English, the "National Language" (Obama, interview, Mexican, illegal)

[Moth]

Well, that's what we're talking about here. Making the effort.

Sure, no argument there. But there is a huge difference between becoming proficient or fluent in Spanish, German or Swahili and becoming proficient or fluent in Chinese, Japanese, Finnish or Hungarian.

And all of them, save Spanish, require going there. In Europe going there is often a short train ride. In the US it inevitably means crossing an ocean with all the costs that go with it.

Don't get me wrong. I am all for increased and earlier language instruction. I am simply saying we need to be realistic about it.

[Nea1]

Originally Posted by Yeledaf

I'm-ay orry-say. I-ay asn't-way effering-ray oo-tay our-yay anguage-lay bilities-ay.

I-ay eant-may at-whay uh-thay opic-tay as-way.

Ot-gay it-ay?

Wow did it take you long to type that?

Ok I get you were not dissing my language abilities. I am testy today to be aware of that.

[Yeledaf]

Originally Posted by Nea1

Wow did it take you long to type that?

Ok I get you were not dissing my language abilities. I am testy today to be aware of that.

Ot-nay eally-ray.

Ave-hay a ood-gay ay-day.

[Nea1]

Originally Posted by Yeledaf

Ot-nay eally-ray.

Ave-hay a ood-gay ay-day.

Haben Sie einen guten Tag

[LOVE THE U.S.A.]

Hi,

To help with ENGLISH to be made the language of the country of the

UNITED STATES.....when you are spoken to in a forgein language just do not

respond.... when you are in a situation where someone who cannot speak

ENGLISH is shown the use of an interpretor ask who is paying for the

interpretor and if it is the U.S. TAX PAYER complain and ask for the boss

of that department and make a situation for them...

In the mean time contact your political rep's. and complain to them

strongly and in no uncertain term's it should stop....you want it to stop...

Then at election time vote against them like I am goin to...vote against

Martinez and Bill Nelson in Florida.....Two amnesty lonver's...

LOVE THE U.S.A.

[Nea1]

Originally Posted by LOVE THE U.S.A.

Hi,

To help with ENGLISH to be made the language of the country of the

UNITED STATES.....when you are spoken to in a forgein language just do not

respond.... when you are in a situation where someone who cannot speak

ENGLISH is shown the use of an interpretor ask who is paying for the

interpretor and if it is the U.S. TAX PAYER complain and ask for the boss

of that department and make a situation for them...

In the mean time contact your political rep's. and complain to them

strongly and in no uncertain term's it should stop....you want it to stop...

Then at election time vote against them like I am goin to...vote against

Martinez and Bill Nelson in Florida.....Two amnesty lonver's...

LOVE THE U.S.A.

I can speak Spanish but when someone speaks to me in Spanish then gets mad( and boy do they) because I answer in German I love it.

[CamaroGuy]

The two times I visited San Antonio, I always refered to the King William district as the "Kaiser Wilhelm" district.:-)

[Yeledaf]

Originally Posted by CamaroGuy

The two times I visited San Antonio, I always refered to the King William district as the "Kaiser Wilhelm" district.:-)

Well, that'll make you freinds every time.

[bily4]

Americans are not dumber than the rest of the world. Supposedly English and some of the Asian languages are the most difficult languages of any to learn - and yet many in China and India speak excellent English, without any immersion programs. They just get started at a young age.

We need to have structured foreign language classes beginning in kindergarten instead of 9th grade. There are so many foreign language cable channels now, you can tune in and listen any time you want. Today it is a luxury; soon it will be a requirement for many fields. We need to get our kids with the program. English may not be the international business language of choice pretty soon.

[Nea1]

Originally Posted by bily4

Americans are not dumber than the rest of the world. Supposedly English and some of the Asian languages are the most difficult languages of any to learn - and yet many in China and India speak excellent English, without any immersion programs. They just get started at a young age.

We need to have structured foreign language classes beginning in kindergarten instead of 9th grade. There are so many foreign language cable channels now, you can tune in and listen any time you want. Today it is a luxury; soon it will be a requirement for many fields. We need to get our kids with the program. English may not be the international business language of choice pretty soon.

As long as it is a choice, it would be good. Although alot of kids have problems with mastering English at that age let alone Chinese.