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Old 03-25-2011, 11:22 AM
 
2,760 posts, read 3,929,164 times
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While other countries speak multiple languages all of their National status have a DECLARED NATIONAL LANGUAGE. I speak multiple languages on a limited basis, it was not up to America to teach me. My own interest and need drived the education for me. As far as Mag, once again, ENGLISH IS THE OFFICAL BUSINESS LANGUAGE OF THE WORLD! YOU ARE SO BLINDED BY YOUR DIG IN POSITION YOU CAN WILL NOT ACCEPT FACT! WHATEVER! LOL SMH, SMH SMH...USELESS DISCUSSION AS USUAL.

 
Old 03-25-2011, 11:26 AM
 
1,245 posts, read 3,169,674 times
Reputation: 535
Quote:
Originally Posted by toobusytoday View Post
Looks like the OP has left the building.....

I believe the US is the only major country in the world where being bi-lingual is not a common thing. Go to any other country and you will find residents speaking two or three languages. I find it embarrassing when I travel and the only language that I'm fluent in is English. We are a nation of immigrants. Some of us have just been here longer then others.

Speaking to the OP's query, does this negative attitude towards people knowing another language and having a hispanic heritage mean that you are going to judge the OP and her husband as somehow being bad? If you've read her post, she and her husband are professionals thinking of moving to the area, aren't they the kind of people that you want here?
People in NEPA(non-spanish) don't speak spanish, they just don't. I could list the times my wife has needed a translator for a community outreach she volunteers for, and was always told they are not available. Usually it is the parents child who translates for her. She has begun rosetta stone to learn spanish, which is her third language(she learned german).

But what piqued my curiosity about your comment was, don't high schools here have a second language requirement? Maybe someone knows? I know back in the dark ages when I went to high school I had to take at least two years of a foreign language.
 
Old 03-25-2011, 11:41 AM
 
1,245 posts, read 3,169,674 times
Reputation: 535
Quote:
Originally Posted by bloominscranton View Post
While other countries speak multiple languages all of their National status have a DECLARED NATIONAL LANGUAGE. I speak multiple languages on a limited basis, it was not up to America to teach me. My own interest and need drived the education for me. As far as Mag, once again, ENGLISH IS THE OFFICAL BUSINESS LANGUAGE OF THE WORLD! YOU ARE SO BLINDED BY YOUR DIG IN POSITION YOU CAN WILL NOT ACCEPT FACT! WHATEVER! LOL SMH, SMH SMH...USELESS DISCUSSION AS USUAL.
I shake my head at your ignorance. You realize of course, that even as you say "those other countries", you do realize that the U.K. has no declared national language. As well as Australia, Korea, Chile, China, Poland, Germany. Many countries do not have a declared national language, neither should we. Those pesky Canadians declared two national languages. Maybe we should do that too?

English is not the official business language of the world. Your NEPA isolationism is starting to show through(*hint*there is a world outside the confines of NEPA). English is however the official language of pilots and air traffic control.

On a side note, you rant about useless conversation, than stop conversing. You are not required to be here. Also, it shows ones inability to form fact based debate, when they result to insults and/or yelling, which on the internet is defined as typing in caps. Now go back to the books, read a little more, even consult dr. google.
 
Old 03-25-2011, 12:31 PM
 
1,305 posts, read 2,611,650 times
Reputation: 753
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lehigh Valley Native View Post
If anyone wants to see if racism and bigotry is alive and well in NEPA, look no further than this thread.

I don't see how we are no longer a melting pot, or the idea that it has been vanquished by the liberals. Maybe you could clarify.

Also, your definition of "Melting Pot" is incorrect, what you are describing is assimilation, something that americans have long had a distaste for.
Excuse the simplicity of cut and paste.. But this does sum it up:
The melting pot is a metaphor for a heterogeneous society becoming more homogeneous, the different elements "melting together" into a harmonious whole with a common culture. It is particularly used to describe the assimilation of immigrants to the United States; the melting-together metaphor was in use by the 1780s.
After 1970 the desirability of assimilation and the melting pot model was challenged by proponents of multiculturalism, who assert that cultural differences within society are valuable and should be preserved, proposing the alternative metaphor of the mosaic or salad bowl – different cultures mix, but remain distinct.


The Liberal movement

that started in the 1970's
 
Old 03-25-2011, 12:37 PM
 
1,305 posts, read 2,611,650 times
Reputation: 753
As to the OP
IMHO I do not think that the original poster would have any problems at all in Scranton that they wouldnt find in any other location.. No matter a persons race , religion or culture, there will always be others who wont accept them.. doesnt matter if you white, black, green or purple.. Thats life.
 
Old 03-25-2011, 01:09 PM
 
28,164 posts, read 25,163,891 times
Reputation: 16664
Quote:
Originally Posted by bloominscranton View Post
While other countries speak multiple languages all of their National status have a DECLARED NATIONAL LANGUAGE. I speak multiple languages on a limited basis, it was not up to America to teach me. My own interest and need drived the education for me. As far as Mag, once again, ENGLISH IS THE OFFICAL BUSINESS LANGUAGE OF THE WORLD! YOU ARE SO BLINDED BY YOUR DIG IN POSITION YOU CAN WILL NOT ACCEPT FACT! WHATEVER! LOL SMH, SMH SMH...USELESS DISCUSSION AS USUAL.
The reason we don't have a national language is because we are America, a place that is comprised of many different cultures and languages. It would be a bit backwards for our country to declare a national language.

So, it's ok for Germany and Italy to teach their students a second language but not for America to teach her students other languages?

I am not blinded by anything. I just don't happen to think English is the only relevant language on this planet.

I haven't seen a change of heart from you either bloomie, so are you just as "dug in" to your position as I am in mine? I think so.
 
Old 03-25-2011, 01:10 PM
 
28,164 posts, read 25,163,891 times
Reputation: 16664
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lehigh Valley Native View Post
People in NEPA(non-spanish) don't speak spanish, they just don't. I could list the times my wife has needed a translator for a community outreach she volunteers for, and was always told they are not available. Usually it is the parents child who translates for her. She has begun rosetta stone to learn spanish, which is her third language(she learned german).

But what piqued my curiosity about your comment was, don't high schools here have a second language requirement? Maybe someone knows? I know back in the dark ages when I went to high school I had to take at least two years of a foreign language.
Yes, they do LVN. I graduated in the 90s and I learned German. I have siblings and cousins in the schools now and all of them are required to learn a second language. Most of them are taking Spanish.
 
Old 03-25-2011, 01:16 PM
 
28,164 posts, read 25,163,891 times
Reputation: 16664
Quote:
Originally Posted by johnqpublic View Post
Excuse the simplicity of cut and paste.. But this does sum it up:
The melting pot is a metaphor for a heterogeneous society becoming more homogeneous, the different elements "melting together" into a harmonious whole with a common culture. It is particularly used to describe the assimilation of immigrants to the United States; the melting-together metaphor was in use by the 1780s.
After 1970 the desirability of assimilation and the melting pot model was challenged by proponents of multiculturalism, who assert that cultural differences within society are valuable and should be preserved, proposing the alternative metaphor of the mosaic or salad bowl – different cultures mix, but remain distinct.


The Liberal movement

that started in the 1970's


If we really want to get down to brass tacks, I question why the Europeans didn't assimilate to the Native Americans way of life. After all they were here first, right?

I suggest you take a walk around any city, town or borough in this area and take note of the number of Irish, Polish, Lithuanian, German, Celtic and Italian clubs, churches, organizations, bars, charities, etc and then come back and tell me how much OUR ancestors really assimilated into society upon entrance into this country. I also dare you to look up the stats on first generation Polish, Lithuanian, German and Italian immigrants who spoke English upon entrance into this country.

There is not a damned thing wrong with retaining one's culture when moving to a new country. Especially America. That is what we are about. We should be celebrating the fact that we can live in a place where so many cultures are so well represented. But no, some of us choose to repeat the cycle of "otherism" that was inflicted on our very own ancestors. People just do not learn. Ever.
 
Old 03-25-2011, 01:49 PM
 
539 posts, read 1,063,091 times
Reputation: 439
In following the above post (hope it's not getting off the main subject too much), I think it's more a characteristic of the North to keep more of a sense of roots than anywhere else. Also, too, for many families in the North, their family may have only come to this country in the past 100 years, and a lot of them had neighborhood pockets of the same nationality which endured. On the plus side, there is a lot of great food and small businesses providing a variety of things you won't find anywhere else. Most people here remember their heritage and have an extended family. On the other hand, I noticed in a lot of areas in the South (except may FL and some high transplant areas) the assimilation is a lot greater, and most people have become more homogenous (divide and conquer). Some don't even appreciate being tagged as any nationality. Among some younger people down there, it seems many haven't really given it much thought, and if you ask them, for example, if they come from an Italian or an Irish background, some take offense and even say "I don't know, I'm just American".
 
Old 03-25-2011, 03:45 PM
 
13,248 posts, read 33,363,767 times
Reputation: 8098
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lehigh Valley Native View Post
People in NEPA(non-spanish) don't speak spanish, they just don't. I could list the times my wife has needed a translator for a community outreach she volunteers for, and was always told they are not available. Usually it is the parents child who translates for her. She has begun rosetta stone to learn spanish, which is her third language(she learned german).

But what piqued my curiosity about your comment was, don't high schools here have a second language requirement? Maybe someone knows? I know back in the dark ages when I went to high school I had to take at least two years of a foreign language.
Certainly they teach foreign languages in schools but few students come out fluent. My kids all had three or four years of language in HS. We have an elementary school in my school district that does Spanish immersion and it's very popular. I know that most colleges want kids to have at least three years of a FL. But fluency? that's another story.

BTW, my son is right now in Ireland and tomorrow is planning to visit a castle that is still occupied by someone that's somehow related to us. I don't understand why it's wonderful to be Irish and celebrate St. Patrick's day one week and the very next week decry people that cling to their heritage.
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Last edited by toobusytoday; 03-25-2011 at 05:51 PM..
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