English- a Right Or a Privilage?

::saw the word Korea and comes out of cubby hole:: heh, haven't been posting lately. Umm, yes, you come to America, you should learn the language. It's just common sense, the language border causes so much misconceptions and it is a large part of why people are racist towards immigrant countries. If we can't understand each other, a lot of stuff could go wrong. I'm not expecting immigrants to be perfect in english, shoot, most of us here probably can't go off typing an essay without a few typos. I also don't expect elder immigrants too either, it would be difficult, but the young, and those of the working class age, I think there should be at least something to make sure they understand/speak basic english. Like a lot of professors in college right now, they could barely speak it, or have a huge accent, how the heck are we suppose to do good if we can't understand them!!

exactly.

I agree with you 100% Sandy.

Hahaha. Try living in Canada where we have English and French as our official languages, and an increasing push for a third (Inuktitut). It gets confusing and... downright nasty sometimes.

I guess I believe that the different languages people speak in my country add to its richness and beauty, just as it did when immigrants were first settling here. If you want to speak what should be the official language of America, how about taking up Blackfoot Indian? Or Cherokee? Or whatever indian tribe is native to your part of the country. When I hear people speaking foreign languages, I think "Oh that's neat! I love the accent!" It just makes me want to learn more about that language, ask them where they are from, spark up a conversation. It happened to me just the other day in a store. The people in front of me were speaking with a very thick Ukranian or Russian accent. The woman with them was very very old and when she spoke to the two adult men with her, they spoke in another labguage. We spent 20 minutes outside the store and I got to learn all sorts of neat things about their Ukranian heritage and ewhy they were here in America. That old woman probably would not have even ventured out if America adopted some obstinate stance on "official languages, blah blah blah". I love to hear the people speak in China Town. I speak in spanish with some of the ladies at my child's bus stop, because using spanish helps me to better my spanish. There isn't much sense in learning a foreign language unless you plan to use it. We have so so many hispanic people here that I am glad I have the ability to speak spanish-although it's not very good. I don't see anything wrong with trying to meet someone halfay across the language barrier. I don't think America has to be homogenized 2% white milk in order for us to get along and function as a cohesive society. I like mine with a little chocolate. But then, this is only my opinion.

I agree with Sandy also.

I have no issue hearing people from other places speaking in their home language when they are in the presence of their families, but it really irks me to go into a store or business and have no idea what the person is saying. And for Gods sake DO NOT give me attitude when I ask you to repeat yourself a bit slower so I can catch what you just said. This happens a lot when you call AOL or it seems a lot of telemarketers need a brush up on their English. We have a store down the road owned by a family from the Middle East. They are the sweetest people, but I often avoid their store because I don't understand them.

It seem there are a lot of businesses (nail salons) that are owned by Asians. (I have no issue with this, actually I think it's great). It really bothers me when they are in a group talking in their language and laughing knowing full well I have no idea what they are saying. They could be saying something really hurtful or making jokes about me. I wonder how they would feel if that were to happen to them?

If I were going to a foreign country I would at least have the decency to try to learn some of the language or at least know the most important ones. (water, food, hotel, bathroom, and bar LOL)

There was a program on NPR Not too long ago detailing how difficult it is for hispanics to fing ESL courses to take because most were either too expensive, or occurred when they were at work in the middle of the day. I wonder, how do we propose to teach these people english if we are going to insist that they speak it in order to come here? How many Americans, I wonder, can speak moretghan one language? OOh I just looked it up. Less than 10% of Americans speak a foreign language. There are a lot more than that traveling to other countries I would venture to guess.

Heh that is why I am too ashamed to visit Korea, I can't speak it so well. Well actually, it kind of depends, I speak it well sometimes (without NYC American accent), but when I'm around actual Koreans who just immigrated here and I don't know them, I get nervous and start stuttering and speak like I might as well have never been Korean. I intend to go there when I've mastered basics comfortably.

lol Yes, Everyone in the US should speak English. Why? I'm not really sure. I don't buy into the "it's always been like that" logic for anything.

Melting pot no more.

i'll never understand the whole american thing. if you are a citizen of the united states you are an american ...period. why is it the greatest insult americans can think of to call someone unamerican? if being intolerant and narrow minded makes you a great american, then what does that say for your "culture"? here is another great quote: "nationalism is an infantile disease"