OT: Speak English or Die

[remington69]

The US Senate wants to pass a bill that makes English the official language.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/05/19/senate.english.ap/index.html

Your thoughts?

I'm not really sure on this one. I mean, other countries have thier offical language, but what does that mean for the millions of immigrants who still don't speak english? Will the governemnt still publish materials in their language? Would the government fund ESL programs to help immigrants learn the language?

 

[eighteeschick]

I think English should be made the official language in the United States but I also think that there should be programs such as ESL. Now do I think that the government should continue to fund those programs? I'm not really sure about that. If I go overseas, I'm pretty sure I would be expected to learn that country's language on my own. But on the other hand, ESL programs are commonplace here so why change that now and put people at a disadvantage? I'm not really sure on that issue but definitely believe that English should be the official language. Its ridiculous when people have been here for 20, 30, 40 years and still don't speak English, and I know people like that (such as my husband's ex-mother).

 

[dailyvault]

Gotta agree with eighteeschick on this one - every other country has a national language, except for the U.S., who's too worried about offending someone by not recognizing the dialect they speak but no one else can decipher. You want to speak your native language in your own home, or at gatherings with other people from your homeland, fine and dandy. But anyone who's ever worked in retail (as I did for far too long) knows how frustrating it is when you're trying to explain something to someone who doesn't speak any English, and all they give you is the ol' "deer in the headlights" look.

 

[DumbAss]

It already is, at least at a state level, so what's the big deal?

 

[Riehlthing]

there were immigrants before who learned english, why can't the newest groups of immigrants learn english too?

 

[THEBALDGUYFROMBLACKLODGEVIDEO]

The US Senate wants to pass a bill that makes English the official language.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/05/19/senate.english.ap/index.html

Your thoughts?

I'm not really sure on this one. I mean, other countries have thier offical language, but what does that mean for the millions of immigrants who still don't speak english? Will the governemnt still publish materials in their language? Would the government fund ESL programs to help immigrants learn the language?

I am a friggin' immigrant, and although my English needs a lot of work, I totally support this decision. They came here to do what? To prosper? Learn the language while at it, or start even before crossing the border. Forget about your spanish, russian, chinese, polish, italian... TV channels and radio programs, put away the books you used to read, and go to the library - it's free + you'll get a point toward your Driver's License, get out of your fucking ghetto (Chinatown, Little Italy, Greenpoint, Washington Heights, East Flatbush, Brighton Beach, Hunter Points etc.) and make new friends, who'll help you to learn to speak English.

 

[DarbysDad]

If I go overseas, I'm pretty sure I would be expected to learn that country's language on my own.

You probably would but when I was in Rome and Amsterdam most people spoke English too, so it was not much of a problem for me. Plus knowing a little Spanish helped me with Italian.

 

[Riehlthing]

You probably would but when I was in Rome and Amsterdam most people spoke English too, so it was not much of a problem for me. Plus knowing a little Spanish helped me with Italian.

you were a tourist who was travelling through. if you were going to live there, you would be expected to learn the language. I would expect you to. If I moved to Germany, France, Mexico, I'd make sure I learned the language.

 

[DumbAss]

Fuck........you guys should try living in Montreal.
Everybody speaks some bastardised version of English. I am aware that my French is not the best... that's my bad, I wish it was better..... but to truly speak the language here, you should speak English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Greek, Hindi, Tamil, Italian, Serbo-Croatian-Bosnian, Russian, Armenian, Chinese and Laotian.

 

[DarbysDad]

you were a tourist who was travelling through. if you were going to live there, you would be expected to learn the language. I would expect you to. If I moved to Germany, France, Mexico, I'd make sure I learned the language.

true but I think in the case of Amsterdam they may have better public education than the US. I don't know about other states public eductation (well Iowa is great ask Cythrax) but in Calif it's filled with young dumb ass graduates.

 

[ThraxDude]

you were a tourist who was travelling through. if you were going to live there, you would be expected to learn the language. I would expect you to. If I moved to Germany, France, Mexico, I'd make sure I learned the language.

Exactly. BUT, I've worked with a lot of Mexicans. And thus made friends with a lot of Mexicans. Some spoke English very well, some okay, some barely.
I thought English WAS the official language. I kinda think they're wasting their time with this bill. I mean, once it's passed nothing's really going to change. If it's passed.
Most importantly we need to keep TV channels like Telemundo because Spanish chicks are fucking HOT.

 

[Riehlthing]

Exactly. BUT, I've worked with a lot of Mexicans. And thus made friends with a lot of Mexicans. Some spoke English very well, some okay, some barely.
I thought English WAS the official language. I kinda think they're wasting their time with this bill. I mean, once it's passed nothing's really going to change. If it's passed.
Most importantly we need to keep TV channels like Telemundo because Spanish chicks are fucking HOT.

oh yeah, lots of mexicans I know learned english. I have no problem with them. what I have a problem with was when i graduated high school, the opening speech was given in spanish first. am I proud to be german? yes. russian? yes. welsh? yes. polish? okay, bad example...but i'm proud to be american and speak english.

 

[Hawng]

True story..... I was in traffic court about 6 months ago, and the place was loaded with mexicans. They call this one dude up and they ask him if he can speak english. He shakes his head "No". They bring in a translator and the judge proceeds to say, "Mr. ___ you are charged with driving with no license, no registration, and no insurance as well as following to close and reckless driving, how do you plead?". The translator tells the mexican, and he tells the translator guilty.
The judge proceeds in saying " Your plea of guilty is entered and I sentence you to 1 year in the county jail to serve no less than 9 months and no more than 12 months. The mexican guy, wide eyed says in perfect english " I CANT GO TO JAIL!!!!" and proceeds to turn around, like he was going to run, but he doesnt move. He just stands there going back and forth like he was going to run until he was tackled by 4 bailiffs.
It was hilarious. The end.

 

[Riehlthing]

that is pretty funny

 

[Descendent]

"In this country, you speak English or you get out!" -Jello Biafra/Brujeria

 

[THEBALDGUYFROMBLACKLODGEVIDEO]

"In this country, you speak English or you get out!" -Jello Biafra/Brujeria

Or at least give it a try... Such a great language - W. Blake, E. Poe, Byron, Burns, Dickens... Plus, there are so many places where a person (even illegal)could get help in learning it FOR FREE!

 

[TacoBellJunkie]

My cousin had a similar situation, he got in to a wreck with a mexican, he gets out of the car and plays the "no english" bs then when the cop shows up he points his finger and starts screaming "He did it! It's his fault!"

 

[remington69]

Most importantly we need to keep TV channels like Telemundo because Spanish chicks are fucking HOT.

And, it's fun to watch Commando and the WWE in Spanish.

 

[Riehlthing]

I thought ET in German was pretty cool

 

[Thrillho]

This country as we know it today was founded by the English. It took this long for them to consider passing that bill?

I say yes. English should have been made the official langauge of the USA many years ago.