English Language

[psybrdelic]

Abstract:
It is imperative that all members of the States learn English.

Background:
I have this Community Medicine class right. Today we had to present articles on intrepters, language barriers and so on. A decent argument between the German teacher (who I call the "Article Nazi") and some meathead resulted.

Methods:
Fuck methods. Fault is always found with them anyway.

Results:
The meathead was right. No doctor should be responsible for a patient that can't speak English. How is that this can turn into a crazy lawsuit? The problem is bigger than trying to understand language barrier patients or integrating intrepters. Granted, this maybe neccessary, but fuck...people need to learn English. It's the offical language.

Disscussion:
I want you to provide this.

[The Dark Side of Will]

[DiggityBiggity]

We live in the United States of America. English is the "official" language, but we're a melting pot. The only reason we don't know many languages, is because we aren't required to. But we shouldn't be so arrogant as to say "It's our way or the highway" I'm trying to learn some Spanish. It may come in handy one day for a career.

Your Fuhrer

Diggity"Hola"Biggity

[Kohburn]

why shouldn't we? we are one of the most accomodating countries for other languages and cultures - English is pretty much considered the global language - minority waaaa waaaa - they can live here if they want but I'll be damned if they can complain about the govt not doing enough to force people to learn THEIR language -- if they want people to understand their native language they can go back to their native country

[whipped]

I really have a problem with people who live here and don't speak english. Or don't speak understandable english. I work with several people who are VERY difficult to understand, and I have to ask for them to repeat what they're saying several times. How is this productive?

Miguel: "yo ese, you better turn off the saw, it's getting close to the edge"
what I hear: "Jose, your butter turns me on, tits gutting close etudiage"

what I say: "Butter? What?"

Miguel: "I say YO! ESE! TURN OFF THE SAW!"
what I hear: "I say Jose, turn out dissaw?"

What I say: "My name's not Jose dude."

:::GRINDGRINDCRUNCHCRUNCHBOOM:::

Me: "Dude, why didn't you warn me?"

[Doug Chase]

It's the offical language.

The US does not have an official language. Seriously.

I'm not disagreeing with your other points, just warning not to rely on this one for the bulk of your argument.

English is definitely the unofficial official language of the US.

Doug

[Shaun41178(2)]

I think ebonics is the official language of the US.

If its not, then it should be God Damnit.

[eHoward]

Yeah, you can translate "More work, less talk!" to my mexicans when I open up some Maquiladoras..

" I'm trying to learn some Spanish. It may come in handy one day for a career.

Your Fuhrer

Diggity"Hola"Biggity

[zonyl]

Problem is: Most of your ancestors didnt speak english all that well when they got here. So, should they have gone home and never came on the boat? Latin is found on a lot of government documents. If someone on the street spouts: "Novus Ordo Seclorum", are they un-american? http://www.greatseal.com/

Its easy to point out the newbies now that you are fourth-fifth gen americans, but we all decendended from newbies at some point. Given time, these spanglish folks will have children that will know the english language all too well.

I was depressed last time I was in Eastren Europe. All of the cool little cultural dive places to eat where going out of business, but the McD's and BK's had lines stretching several blocks. Believe me, the "American Way of Life" has corrupted far more cultures in other countries, than we have suffered from a few minority groups here in the states.

[The Dark Side of Will]

By then we'll be back to speaking Indo-European...

[AkursedX]

While true that America does not have an official language, every-single important document in the US government is in English.

English is the official language of business, and therefore the offical language of money. If you are ever going to be hella rich, you are going to know english.

In most places around the world, people know more than one language. Most people learn english as a second language, especially among university students. Because like I said, knowing english is essential to excel in business.

As Americans, we learn english from the start and with that being the *best* language, we tend to put no effort into learning any other language. There has really been no need to learn any other languages to succeed in America. Although it seems that learning Spanish, especially in the Southwest is becoming more and more common.

I have elementary understanding of German and French and they are quite helpful in my job. But the point is that I freely chose to learn them. I'll be damned if I, or my future children, would be forced to learn another language because some group is too damn dumb or lazy to learn english.


So to me, it's plain and simple, learn the fucking language or you aren't getting any help from me.

[zonyl]

So to me, it's plain and simple, learn the fucking language or you aren't getting any help from me.

Good thing you are completely of British heritage right? Cause I would hope all your ancestors knew english and the customs here quite well by the time they arrived. You'd certainly not want to think of them having pissed off every health care provider they met here.

For that matter, maybe the Native Americans should have told the pilgrims to go to hell cause they were of a different culture. That way we wouldnt have to bother with Thanksgiving.

[p8ntman442]

but i love thanksgiving

[The Dark Side of Will]

So to me, it's plain and simple, learn the fucking language or you aren't getting any help from me.

Good thing you are completely of British heritage right? Cause I would hope all your ancestors knew english and the customs here quite well by the time they arrived. You'd certainly not want to think of them having pissed off every health care provider they met here.

For that matter, maybe the Native Americans should have told the pilgrims to go to hell cause they were of a different culture. That way we wouldnt have to bother with Thanksgiving.

Different culture isn't the issue. Not putting sufficient effort into learning English is the issue. Exchange students who go to foreign countries and live with foreign families pick the languages up VERY well in just a few months.

Why do immigrants not pick up English so easily? Granted it's not an easy language to speak well, but Basic is pretty dam simple.

It's because they DO NOT become Americans. They keep on being who they were... they settle in fairly closed communities and continue to speak their native languages among each other.
If you're gonna come to my country, BECOME A PART OF MY COUNTRY. Don't just be a part of your country on my country's soil.

[Kohburn]

It's because they DO NOT become Americans. They keep on being who they were... they settle in fairly closed communities and continue to speak their native languages among each other.
If you're gonna come to my country, BECOME A PART OF MY COUNTRY. Don't just be a part of your country on my country's soil.

bingo - thats the problem plain and simple - they have their own little private language that they can be secretive or simply be lazy and not learn the new language - If they HAVE to know english to get anything done in america then they WILL learn it out of necessity

[zonyl]

My wife's family immigrated from Poland in the 1980's and have become US citizens (they know more things about the government and its history than most of my friends do). My mother-in-law is a stay at home person and does not speak very good english. Why? Because she is scared that if she tries to interact with people at the store or elsewhere, she will be chastised for being a foreigner and not speaking good english (from some of the comments here, I can understand that now). She has been taking english classes for 3 years and still going, however, unless you can socially use it you dont get good at it. Ironically, it is the attitude that people have of disdain towards people that dont speak good english that is a major factor of keeping my mother-in-law from speaking it well. It is natural human behaviour for anyone who is given the attitude from others as an "outsider" to need to become part of a group/culture that is more familiar to them. Is she lazy? Well, she lived most of her life in an oppresive / corrupt government controlled by the Soviet Union. She had to struggle to keep her family fed while the Soviets raped her country's food for their own. She gave up her family / friends / possessions so she could have a shot of making her kids lives better by working with a lot of sympathetic american business men at ABC news to get over here. Now you are demanding a 56 year old woman to learn a new language to fullfill your needs proclaimed while spending your idle time chatting on a forum.
If the language is that easy to learn, you can learn theirs right? Its not secretive, it is well documented, and taught by thousands of people, and spoken by millions more (or would that eat into too much of your TV / Forum time?)

As I keep referring too, if you questioned the people that you are derived from, I wonder how many would find that their ancestors formed their own little clicks of friends that spoke their own native language that came over on the boat for a couple of generations. Look at how many "neighborhoods" of language were a part of New York back in the early 1900's. What I find interesting, is that almost all of us come from immigrant families, those people had to suffer oppressive governments and come to a new land (sacrificing their lifes, links to family, etc) where they meet additional social oppresion. They did this so their descendants could have a better life and have the potential of becoming the social oppressors of a new gen of immigrants. They would be proud.

No one will become part of "Your Country", because it is one that you define yourself alone. The only way they will be a part of it, is if you accept them in regardless of their cultural / language differences. Like it our not, there are parts of THIS country that speak other languages. Nothing stops you from joining those other parts but yourself.

My wife is second generation US citizen and is bilingual, and now my daughter being 3rd G can barely understand polish. Over time people come to a common point, just dont expect it to happen overnight.

[Kohburn]

Ironically, it is the attitude that people have of disdain towards people that dont speak good english that is a major factor of keeping my mother-in-law from speaking it well.

its not disdain for people who don't speak good english - its for people who don't want to try or want our society to change to fit them..

as long as they are trying then I got no beef and am happy to help

edit: EXCEPT... people in roles where communication is essential and its their job - like teachers - I freaking hated foreign teachers in college - they can't teach if the students can't understand them.

[AkursedX]

edit: EXCEPT... people in roles where communication is essential and its their job - like teachers - I freaking hated foreign teachers in college - they can't teach if the students can't understand them.

I had an Asian statistics teacher who I had this problem with. I remember her always talking about "arfa" in class. It took me until halfway through the semester to realize that she was actually saying "alpha" (If you have had stat classes, you would understand the necessity of knowing "alpha")

I did end up getting an A in the class. Not because of her teaching skills, or because I did well on tests. It just happens that my overall grade of 63% on the tests was the highest in the class. Nothing like failing and still getting an A!

[Kohburn]

edit: EXCEPT... people in roles where communication is essential and its their job - like teachers - I freaking hated foreign teachers in college - they can't teach if the students can't understand them.

I had an Asian statistics teacher who I had this problem with. I remember her always talking about "arfa" in class. It took me until halfway through the semester to realize that she was actually saying "alpha" (If you have had stat classes, you would understand the necessity of knowing "alpha")

I did end up getting an A in the class. Not because of her teaching skills, or because I did well on tests. It just happens that my overall grade of 63% on the tests was the highest in the class. Nothing like failing and still getting an A!

Ironicly enough the worst teacher I ever had was brittish - a 43 was a B

[DiggityBiggity]

There is a really great Chinese restaraunt in my area called Kings Palace (( except for takeout those cheap fucking bastards )) but for the longest time to man at the counter would always ask what I believed to be. "Fuck and Spoon?"

Your Fuhrer

Diggity"Fork and Spoon?"Biggity