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Where did I say I don't speak Arabic? Started to pick it up in the States when I married my Arab husband. Many expats here take Arabic lessons. It's a form of politeness when you can speak Arabic, especially to locals.
Quote:
Originally Posted by softblueyz
If Arabic was the language to communicate on all levels then I and every expat would obviously HAVE to learn Arabic.
I was addressing the OP regarding his comment about "training the ear", but I guess you missed that as well. How convenient of you to selectively highlight what you want to address. Do you not understand "communicate on all levels"? The majority of the locals here speak Arabic, English, Urdu and many speak Persian. The Lebanese are fluent in Arabic, English and French. BUT because of the EXPAT population (80%) and the reliance on INTERNATIONAL business English is a requirement.
I don't speak Arabic fluently but enough to get by nor do I read or write it.
What is with you always looking for a fight with people?
I notice that you sprinkle some of your posts with "WTF?". And you take a jab at Sarah Palin because she says "ya betcha"?.
Last edited by softblueyz; 08-02-2012 at 02:53 AM..
Poor immigrants raise the incomes of "natives", so they're not hurting your prosperity - the average maybe, and median for sure.
And they surely increase the competitiveness of American products.
They aren't doing any of that however. They're willingness to work for very little and live off government handouts is bringing our economy down.
With a manufacturing industry, you might be right -- if shifting to a manufacturing industry like we once did, workers are needed.
With a NAFTA and globalist economy where the jobs are sent out of the country, we simply do not need millions of impoverished illiterate unskilled people pouring into the country.
Poor immigrants raise the incomes of "natives", so they're not hurting your prosperity - the average maybe, and median for sure.
And they surely increase the competitiveness of American products.
Just how are immigrants raising the income of the natives when they are having to compete for the same jobs? Illegal immigrants are reducing wages for Americans for those same jobs because they work cheaper.
Originally Posted by theunbrainwashed
In my state, German was spoken by around 50% of the population in the 19th and 18th centuries. There were so many German immigrants moving to PA and other states, that the Founders were debating to making English AND German the official languages of the U.S. But, guess what happened? German has all but largely disappeared in the US, Spanish has largely disappeared in New Mexico, the only Hispanic majority state in the country (only 28% speak Spanish at home). Some of you people really need to stop bitching so much about language. Language is the least of everyone's worries, quite frankly. Conservatives should be embracing these people and teaching them the Constitution and at least letting them have a good legal understanding of it and letting them take the first steps to have respect for our country and traditions instead of letting them fall for leftist brainwashing. Spanish is not going to take over the U.S., stop being tinfoilers already, you're playing into the hands of the Democrats, the lot of you that don't live in Florida or the southwest. Besides, there's the very real possibility that the U.S. will admit a new 51st state into the union, and that state speaks almost 100% Spanish at home and at work, a first since the Mexican-American War. Rather than making Hispanics feel unwelcome, embrace them. Because, let's face it, non-Hispanic whites are in decline in population, even if the U.S. manages to halt 100% of legal and illegal immigration.
Sadly, I have to agree with Savoir on this one. There are a few of you who complain about immigrants not speaking English, really need to take some English grammar classes of your own. Some of you don't know which two, too, to, there, their, they're, where, were, or we're to use, some use plurals and apostrophes incorrectly, and omit commas where they should be and use them where they shouldn't and capitalizing words that shouldn't be capitalized.
All American NYC...
The English language is not the problem and that's not what the unbrainwashed stated or implied.
Nobody is expected to speak or write perfect English all the time.
Its the borderline illiteracy of some who are the most vocal proponents of speaking English that is worrisome.
What excuse do these "natives" have?
People who live in glass houses should not throw stones.
Who is borderline illiterate in this thread? If that was what unbrainwashed implied.
Really? that has not been my experience. My parents immigrated legally from Mexico and I speak, read, and write both English and Spanish fluently (at least I think I do). I have also found that second and third generation Hispanics (mostly of Mexican descent in Northern California) speak English quite well. Interestingly, after the second generation they appear to have trouble with middle and high school Spanish along with many of their Caucasian classmates. Additionally, due to the high number of Hispanics that marry non Hispanics each successive generation becomes less distinguishable as an ethnic group as well. There is a reason why some say America is the graveyard of languages.
I am glad you use English as your primary language.
Just how are immigrants raising the income of the natives when they are having to compete for the same jobs? Illegal immigrants are reducing wages for Americans for those same jobs because they work cheaper.
Without cheap immigrant labor you won't produce cheap products... and won't export them... and won't be able to import anything...
It's evident in Germany vs Russia - Germany's immigrants create a steady export stream to Russia, which can't export much to Germany, because Russians command high wages.
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