Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm highly in favor of all immigrants prioritizing speaking in good English. Because I love English. Not at all. Because it takes away one of the hot buttons used to inflame the populace against anybody new. My father considered English fluency and lack of accent as something extremely important. Reason was that in the 1920's, conservatives had whipped up such a frenzy against new immigrants that it made immigrants want to melt into the population. Totally understandable. If you want to get an insight, read Main Street by Sinclair Lewis. Small town people whose own citizenship was relatively short harassed those who came after World War I. This was white on white discrimination.
Yes. English should be our official language and we should not be catering to the spanish speaking people.
When all those (legal) immigrants came into the US after the world wars, they make the great effort to learn English and assimilate into American society. Parents forbade their children to speak anything else besides English when outside their homes.
English is the universal language of science/medicine and business. Living in the US and not learning English is a huge mistake that only holds those people back.
Yes, English should be the official language of the US government, but I believe private businesses (including news media) should be allowed to do business in whatever language they choose.
People do sign language in a foreign language? Darn, I thought they were translating someone speaking English? my bad...
Yes, they do. There are over a hundred different sign languges around the world. Here in the U.S. the calls for English only seem to forget that there is American Sign Language, and it is not foreign.
I think there should be one language at a minimum available, English, and I think local governments should be the decision makers if matters require more languages than that.
What businesses do and people talk with themselves is their business.
Whilst attending my own naturalization ceremony I noted that the family (all 8 of them) in front of me had bought (or were assigned) a translator with them. So at the crucial point we all stood up and took the oath, they did not speak theirs their translator merely translated it for them. I think there were a few families who had translators that day although thankfully most candidates were able to understand and speak the oath on their own accord.
How the heck are they supposed to assimilate if they can't even take the oath of alleigance ?
Since it takes time to become a naturalized citizen, and there is a test involved anyway, why can't there be an English test also?
It takes much more effort for an adult to learn a new language, but if an immigrant wants so badly to be an American citizen with all the benefits that go along with that treasured status, then they should be encouraged and motivated to learn passable English.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
.
