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Many European countries were formed from various pieces and those people came with their own distinct customs and language, we are not Europe and our country was created with a single language binding us together. For those who have chosen to legally immigrate to this country learn the language you made the choice to move here.
That logic dictates we should be speaking one of the many local languages spoken by the various native Americans.
It also suggests that a common language is the only thing that would "bind us together". There are people in Switzerland who don't speak Genevois (French) or Romansh but feel bound to the Helvetic Confederation (Swizerland).
The idea that others should speak English, to be bound to the U.S., is really weird.
Who cares if they speak English or not? I don't understand the xenophobic hatred or fear of it. Is it because a lack of bilingualism makes one feel ignorant? Is it because national bilingualism is multi-cultural; implying one's own culture isn't superior to all others? I don't know. I like being exposed to other languages and cultures and find the U.S. is a bit boring for being so homogeneous.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by James1202
That logic dictates we should be speaking one of the many local languages spoken by the various native Americans.
It also suggests that a common language is the only thing that would "bind us together". There are people in Switzerland who don't speak Genevois (French) or Romansh but feel bound to the Helvetic Confederation (Swizerland).
The idea that others should speak English, to be bound to the U.S., is really weird.
Who cares if they speak English or not? I don't understand the xenophobic hatred or fear of it. Is it because a lack of bilingualism makes one feel ignorant? Is it because national bilingualism is multi-cultural; implying one's own culture isn't superior to all others? I don't know. I like being exposed to other languages and cultures and find the U.S. is a bit boring for being so homogeneous.
We would be speaking a Native American dialect if those who first arrived here had any respect for those cultures they encountered. I don't care if you speak English but I do care when you start expecting me, the government and society as a whole to start accommodating whatever language you decide to speak. Most European countries have been sliced, diced and put back together in different configurations during the last thousand years, we haven't but if you find the U.S. boring then feel free to live abroad.
hopefully one day you are not in the back of an ambulance being cared for by people who do not understand what you're saying to them. If that does happen, you may quickly become a fossil.
Tongue in cheek, I assume. A fossil is once-living tissue replaced by minerals over enormous stretches of time. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fossil
"The study of fossils across geological time, how they were formed, and the evolutionary relationships between taxa (phylogeny) are some of the most important functions of the science of paleontology. Such a preserved specimen is called a "fossil" if it is older than some minimum age, most often the arbitrary date of 10,000 years.[2]"
(My emphasis - more @ the URL)
So - likely lifetime was lightly referring to death. But it is October, Halloween is coming up.
Tongue in cheek, I assume. A fossil is once-living tissue replaced by minerals over enormous stretches of time. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fossil
"The study of fossils across geological time, how they were formed, and the evolutionary relationships between taxa (phylogeny) are some of the most important functions of the science of paleontology. Such a preserved specimen is called a "fossil" if it is older than some minimum age, most often the arbitrary date of 10,000 years.[2]"
(My emphasis - more @ the URL)
So - likely lifetime was lightly referring to death. But it is October, Halloween is coming up.
I work at Subway and a lot of Hispanics come into the store and the first thing they ask is " do you speak Spanish"? I tell them no, even though I know a handful of food words. They act surprised. All of a sudden they speak English! Not great but I understand what they want.
Maybe they are asking if you speak English because it is easier for them to communicate in their native tongue. I used to ask the same thing when i lived abroad. It wasnt that i didnt know their language, its the fact that sometimes i felt a bit embaressed by not speaking their language perfectly.
Maybe they are asking if you speak English because it is easier for them to communicate in their native tongue. I used to ask the same thing when i lived abroad. It wasnt that i didnt know their language, its the fact that sometimes i felt a bit embaressed by not speaking their language perfectly.
Well I don't know their language, they did not ask if I spoke English they asked if I spoke Spanish. They sometimes get annoyed at me for not knowing Spanish. It goes both ways I get annoyed sometimes when they don't understand English. Most of them do though but there is always one in the group that needs translation help.
I work at Subway and a lot of Hispanics come into the store and the first thing they ask is " do you speak Spanish"? I tell them no, even though I know a handful of food words. They act surprised. All of a sudden they speak English! Not great but I understand what they want.
Maybe you look Hispanic and they would have been more comfortable speaking Spanish to avoid embarassment (like another poster said)
Quote:
Originally Posted by long isle
It's not that. These posters aren't familiar with the term fossilized. If they knew how hard it is for some people to learn English, or cared, they would have a bit of compassion.
I don't think these people really know what they're talking about, I rarely encounter any Latino immigrants who don't speak any English. The funny thing is, I oftentry to speak Spanish to them and when they realize my Spanish isn't that good they start speaking to me in English.
Maybe they are asking if you speak English because it is easier for them to communicate in their native tongue. I used to ask the same thing when i lived abroad. It wasnt that i didnt know their language, its the fact that sometimes i felt a bit embaressed by not speaking their language perfectly.
The funny thing is, I oftentry to speak Spanish to them and when they realize my Spanish isn't that good they start speaking to me in English.
I do too. I need the practice, but as soon as I utter a few words, they switch to English. The same thing happened to me in Montreal when I spoke French.
Getting back to the OT, I was annoyed that NYC cab drivers can now take the licensing exam in a language other than English. Great if you drive a cab and speak more than one language, but English should be one of them, including being able to read it.
There is just no incentive any more to learn English. We are making it too easy. I can understand when seniors immigrate here along with their adult children, that they would need translators. But it irks me when I see young mothers with their kids sitting in some government office, who claim that they have been living here for 3 years or more and still can't handle a basic conversation in English. If you look at any civil service exam announcements for Nassau and Suffolk Counties, Long Beach, etc. they only want bilingual.
Maybe you look Hispanic and they would have been more comfortable speaking Spanish to avoid embarassment (like another poster said)
I don't think these people really know what they're talking about, I rarely encounter any Latino immigrants who don't speak any English. The funny thing is, I oftentry to speak Spanish to them and when they realize my Spanish isn't that good they start speaking to me in English.
I don't think I do but my co-worker is and she teaches me words and is a big help to me when they come in. She automatically starts speaking Spanish. Plus my co-worker said they are more comfortable speaking Spanish and feel embarrassed to try and speak English, and I get that.
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Day of the Dead
