33 Senators Voted Against English as America's Official Language

[prplbeast]

i think it should be spoken out side of the house.
how ever they want to talk in there house is kool but u know this spanish thing is going way to far. i have mane friends that r from other lands & for them to be come citizen they had to beable to read the test in english not thier own language but yet mexicans want everthing in spanish so they can read it hear it or under stand it now how does that make it fair to the others that come here from some other lands in the world IT DONT. they have even put the Immigration and Naturalization test in spanish so they can take it but yet its not in any other language so yeah i think we need to make english the nations language cause thats what it was when the USA was founded it was not spanish

just my 2 bits on this topic

 

[Nar Matteru]

i think it should be spoken out side of the house.
how ever they want to talk in there house is kool but u know this spanish thing is going way to far. i have mane friends that r from other lands & for them to be come citizen they had to beable to read the test in english not thier own language but yet mexicans want everthing in spanish so they can read it hear it or under stand it now how does that make it fair to the others that come here from some other lands in the world IT DONT. they have even put the Immigration and Naturalization test in spanish so they can take it but yet its not in any other language so yeah i think we need to make english the nations language cause thats what it was when the USA was founded it was not spanish

just my 2 bits on this topic

Saying that it should be only spoken "in the home" is a real violation of their civil rights. I think people should be able to converse in whatever language they want to anywhere they want to, to deny them that right is just wrong.

But they should at least KNOW English, because the majority of people in this country do, and when they come across one of them, that person may need help, (or visa versa) and having a common language becomes necessary in those situations. Not to mention, it just makes things easier for everyone even in non dire situations.

But just speaking their native languages to each other, theres nothing wrong with that in the slightest.

 

[prplbeast]

But just speaking their native languages to each other, theres nothing wrong with that.

ur right until they start talking shit about u when u r trying to help them &/or ur not helping them fast enough i work with the public & i see it all the time they speak english til u turn ur back then they think cause ur white u dont under stand them & they start talking shit about u
so wheter or not its a violation of thier rights then they should not to talk to u in thier language just cause they think u dont under stand

 

[Nar Matteru]

ur right until they start talking shit about u when u r trying to help them &/or ur not helping them fast enough i work with the public & i see it all the time they speak english til u turn ur back then they think cause ur white u dont under stand them & they start talking shit about u
so wheter or not its a violation of thier rights then they should not to talk to u in thier language just cause they think u dont under stand

People are allowed to talk shit about you. In whatever language they want to. Get over it.

 

[Maynza]

ur right until they start talking shit about u when u r trying to help them &/or ur not helping them fast enough i work with the public & i see it all the time they speak english til u turn ur back then they think cause ur white u dont under stand them & they start talking shit about u
so wheter or not its a violation of thier rights then they should not to talk to u in thier language just cause they think u dont under stand

Maybe you should work on speaking English yourself before passing judgment.

 

[TMSTKSBK]

When DDTS, WA, and I all agree, you know what the correct choice is. Bwahaha.

 

[WarAngel]

When DDTS, WA, and I all agree, you know what the correct choice is. Bwahaha.

The option we aren't agreeing on? lol

 

[WarAngel]

Saying that it should be only spoken "in the home" is a real violation of their civil rights. I think people should be able to converse in whatever language they want to anywhere they want to, to deny them that right is just wrong.

But they should at least KNOW English, because the majority of people in this country do, and when they come across one of them, that person may need help, (or visa versa) and having a common language becomes necessary in those situations. Not to mention, it just makes things easier for everyone even in non dire situations.

But just speaking their native languages to each other, theres nothing wrong with that in the slightest.

I definitely agree with that. I want and even encourage people who move here to learn English, because there are definitely a lot of implications behind not doing so. The thing I have a problem with is the idea that we need to force people to learn English. If they want to take the risks and deal with the negative side effects (harder to find a job, for example), that's their decision.

 

[TMSTKSBK]

I'd really like it if everyone learned English. Not that they have to. But if you move to America, and don't want to communicate with the majority of Americans, what's wrong with this picture?

I don't have a problem with putting all legal documents and language in one particular language (which, at this time, would probably be English), to save money/time/space/frustration.

At the same time, forcing people to do something, or saying that the US will only allow one language to be spoken in public is another thing entirely...

We'd still need interpreters for people in court. It'd be completely unfair for us to put people on trial and they can't understand the proceedings.

 

[Setharnas]

I don't have a problem with putting all legal documents and language in one particular language (which, at this time, would probably be English), to save money/time/space/frustration.

Not too long ago there was a -somewhat- funny demonstration by the Chinese of just how well they learned from the (openly) capitalistic world how to use the intricacies of patent law for their own benefit.

A French company had internationally patented a certain type of mechanical part, something with screws or w/e (memory is a little hazy there). The patent dates back to the late '90s. Recently, they wanted to go the usual route and outsource their production to China - the joys of globalization and a-dime-a-dozen workforce. After some time, they were charged with patent violation. By a Chinese company producing the very same article. WTF?

What had happened? The company had patented their stuff alright, they even did so in China itself. Unfortunately their legal department seems to have been unaware of a tiny little part about Chinese patent law... They only consider patents legit if they get turned in both in Chinese language and Chinese script.

Now the French company is sentenced to pay patent violation fines of 48 million Euros (IIRC). I am not aware of any follow up stories in favor of the French.

The moral of the story? Be careful with what you wish for, it could come true.

 

[Nar Matteru]

Hell that happens to people who speak English well. Legal stuff gets confusing for a lot of people.

I don't advocate "forcing" people to learn English, as in kicking them out if they don't know it or anything. But I do think it should be a requirement for schools to teach it. Even foreign language schools should have at least one English Class (thats what the French Immersion schools do here)

People depend on each other. A time will come when everyone will need another persons help. Communication with that person is necessary to get that help. Thus a common language is needed.


Now, as for as limiting public speech to one language.... thats nonsense.... It serves no purpose, does much harm and no good. Plus, It's actually quite cool to overhear other people talking to each other in another language. Or maybe thats just me.

So basically I advocate the knowledge of English, mandatory teaching of it in schools, and speaking of it when needed, but allowing of any language to be spoken in public :/

 

[TMSTKSBK]

I can go along with that.

 

[Setharnas]

I should mention that I agree with the "wanna live there, at least make an effort to get to basic conversational level". Globally, not just the US. I just wanted to demonstrate why you should be careful not to overdo it.

That, and I simply found the story funny. Outsourcing just to get to increase the exec's salaries (who, of course, make up the part of those companies that stay behind in the originating countries) simply sucks.

 

[Lysdexic]

I love speaking in other languages, I would never say they shouldn't be allowed to use their native language. But I still stand by telling them that if they're going to be here, as a citizen, they must learn English.

 

[Rosetta]

Hmm...I would consider completely retracting my previous point of view if by making English the official language it would make people by law actually have to attempt to spell English words and sentences. Instead of Instant Messenger, Text, and/or Internet language.

Dale Spender, in her forward-looking book, Nattering on the Net, sums up the current spell-free zone this way: "The conventional wisdom now is that young people don't spell as well as their parents; that computers and spellcheckers mean that they don't keep the rules in their heads any more, but are content to access a computer program. This is fine, as far as most young people are concerned; they want to be able to do it, not know it."

Combined with texting, spellcheckers and email, knowing how to spell is quickly becoming irrelevant. So much so that before long we may be unable to tell who can spell correctly and who can't. And no one will care.

Full Article - For anyone as crazy as I am to be interested in this kind of thing.

 

[WarAngel]

I love speaking in other languages, I would never say they shouldn't be allowed to use their native language. But I still stand by telling them that if they're going to be here, as a citizen, they must learn English.

But why must they? If they don't want to learn English and are willing to accept the ramifications of not doing so, why does it matter to you?

 

[WarAngel]

Hmm...I would consider completely retracting my previous point of view if by making English the official language it would make people by law actually have to attempt to spell English words and sentences. Instead of Instant Messenger, Text, and/or Internet language.



Full Article - For anyone as crazy as I am to be interested in this kind of thing.

That's an interesting article and he makes a very interesting point, one that could very well be correct. My brother are both still in high school and I've seen some of their friends' MySpace pages and the like and I have to say that I have seen a lot of people that I instantly considered to be half-retarded just from their sites. I'm hoping that kind of crap doesn't translate into classroom acceptance or anything though.

 

[Rosetta]

That's an interesting article and he makes a very interesting point, one that could very well be correct. My brother are both still in high school and I've seen some of their friends' MySpace pages and the like and I have to say that I have seen a lot of people that I instantly considered to be half-retarded just from their sites. I'm hoping that kind of crap doesn't translate into classroom acceptance or anything though.

I am honestly just hoping it to be a phase. Like jive talk or valley girl lingo of the past. I just really hate seeing it in the papers, movies, TV, all that.

 

[Nar Matteru]

I've only seen it used in movies and TV, and usually as a mockery. Never seen it in a newspaper.

 

[Rosetta]

I've only seen it used in movies and TV, and usually as a mockery. Never seen it in a newspaper.

Look harder.
It is there, all be it mostly in ads. But it does slip unnoticed in articles sometimes as well. Many businesses these days don't even call themselves by the business name, instead go by the Internet web site name. I am thinking of a certain bank, but there are many others.