (and I'm only speculating) his view of diplomacy is that America needs to get off its high horse. That we to stop acting like we're better than everyone based solely on the geographical location of our birth. So, when he said what he said, he probably meant, "Yes, immigrants need to speak English, but we all need to do more to reach across the aisle."

If we should learn any language it should be Chinese, considering that Fort Knox has been relocated to Bei Jing. I think I'm going to go learn my first phrase now by throwing a fistful of spoons down a staircase. Good day sir.

 

[lurch70]

If we should learn any language it should be Chinese, considering that Fort Knox has been relocated to Bei Jing. I think I'm going to go learn my first phrase now by throwing a fistful of spoons down a staircase. Good day sir.

there was this dude at a houseparty I went to a few weeks ago. American kid that spend a few years in China ... and he spoke fluent Mandarin. He made it a point to "practice" the language with a Chinese girl that was at the party. Needless to say a crowd gathered and nearly all the chicks at the party began to peel their panties off claiming how hot it was to hear a white guy just rambling in Mandarin. [/AllYourStoriesHaveToDoWithNailingForeigners(nad)]

 

[lurch70]

oh yeah ... and Spanish is a ridiculously easy language to learn ... I espeek eet.

 

[cthulufhtagn]

Why does my child need to learn Spanish? I want someone to answer this for me. I don't know any illegal immigrant Spanish-speaking-only physicians, physicists, engineers, etc. I know a multitude of Spanish-speaking-only laborers, gardeners, and uhm...........well, that's it. Why does my child need to learn a language that is spoken by the bottom-feeders of a society?

learning a language is not merely reading a dictionary, it's a tool for cultural understanding. to deny its importance is not only foolhardy but dangerous.

it's a big fucking world out there, dorian. that somebody as educated as you would marginalize an entire hemisphere of spanish speakers in such terms is downright disturbing.

First, (and I'm only speculating) his view of diplomacy is that America needs to get off its high horse. That we to stop acting like we're better than everyone based solely on the geographical location of our birth. So, when he said what he said, he probably meant, "Yes, immigrants need to speak English, but we all need to do more to reach across the aisle." After all, does anyone actually believe he's going to get into office and enact legislation that mandates that all school kids learn Spanish?
...
Your kid should learn to speak another language. It doesn't have to be Spanish. If I had a child, I would recommend to them that Spanish be the secondary language they learn.

Zod

agreed

 

[Demilich]

I don't like this idea that some languages are "better" than others. More important, practically speaking, sure... but based on your social context and global linguistic trends i.e. English currently being a dominant language of trade, business, etc. Making language another facet of increasingly tired xenophobic tirades? Fuck that noise!

 

[skeptik]

The Matts are in agreeance. HIPPIES.

 

[dorian gray]

I think I'm going to go learn my first phrase now by throwing a fistful of spoons down a staircase.

 

[dorian gray]

oh yeah ... and Spanish is a ridiculously easy language to learn ... I espeek eet.

 

[Locutus of Borg]

All citizens of the galaxy must learn binary.

Assimilate! Resistance is futile!