I never said they woud be required by law to speak it... But they would require it, if we had an official language, to accomplish tasks regarding public agencies, i.e. DMV's, etc. We don't have that right now. Britain, Spain, and France do and they run just fine in terms of language...

 

I understand your position and rationale for your perceived need of a standard recognized system. But I contend it is a moot point based on the following criteria. However, every country has different dialects regardless what dialect a government choses. England has an official standard yet many if not all indigenous citizens there can tell whether you are from London or Liverpool. The further illustrate point jsut look at Canada. They recongnize two languages to accomodate the wants of their people. One thing I have discovered about lanquage learning is that one must be fully immersed into the society of the new language they wish to speak.

One particular member mentioned the guy who came into his shop with money to pay for his Mustang parts but spoke English in a poor broken form. While I read from the post that you are Cuban, I mean no harm in the following: I think educators would unanimously agree that no matter what part of U.S. you are raised, you will learn English that can easily be understood by anyone ( born and raised in U.S. speaking English) in the country regardless of one's geographic location. Simply stated, the lack of a standardized system is not a reasonable explanation of an immigrant's failure to speak minimally understandable English.

I am concerned with immigration and feel the U.S. is OVERLY ACCOMODATING those who speak Spanish.

 

i particulary get annoyed when i call a credit card company or any company for that matter and i have to select a number to listen to the directions in english. anywhere u go anymore there is a spanish translation on the bottom of every english word. give it 15 years at this pace and we will have a standard language--spanish!

 

Actually, you'd do just fine. In Germany especially, a large percentage of the population is bilingual (speak both German and English). I was in Munich and Berlin 2 years ago and got by with almost no problems, and the only German I know is the lyrics to Rammstein songs, even though I'm not sure what they're saying half of the time (du hast!!! ).

 

This is true. In fact, medical journals are translated to English even when they are written in German.

 

I know I know... But you know what I mean... REPHRASE: Try going to Spain and getting your license and buying a house and doing your taxes without knowing Spanish... You could do that here without English.

 

En mi opinion seria recomendable que tambien los americanos aprendieran un poco de espanol. Estoy de acuerdo en que los latinos aprendan a hablar ingles pero que sepan conservar su idioma nativo. Aprender a hablar diferentes idiomas es siempre una gran ventaja no importa el pais que uno este......

LOL!!! Hope you guys got that...LOL!!

 

But could you agree that if one was chosen (all other dialects wouldn't disappear nor do I propose they do/should) and held to a level of obligation regarding some individual societal functions, maybe there would be incentive to learn English? There is incentive in other countries to learn their official languages... Why not here? There is no incentive here for many regions of the US.

We'd still have the same characteristics, linguistically, if we had an official language... Does England not keep its own dialects in spite of an official language? Is that not your point here?

This refutes your own point that my previous point was "moot." Countries do it AND keep their dialects. Again, why doesn't the US have an official language? We should, it works, and other countries, like England as you mentioned, are the proof.

Absolutely, but leave it up to the individual with NO incentive other than their own intrinsic desire to hold as obligation and... uh... it might not happen... Like it doesn't happen here in Miami.

Of course a standardized system would help... They have no reason to learn English because they can go through ALL day to day functions in society without having to know English. Set an official standard and you've made knowing English that much more necessary. It's the first step. Next comes printing forms/documents in THAT English... First there must be a prescribed language system before you can hold a society to learn it. Anyone that studies linguistics knows this. It can't go backward. I shouldn't make a car payment before deciding what car I want and buying it.

So, then you agree.

AND, of course, this would would have MINIMAL effects on dialects. Thing is right now, though, all these countires you mentioned have a language and dialects. Could you have a counterfeit bill without an original? We have many dialects here of what... English? Which is the root form? We have none! We have no official language. So, inasmuch as they're all equal, you can't call any spoken language in the US a dialect. We need a "language" BEFORE you can call the others "dialects." England DOES have dialects of their LANGUAGE, Standard British English.

 

Claro que si. Que duele saber mas que menos? Mi idioma siempre tiene que ser primero! Ventaja? Crecer como individual ES la unica ventaja en esta vida. Ignorando lo que ofrecen las diferentes culturas que hay is robarse uno mismo de esta oportunidad.

Yo estoy de acuerdo, si.

 

Excelente! De donde eres...dude?

 

Yo? Cubano de parte de mi padre. Mi madre nacio en Espana pero vivio en Cuba... Y usted, caballero?

DAMMIT! Where's a smilie smoking a Cuban cigar when you need one?

 

Boricua.....Puerto Rico, of course!

 

Speaking of which, perhaps you were late to geography class but ..it's Mexico, the country is named Mexico.

 

Here in Florida a few years back the migrants pulled a mini revolution about housing and wages. A lot of large farmers lost everything they had because of the Mexicans.
The bitch was poor housing and unfit housing. Farmers have provided homes for the migrants for years as they pass thru following the harvests. Thay also bitched about poor wages and made compaints to the Govt whom jumped on the band wagon at the expense of the farmers.
The average pay to pick the fields was $125.00 a day regardless of age(minmum wage was $2+). The farmer provided a roof over their heads for free as part of the deal. Most had the kids and wife in the fields so that a family of 4 was making $500.00 per day. No taxes, No debits. Instead of contacting the farmer if the toilet stopped up, it was ripped out of the floor and tossed out back, now they **** through the floor. After a few days the stink is horrible and the complaints start. The air conditioner stopped so it took it's place out back too and the windows were broken out for fresh air. Some dumb broad from the County shows up and calls the Feds. The Feds shut down the farmer and confiscate his land and he serves time and goes broke paying fines for the Mexicans destruction. But none of the TRUE story ever hit the news, only the pity for some filthy people that were "mistreated" by a Gringo farmer. Nothing in the news about the couple of farmers whom killed themselves because of loosing everything they had slaved for.
The Mexicans moved on after winning this small victory but the farmers lost everything, homes, cars, and land. The Govt. subdivided this land and made a mint selling it to contractors whom built another 2000 homes on it.
My family owns a 14,000 acre ranch and we do not employ Mexicans because they also destroyed some of our equipment and killed our livestock training they're "catch" dogs. We also now have armed riders on our fences 27/7.
The last white man caught stealing cattle in Fl was hung, the last Mexican ate steak. I am an American, I speak English and I work hard for my money. If I wanted to speak spanish I would move to a spanish speaking country.

 

Good job on keeping this civil

 

Great that you pointed this out.
I guess if I wanted to make a useless post to point out your mistakes it would go something like this.

Perhaps you were late to reading class, because either you cant read my bad spelling or you missed the strong point I made in the origional post where it said.
"I guess my whole post tonight is to throw out my oponion on some things. I dont want this to turn into a huge cat fight so please feel free to respond but please do so in a positive MATURE way.
No slang, namecalling, or bashing will be excepted or needed."
"To those on here from another country feel free to post as well on your believes. Oponions are welcome as long as they are made in a mature way."



Please either add something positive, or a oponion on this subject or play games elsewhere.
I/we dont need your pointless posts.
Thanks

 

I sometimes am annoyed with customers who do not speak English. I get a lot of Spanish-speaking customers and while I don't speak enough Spanish to effectively communicate with them, half my technicians do.

In order to become a naturalized United States citizen, you must pass an English proficiency exam. Which makes sense to me.

I have been to several other countries and never had any problems. The hardest one to communicate in was when I went to Montreal because those slimy Canuck bastards insisted on speaking French. I had to yell at them to get them to speak English. This is something I would only do in Canada though, when I went to Rome last year everyone was polite, friendly, and more than happy to communicate in English.

Florida schools are probably not the best place to be teaching people to speak a new language. I moved here with my family in 1989. The teachers at my little brother's school tried to put him in the special education program because he was having "trouble" saying words. The teacher couldn't get him to pronounce certain words containing the letter "R". Can you guess where we moved from? That's right, Boston. It took my mom half an hour to explain to the idiot how people from New England talk. Turns out my brother's not really retarded; he's currently in the Honors program at UF studying to be an environmental engineer.

Want to become a U.S. citizen? You should learn English. Want to come to the U.S. for a couple months or years and do some job that no Americans really want to do? Cool. Do it according to the laws of this country.

Abe

 

 

What's your point? That there are some degenerate Mexicans out there not worth a ****? Whoa... News flash!

There are some Cubans not worth a ****... Some in my own family.

Some Caucasian crashed into an 88 Thundrebird that was my pride and joy when I was 16. He was drunk and begged me not to call the cops. I had my wallet on the passenger seat. He told me he wanted to take a look at my car, looked at it, and gave me his phone number and his address. Like a young idiot, I thought he was super cool and I took it and we didn't call the cops to not get him in trouble. Later that week... Wrong address, wrong phone, and my wallet was stolen... My dad whooped my *** so bad, he nearly put me in the hospital. Should I distrust every white man I see?

Some of every people are scum, big deal...

 

Yo tambien...de que parte?

I think its hilarious how this thread has become 'bilingual' considering teh topics we're discussing .