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Old 07-01-2014, 11:31 PM
 
47,525 posts, read 69,426,048 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Calliope76 View Post
You know, it's actually a privilege to be exposed to other languages.

The US is the only country I have lived in where LESS exposure to languages, not more is valued by some people.

No wonder other countries think we seem happily ignorant.
Funny how that works. The USA has been less multilingual -- yet we're the nation where the whole world wants to be apparently! They may despise our language and culture but they sure do love our almighty American dollar and materialist wonders.

 
Old 07-01-2014, 11:35 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GolfProfessional View Post
Anyone who had a decent education in the U.S. (post WWII) speaks at least two languages. Just an fyi.
Fluently, I doubt.

In fact, President Bush Jr only knew a little Spanish. Supposedly, Obama speaks passable Bahasa, but doubt very well since he was only in Indonesi as a little boy. Clinton can speak casual German but he took that in College.

Didn't Obama even get himself in hot water during his '08 campaign when he implied he wanted everyone to be bilingual (folks took it as him meaning Spanish).

Spanish speaking families have a heads up because it is their first language, and they are learning English as a second.

But, while it is nice to speak Spanish, considering where America is, there are other languages.

I speak French and Russian fluently. If I listed languages I speak "a little, or semi casual" it would be more than three, but I don't think one should include a language as speaking it if they can only put a couple sentences together.

Last edited by pollyrobin; 07-02-2014 at 12:20 AM..
 
Old 07-01-2014, 11:38 PM
NCN
 
Location: NC/SC Border Patrol
21,657 posts, read 25,493,558 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by malamute View Post
Especially when they all pull out their food stamp cards.
That's a good point. On a trip to the mall one day I came to realize the only people shopping were senior citizens and people who didn't look like me and spoke other languages. The white middle class were probably hard at work paying for the food stamps so these people would have money to go shopping.

Do you think the conscience of politicians ever bother them because of the way our hard-working children are being treated? I think they ought to be ashamed of themselves for taking advantage of our children in order to gain votes by these parasites.

I hope we can elect some to the senate this year that will take on the job of cleaning up the corruption in America.
 
Old 07-01-2014, 11:39 PM
 
47,525 posts, read 69,426,048 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pollyrobin View Post
Fluently, I doubt.

In fact, President Bush Jr only knew a little Spanish. Supposedly, Obama speaks passable Bahasa, but
doubt very well since he was only in Indonesi as a little boy. Clinton can speak casual German but he
took that in College.

Didn't Obama even get himself in hot water during his '08 campaign when he implied he wanted
everyone to be bilungual (folks took it as him meaning Spanish).

Spanish speaking families have a heads up because it is their first language, and they are learning
English as a second.

But, while it is nice to speak Spanish, considering where America is, there are other languages.
I speak French and Russian fluently. If I listed languages I speak "a little, or semi casual" it would
be more than three, but I don't think one should include a language as speaking it if they can only
put a couple sentences together.
Except they aren't learning English and their children have the highest drop out rates of all -- in spite of the free meals that schools give them to supplement their food stamps and WIC coupons. Hispanics are the group that has increasing poverty rates.
 
Old 07-01-2014, 11:40 PM
 
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Default International City

I was lucky enough to grow up in a very international city. Most of the people I grew up with arrived in the 50's, 60's, 70's and are still arriving today to make a better life for themselves. Everyone's parents spoke a different language. Italian, German, Spanish, Polish, Greek, Checkoslovakian and even some Chinese. Growing up I was able to eat a variety of ethnic foods at my friends houses. I wouldn't change it for the world. No one seemed to mind that there were differnet languages being spoken all over the place and they still don't today. I was one of the lucky ones though, for having this experience. I almost feel sorry for people that didn't experience this diversity. I think it may be what heaven is like, all different nationalities and languages coming together in one place to enjoy the uniqueness of God's creations.
I wonder how people would feel if Jesus were walking through the stores speaking Hebrew? These same people have served in our military and built this country. God Bless America...the land of democracy and freedom.
 
Old 07-01-2014, 11:43 PM
 
384 posts, read 347,374 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by malamute View Post
Except they aren't learning English and their children have the highest drop out rates of all -- in spite of the free meals that schools give them to supplement their food stamps and WIC coupons. Hispanics are the group that has increasing poverty rates.
Well, I'm not hispanic nor do I live in a highly hispanic community, but emperical research has shown that by the third generation, over 90% of hispanics have assimilated (with the vast majority of them assimilating during the second generation. The same has been showed throughout all immigrants coming to the US... most notably in Asian immigrants. So I wouldn't worry about their ability to speak English.

They also pay for their lunch whenever I do see them at the country club.
 
Old 07-01-2014, 11:46 PM
 
47,525 posts, read 69,426,048 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GolfProfessional View Post
It looks weird from third person. But I assure you that you look quite similar when you pull out your food stamp card.
Never had one of those -- but my family didn't refuse to learn and speak English so they never needed a penny of welfare handouts -- unlike so many immigrants today who refuse to learn and assimilate in any way.
 
Old 07-01-2014, 11:48 PM
 
47,525 posts, read 69,426,048 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GolfProfessional View Post
Well, I'm not hispanic nor do I live in a highly hispanic community, but emperical research has shown that by the third generation, over 90% of hispanics have assimilated (with the vast majority of them assimilating during the second generation. The same has been showed throughout all immigrants coming to the US... most notably in Asian immigrants. So I wouldn't worry about their ability to speak English.

They also pay for their lunch whenever I do see them at the country club.
I do live in a mostly hispanic community and Spanish is the dominant language -- even with the third generation.
 
Old 07-01-2014, 11:50 PM
 
384 posts, read 347,374 times
Reputation: 331
Quote:
Originally Posted by malamute View Post
I do live in a mostly hispanic community and Spanish is the dominant language -- even with the third generation.
Yes, there is that <10% that won't assimilate. But it's such a small number to even talk about.
 
Old 07-01-2014, 11:51 PM
 
47,525 posts, read 69,426,048 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GolfProfessional View Post
Yes, there is that <10% that won't assimilate. But it's such a small number to even talk about.
Not here where I live. It's only about 10% that do assimilate. The rest expect the USA to accomodate them in their own country's language.
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