"Welcome to America....Now Speak English!!"

If people immigrate to the US, they should probably learn English. Not because they HAVE to but because it would make their lives that much easier.

The argument that you'd learn the language before you move to a different country does not really apply to the United States seeing as how we're anextremely multicultural nation. For example, if you're an immigrant from a spanish speaking country, you can probably get by without knowing English if youlived in a state like California. Learning English would not be a priority and, to play devil's advocate, you probably wouldn't NEED to learn it. Whereelse in the world are you going to find this diverse a population? If you move to Japan where the population is like 95% Japanese, you'd definitely need toknow the language. My grandparents that moved here from Hong Kong don't speak very good English at all. A few phrases here and there but because they livein the Bay Area, where there's a sizable Chinese population, they really don't need it.

Another thing, English is not an easy language to learn. It's foolish to assume that people can just pick up English while also working a job and havingall the other things going on in their lives. How long did it take YOU to learn English? If you grew up in the US and went to school here, probably at leastthirteen years of English classes (on top of all the daily English interactions you have with your peers.) Even with those thirteen years, Americans can'teven really speak English that well
smh.gif
While I agree that immigrants SHOULD learn the language, I definitely don't think they should be forced to norshould English be made the "official" language.
 
i def feel the bumper sticker was uncalled for, but in all honesty ppl who come into this country need to learn to speak the language. im not sayin speakperfect english but atleast be

able to carry a simple conversation. there are ppl that have lived here and have been citizens for decades but cant speak the language. i dunt fully blame iton the ppl tho, i think this

country babysits them by puttin everything in multiple languages as a standard. this is not needed, the immigrants from the past were not babysat and theyended up fine. there is no hate

intended IMO, its jus a statement.
 
Originally Posted by cesarhpr1986

USA doesnt have an Official language so
why should english be forced upon people

if you learn another language, the only one that benefits from
it is yourself.
Click to expand...
 
I agree with many Americans that it is vexing to have to deal with fellow residents, who do not speak language, especially if they are long time residents.At the same time though, we need an historical perspective.

In 1909, a larger share of Americans were foreign born and did not speak English, compared to 2009. Despite that fact, this country proved to be very much aunified one and the children of those immigrants provided much of the man power need to win two World Wars. In addition, most of those Americans were of Germanand Italian ancestry and some were even of Japanese ancestry (despite their own parents being placed in detention camps by the US Government while they werefighting in the War).

Americanization happens quickly but often times the older folks imply cannot learn English nor do they really need to learn English because there interactionis only with family and others from the ethnic community. This has happened for decades and instead of Italians, Jews and Germans being called unassimilable,it is now Mexicans, Vietnamese and East Indians being called such.
 
I'm an immigrant and i think everyone in the U.S should be speaking English

SMH at legal citizens who don't know how to speak it well
 
Originally Posted by mytmouse76

Originally Posted by DAYTONA 5000

I think that people should learn English, but that bumper sticker is sorta tasteless.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Co-sign...but only people who already know English will able to read it, so it's also pointless.
 
Another thing, while that bumper sticker's message might be one people can agree with... it really brings to question what other deep-seeded feelings thatperson has regarding minorities.
 
I feel every immigrant SHOULD EFFECTIVELY learn how to speak proper English. Absolutely do not care how others feel on this issue. Tired of going to a fastfood joint and getting my order screwed up because the person supposedly hired to "speak" to costumers, doesn't know how to speak or comprehendEnglish. If you are in America...speak english .
-The Juice
 
my roommate always complains about ppl that don't speak good english...sayin go back to your country, etc.

sick.gif
 
Not to be ignorant, but what about the people that cant even speak english properly? i.e Piles and OJ the Juiceman. Shouldnt they be forced to speak englishproperly also, I swear half the time I cant even tell what they aye!ing about.
 
Originally Posted by Drunken Cow

Not to be ignorant, but what about the people that cant even speak english properly? i.e Piles and OJ the Juiceman. Shouldnt they be forced to speak english properly also, I swear half the time I cant even tell what they aye!ing about.
Click to expand...
True, southerners need to speak the King's English. That is all.
 
Originally Posted by 49ers650

Originally Posted by Drunken Cow

Not to be ignorant, but what about the people that cant even speak english properly? i.e Piles and OJ the Juiceman. Shouldnt they be forced to speak english properly also, I swear half the time I cant even tell what they aye!ing about.
Click to expand...
True, southerners need to speak the King's English. That is all.
Click to expand...


I guess that wasn't ignorant either.
eyes.gif
I'm from the South and speak English just fine.

Anyways, on to the REAL topic of this thread. I don't think people need to be able to speak perfect English but I think that it's necessary that you atleast be able to carry on a conversation. Just knowing some stuff that can help you in day-to-day life would probably go a long way. If that's asking toomuch then I just don't know. I just don't think I'd ever be comfortable moving to another country and not knowing ANY of the language. With thatsaid, I wish I knew some Spanish because it just opens up more doors and more opportunities. The guy who had that bumper sticker is no doubt a racist; heprobably hates all minorities and his bumper sticker is just a manifestation of it.
 
Its funny tho how America's demand immigrants speak english and assimilate but when Americans go abroad they want the country to cater to their languageand also cultural needs.... kinda hypocritical.
 
They spend American money right? Why can't you make a valiant effort and learn the language.

I'm not racist for the record, and I know learning a new language is a challenge, but make an effort. I make an effort to learn some Espanol, becauseI'm fully aware, that it's the second language pretty much in NYC.
 
Originally Posted by eNPHAN


EDIT:

I see the argument has turned to "proper" english vs. english...

let me assure you, there is no such thing as "proper" english

every spoken form of english is a dialect of the "standard"

noone speaks the standard.

LET ME REPEAT

NO ONE HAS EVER OR WILL EVER SPEAK THE STANDARD.


what is the standard, anyway?

English certainly didn't start in the United States.....no american could possibly speak the "standard"

please, drop your incorrect standard language ideologies...

everyone speaks a dialect and no one dialect is superior to any other,

be it spanglish or dirty south-talk....

grin.gif
@standard language ideologies...

smh.
Click to expand...


i did my presentation on AAVE and education on Tuesday...paper was pretty bad cuz it was rushed but i think my presentation was
pimp.gif

thanks for the help...
 
the different approached to teaching kids who speak AAVE

that it was acknowledged and school systems were trying to help students who speak it since the 70s at least...

how the media kinda fueled the negative attitudes towards it...even Jerimiah Wrigts sermons were used in a classrooms...

def. something i'll probably keep looking into on my own just cuz there is so much i didn't even touch the surface on...
 
Originally Posted by fc1114

America is not a country. The United States of America is a country.
Click to expand...
Actually one of the definitions in the English dictionary for America is "The United States".
the collective of North, South and Central Americas is called "The Americas", but America can be used to describe North, South or the United States.
 
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