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One thing to note is that you will see that in all cases the 2nd Gen immigrants always speak fluent English because they are fully integrated in society (schools etc).
That's not how it worked in Wisconsin in the 1800's, actually. Here you found many second and even third generation native speakers of German and Polish. But in general, yes you are correct and Hispanic immigrants are on track to becoming linguistically assimilated. About 96% of their children speak English fluently.
It is to me if you know how to speak English or if you reside here and refuse to learn it.
Funny. I always learned that it was rude to eavesdrop on others private conversations in public, whatever the language they were speaking. Mind your own business and you'll be happier!
That's not how it worked in Wisconsin in the 1800's, actually. Here you found many second and even third generation native speakers of German and Polish. But in general, yes you are correct and Hispanic immigrants are on track to becoming linguistically assimilated. About 96% of their children speak English fluently.
It isn’t racist to expect immigrants to the US to learn how to speak English. Would it be easier for the individual immigrants to be productive members of society if they could speak the national language?
Add: I can speak English, Japanese, Chinese (Mandarin only), and German. I am the only person who can speak Japanese in my family because I spent several years there. I think learning any types of new language is not easy.
In my humble opinion, immigrants who got off the boat at Ellis Island, such as many people's grandparents, had ZERO social services available to them in the USA. In the early 1900s, there were no court-provided translators, no Social Security, no food stamps or other public assistance. Young children learned English before their parents, and even taught classes in places of worship (churches and synagogues) to adults.
Question. How does anyone know that the person speaking some other language doesn't know English, but just prefers to speak in their own language? Don't you think that getting upset about what someone else is doing when it has no effect on you (the person getting upset) is kind of silly.
Well, they aren't required to do so, and never will be. It's going to be a long life for you if hearing foreign languages upsets you.
I moved to Spain several years ago, and enrolled in an immersion language program. I only spoke English with my SO and native English-speaking friends (as well as some local friends, since their English was excellent and I struggled with the language).
It never in a million years occurred to me that someone would bizarrely resent me speaking my native language. And if I found out it did, I'd never in a million years speak a different language to appease such a strange complaint.
Agreed! And it can be absolutely exhausting to speak in a language that you are learning. I remember many a day heading home to my apartment in a non-English speaking country and feeling like I had run a marathon just from struggling to understand and make myself understood. It was such a relief to get a chance to listen to and speak English for a bit after a full day of working in my L2. I don't think anyone who has put the effort in to learn another language would ever begrudge an immigrant the chance to kick back and communicate in their native language.
Question. How does anyone know that the person speaking some other language doesn't know English, but just prefers to speak in their own language? Don't you think that getting upset about what someone else is doing when it has no effect on you (the person getting upset) is kind of silly.
Answer: I don't have a problem with people speaking any languages in public.
As a matter of fact, I posted, It is always rude to exclude people from conversations. But if two people speak their own language in public and they just mind their own businesses , I don't think it is that much of a big deal. It is just my humble opinion.
Not sure why you quoted me??? Your post and your question has nothing to do with my post. Why why why do you choose me to quote? (question mark)
People here are conflating two different questions.
One question is, “Should immigrants learn to speak English?”
The other question is, “Should non-native English speakers have to speak English in public?”
Advocating for immigrants to learn English is NOT bigoted. Demanding that immigrants speak English in public is not necessary.
The topic is certainly not about hispanic community. sheesh. people.
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