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I wasn't speaking to that very different conversation. I was speaking to the absurdity that if someone isn't speaking English it means they are likely here illegally.
Heck, if I'm in Market Basket and it's clear someone doesn't know English and I need to communicate with them about something I'll switch over to Spanish (if it is apparent that is what they're speaking) and Spanish isn't even my native tongue. However, it's really not a great scenario for them if they don't know English and they intend to be here permanently. I don't think anyone should be surprised if the stats showed that for those here illegally the % of them who know English is lower than the % that don't.
Heck, if I'm in Market Basket and it's clear someone doesn't know English and I need to communicate with them about something I'll switch over to Spanish (if it is apparent that is what they're speaking) and Spanish isn't even my native tongue. However, it's really not a great scenario for them if they don't know English and they intend to be here permanently. I don't think anyone should be surprised if the stats showed that for those here illegally the % of them who know English is lower than the % that don't.
That wouldn't surprise me at all and it makes logical sense. For example, if you come here illegally, you are more likely to be low on the economic food chain making it unlikely you learned English in your native land. It's also more unlikely you have the interest or time to learn English here. It's quite a different presumption to say that the presence of foreign language speakers makes it likely many of them are here illegally. It' a logical presumption that there are far more legal foreign language speakers in the United States than those here illegally.
oh, I wasn't referring to the workers. I was referring to the many shoppers who either don't know english or choose not to speak it and may very well be here illegally.
Oh, and that makes your inference all the better. I happen to be fluent in 2 languages other than English, am a 100% US citizen, and damn proud of both facts. You need to expand your world view just a tad.
I wasn't speaking to that very different conversation. I was speaking to the absurdity that if someone isn't speaking English it means they are likely here illegally.
It may shock you, but I repped you for this comment.
I personally don't think that just because someone isn't speaking english that it means they aren't here legally. They are likely not educated though.
Huh? They can't just prefer to speak another language, in which their thoughts and speech flow more naturally?
It's amazing how so many native-born Americans, many of whom struggle with speaking & writing proper English, look down on others who are multilingual. Which, if you think about it, requires a greater use of the brain.
Oh, and that makes your inference all the better. I happen to be fluent in 2 languages other than English, am a 100% US citizen, and damn proud of both facts. You need to expand your world view just a tad.
Expand my world view? I'm the one pivoting to speak Spanish so they can comprehend. They're the ones choosing to live in the USA. Hence, they should make more of an effort to speak English.
Expand my world view? I'm the one pivoting to speak Spanish so they can comprehend. They're the ones choosing to live in the USA. Hence, they should make more of an effort to speak English.
No. How is it your business, as to which language they use to converse with one another?
I think we are all aware that there are people in this country who speak multiple languages (english included) and choose to speak a different language than English the majority of the time because it's their preference.
We are talking about people who moved to this country and chose not to learn English and only know the language of the place they moved from.
No. How is it your business, as to which language they use to converse with one another?
I don't give a hoot if they use sign language to converse amongst themselves. However, they live in the USA and if they cannot communicate in English that is a problemo, to one degree or another depending on the particular situation.
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I happen to be fluent in 2 languages other than English, am a 100% US citizen, and damn proud of both facts. You need to expand your world view just a tad.
