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Please note that I'm not trying to put you all in one category here.
Some resent the fact that an immigrant doesn't speak English, no matter what the reason is, others go further by assuming that those people who don't speak English refuse to learn it, others go further by saying that not only do they refuse to learn, but they actually try to insist the rest of their adopted country to learn their native language.
Do you see a pattern of generalization, and may I say exaggeration, here?
In the end, of all the immigrants, how many actually do not speak English?
Of those who don't speak English, how many actually refuse to learn?
Again, of those who don't speak English and/or refuse to learn, how many actually insist that the rest of their adopted country, in this case the USA with a population of over 300 million, to learn their native language?
Yet some are letting themselves be eaten from the inside through resentment towards those people, who even among those immigrants who don't speak English are in a minority?
There's so much more to life than focusing on such negative things, especially knowing that even if those people really insisted the rest of the adopted country to learn their native language, it wouldn't work anyway.
As I stated, I have no problem with those that try, and I certainly can understand that there will be a segment of immigrants that will never learn English, such as the elderly.
But I think you are being somewhat disengenuious when you say that there are very few who don't want to learn English. If that were the case, then why so many signs, forms, telephone menus etc... are in Spanish?
I believe that you are not seeing the bigger issue here. It is not about "I aint' gonna learn no furrin language", it is about well....rudeness for a lack of a better word. You don't enter someones house and demand that they follow your rules. That is not only rude but it begs the question...if your rules are better why come over to my house? And in this I am not just focusing on Latino immigrants who speak Spanish I also feel the same way about middle eastern and african immigrants who want to import sharia law with them.
So basically, what it boils down for me is that the refusal of learning English is in effect a way of not assimiliating to the US way of life, but demanding the US assimiliate to the (fill in the blank) way of life. And that is an insult to the country they say the wish to swear allegiance to.
How much does an immigrants inability to speak English irritate you?
If the person just came to the US then I could understand that they would be having a hard time. I did not know how to speak English when I came here. But I never spoke Dutch to anyone! I always carried my Dutch English, English Dutch dictionary with me and if I wanted to ask something I would look it up word for word. Even though I was 13 years old I believed in, "that I am now in this country and it was my DUTY to learn this language fast!"
The reason I found this forum because a little while ago I was in Value Village store where announcements were being made in Spanish. I was furious, and went up front and spoke in Dutch to the guy who was making the announcements. He looked at me like I was crazy. I then asked him if he could understand me and he replied he did not. I proceeded to tell him that I also did not understand what he said over the speaker, that we were in America now and he needed to speak English. When I got through telling him that he told me there is freedom of speech and got back on the intercom again and started to rattle off a bunch of Spanish again. I got my husband and left the store. While driving back home I thought, shoot I should have stood in the front of the store and asked if any other American objected to this Spanish, that we as Americans demand English to be spoken in this country. The problem that I found is that so many people are not willing to stand up and speak out. If more Americans would object and speak out and take action not only on this but about many of the illegal alien issues we would not be where we are today.
I don't resent people who speak English poorly or with a heavy accent. I do resent those that not only refuse to try but insist the rest of their adopted country learn to speak their native language. So, why does that make me (a native English speaking US citizen) mean/racist/elitist?
Personally, that alone would never make me think someone was racist.
I think the big message is the realization that there are consequences to our decisions. Immigrants like my parents wanted the protection of our laws. They earned that protection. They could have earned that protection with rudimentary fluency of the English language, but they wanted the best opportunity to realize the American dream for themselves. You don't have to be a "language genius" to attain fluency in another language.
I too am offended and think it inhumane the sense of entitlement various ethnic groups seem to hold over my country's head, particularly when their members haven't even obeyed the first set of rules any visitor seeking citizenship is expected to obey -- residency/immigration rules.
The language thing, I'm less offended. BUT, there should never be a sense of entitlement to the nation adjusting to every, or even any, ethnic group's language. If we CHOOSE to do so, that's one thing. But regardless of circumstances or reason, if immigrants don't learn the language, confusion, impatience, and exasperation are some of the understandable consequences that they cannot expect immunity from. And that's not inhumane or racist.
The flip side, however, is our competitiveness in a global economy and marketplace. So there are consequences to our decisions as well.
Personally, that alone would never make me think someone was racist.
I think the big message is the realization that there are consequences to our decisions. Immigrants like my parents wanted the protection of our laws. They earned that protection. They could have earned that protection with rudimentary fluency of the English language, but they wanted the best opportunity to realize the American dream for themselves. You don't have to be a "language genius" to attain fluency in another language.
I too am offended and think it inhumane the sense of entitlement various ethnic groups seem to hold over my country's head, particularly when their members haven't even obeyed the first set of rules any visitor seeking citizenship is expected to obey -- residency/immigration rules.
The language thing, I'm less offended. BUT, there should never be a sense of entitlement to the nation adjusting to every, or even any, ethnic group's language. If we CHOOSE to do so, that's one thing. But regardless of circumstances or reason, if immigrants don't learn the language, confusion, impatience, and exasperation are some of the understandable consequences that they cannot expect immunity from. And that's not inhumane or racist.
The flip side, however, is our competitiveness in a global economy and marketplace. So there are consequences to our decisions as well.
Another "golden" post..well said and in moderation. I agree completely..the issue is not language, per se....language ability varies among individuals, and a foreign language CAN be very difficult to pick up in one's adult years..particularly one with so many conflicting "rules" as English. In addition, many people DO speak English, yet hesitate to do so due to embarrassment over accent, etc.
As you said, the REAL issue that leaves us almost "breathless" with disbelief isn't lack of English skills, it's the sheer, unmitigated sense of entitlement that often takes place. THAT is what truly causes the 'culture clash', and that 'in-your-face' attitude, the lack of gratitude, and the persistent demands are what cause MOST of the ill-feeling, IMHO. I can assure you that I personally watched many liberal, "understanding", "nice" people turn against the whole illegal 'movement' when they witnessed those ill-planned 'rallies' a few years ago, in which all the Mexican flags were being waved. Lack of English didn't anger these TV 'viewers'...sheer audacity did.
If the person just came to the US then I could understand that they would be having a hard time. I did not know how to speak English when I came here. But I never spoke Dutch to anyone! I always carried my Dutch English, English Dutch dictionary with me and if I wanted to ask something I would look it up word for word. Even though I was 13 years old I believed in, "that I am now in this country and it was my DUTY to learn this language fast!"
The reason I found this forum because a little while ago I was in Value Village store where announcements were being made in Spanish. I was furious, and went up front and spoke in Dutch to the guy who was making the announcements. He looked at me like I was crazy. I then asked him if he could understand me and he replied he did not. I proceeded to tell him that I also did not understand what he said over the speaker, that we were in America now and he needed to speak English. When I got through telling him that he told me there is freedom of speech and got back on the intercom again and started to rattle off a bunch of Spanish again. I got my husband and left the store. While driving back home I thought, shoot I should have stood in the front of the store and asked if any other American objected to this Spanish, that we as Americans demand English to be spoken in this country. The problem that I found is that so many people are not willing to stand up and speak out. If more Americans would object and speak out and take action not only on this but about many of the illegal alien issues we would not be where we are today.
Some subjects that surfaced:
1) An immigrant's inability to speak English, which is the topic of this thread.
2) Immigrants' refusal to learn English.
3) Immigrants' insistence that the rest of the country (300 Mio. people) learn their language.
4) Signs, forms, announcements in Spanish (or any other language other than English for that matter).
Whilst they are related, each one in itself is independent from each other.
One thing doesn't necessarily mean or cause another.
If the person just came to the US then I could understand that they would be having a hard time. I did not know how to speak English when I came here. But I never spoke Dutch to anyone! I always carried my Dutch English, English Dutch dictionary with me and if I wanted to ask something I would look it up word for word. Even though I was 13 years old I believed in, "that I am now in this country and it was my DUTY to learn this language fast!"
The reason I found this forum because a little while ago I was in Value Village store where announcements were being made in Spanish. I was furious, and went up front and spoke in Dutch to the guy who was making the announcements. He looked at me like I was crazy. I then asked him if he could understand me and he replied he did not. I proceeded to tell him that I also did not understand what he said over the speaker, that we were in America now and he needed to speak English. When I got through telling him that he told me there is freedom of speech and got back on the intercom again and started to rattle off a bunch of Spanish again. I got my husband and left the store. While driving back home I thought, shoot I should have stood in the front of the store and asked if any other American objected to this Spanish, that we as Americans demand English to be spoken in this country. The problem that I found is that so many people are not willing to stand up and speak out. If more Americans would object and speak out and take action not only on this but about many of the illegal alien issues we would not be where we are today.
If the person just came to the US then I could understand that they would be having a hard time. I did not know how to speak English when I came here. But I never spoke Dutch to anyone! I always carried my Dutch English, English Dutch dictionary with me and if I wanted to ask something I would look it up word for word. Even though I was 13 years old I believed in, "that I am now in this country and it was my DUTY to learn this language fast!"
The reason I found this forum because a little while ago I was in Value Village store where announcements were being made in Spanish. I was furious, and went up front and spoke in Dutch to the guy who was making the announcements. He looked at me like I was crazy. I then asked him if he could understand me and he replied he did not. I proceeded to tell him that I also did not understand what he said over the speaker, that we were in America now and he needed to speak English. When I got through telling him that he told me there is freedom of speech and got back on the intercom again and started to rattle off a bunch of Spanish again. I got my husband and left the store. While driving back home I thought, shoot I should have stood in the front of the store and asked if any other American objected to this Spanish, that we as Americans demand English to be spoken in this country. The problem that I found is that so many people are not willing to stand up and speak out. If more Americans would object and speak out and take action not only on this but about many of the illegal alien issues we would not be where we are today.
If you think about it, it's true that there's a certain freedom there.
Nobody is forcing them to speak English, nor are they forced to speak Spanish.
It was their own choice.
If they lose precious customers like you because of their choice, then it's their loss.
This is a way of thinking that Americans have always valued, and played a big part in making America the way it is today.
Again, if you look closer, as a 13 year old immigrant, it was not your duty to learn English fast. If you hadn't learnt English for whatever reason, you'd be at disadvantage in many areas, but still nobody forces you to learn English.
This is something fundamentally American.
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How much does an immigrants inability to speak English irritate you?
I was furious, and went up front and spoke in Dutch to the guy who was making the announcements. He looked at me like I was crazy. I then asked him if he could understand me and he replied he did not. I proceeded to tell him that I also did not understand what he said over the speaker, that we were in America now and he needed to speak English. When I got through telling him that he told me there is freedom of speech and got back on the intercom again and started to rattle off a bunch of Spanish again. I got my husband and left the store. While driving back home I thought, shoot I should have stood in the front of the store and asked if any other American objected to this Spanish, that we as Americans demand English to be spoken in this country. The problem that I found is that so many people are not willing to stand up and speak out. If more Americans would object and speak out and take action not only on this but about many of the illegal alien issues we would not be where we are today.
