New York City says it – officially – in English, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Korean, French Creole and Italian (Michael Bloomberg, immigrants)

[High Springs Gator]

NEW YORK – If you like bilingualism, you will love septalingualism.
Big Apple Mayor Michael Bloomberg's latest brainstorm outstrips his notorious war on trans-fats, both for its audacity and sheer senselessness. America's largest municipality soon will conduct official business in English and Spanish – which would be bad enough – plus five other foreign languages: Russian, Chinese, Korean, French Creole and Italian.

Bloomberg ordered this indulgence without forecasting how hard it may slam New York's beleaguered taxpayers.

Taxpayer dollars aside, Bloomberg's septalingualism is a cultural migraine in the making and an insult to its supposed beneficiaries. Are today's immigrants too feeble to learn English, as did the 12 million immigrants who traversed Ellis Island between 1892 and 1954? Since when were Italians, of all people, too wretched to fathom English? Is it too much to ask today's Italian arrivals to speak America's common tongue, as did the forebears of such distinguished New Yorkers as Giuliani, former Gov. Mario Cuomo, Home Depot co-founder Kenneth Langone, and Academy Award-winning director Martin Scorsese?

"I think this will hurt immigrants' long-term assimilation into American society, both socially and economically," predicts Russian émigré Yuri Mamchur, director of the Seattle-based Discovery Institute's Real Russia Project. "Most workplaces require them to speak English. This policy does them no favors."

New York City says it – officially – in English, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Korean, French Creole and Italian

[Benicar]

Absolutely incredible! I can only imagine the chaos of evacuating thousands of citizens during a crisis, none of whom can communicate with anyone other than their respective group members. Tower of Babel, anyone?

[chicken.or.the.nugget]

this is probably the dumbest thing ever
if they come to america they should adapt to yourguys' lifestyle. So does that mean all stores will have to learn these languages or just like bank people

[macmeal]

"Start spreadin' the word
I'm leavin' today
I want to be a part of it
New York, New York..."


(that is, I want to BE a part of it, but not TOO much a part of it....and of course, I want to keep my own language...that is to say, I want to "be a part of it, and still be NOT be part of it"....or something like that.....)

[JDubsMom]

Originally Posted by macmeal

"Start spreadin' the word
I'm leavin' today
I want to be a part of it
New York, New York..."


(that is, I want to BE a part of it, but not TOO much a part of it....and of course, I want to keep my own language...that is to say, I want to "be a part of it, and still be NOT be part of it"....or something like that.....)

Sad isn't it? All the pandering at the expense of the taxpayers is truly disgusting. The cost of living in New York is totally ridiculous and unless you are filthy rich, the quality of life is pathetic.

I visited New York once and that was enough for me. I grew up in Chicago (which is fast becoming the new Mexifornia) and left there more than 2 decades ago. There isn't enough money in the world to make me live in either of the aforementioned illegal alien corrupt, criminal filled cesspools.

[HoustonCynic]

Originally Posted by Benicar

Absolutely incredible! I can only imagine the chaos of evacuating thousands of citizens during a crisis, none of whom can communicate with anyone other than their respective group members. Tower of Babel, anyone?

You are still safe on a plane where you must be fluent in English if you want to sit in the emergency aisle. I think this is also true on foreign owned airlines in/out of the US but haven't confirmed.

[Benicar]

Originally Posted by HoustonCynic

You are still safe on a plane where you must be fluent in English if you want to sit in the emergency aisle. I think this is also true on foreign owned airlines in/out of the US but haven't confirmed.

That's nice to know; but what about cities? Can you imagine if we had another terrorist attack, or a catastrophe the magnitude of Katrina? I shudder to think.

[antialphabet]

Originally Posted by Benicar

That's nice to know; but what about cities? Can you imagine if we had another terrorist attack, or a catastrophe the magnitude of Katrina? I shudder to think.

A pain for taxpayers maybe, but I don't think New York will be any less monolingual than it was before.

[Benicar]

Originally Posted by antialphabet

A pain for taxpayers maybe, but I don't think New York will be any less monolingual than it was before.

As long as we have large segments of our population who have no need or desire to learn English; they will be left to fend for themselves, should a natural disaster or terrorist attack occur. No one will have the time nor inclination to function as an interpreter.

[antialphabet]

Originally Posted by Benicar

As long as we have large segments of our population who have no need or desire to learn English; they will be left to fend for themselves, should a natural disaster or terrorist attack occur. No one will have the time nor inclination to function as an interpreter.

Having large segments that don't speak English isn't something new. But thankfully the children of immigrants are still English speakers like in the past. Lots of bilingual people out there in the communities. Even working in public services like the police, emts, firemen, etc.

It'd be great if everyone spoke the same language, but large segments of non-English speakers is nothing new, and I don't that will change anytime.