Making English the official language

Shawnmack · 02-21-07, 10:58 PM

I've been reading in the paper lately that towns across the US are making English the official language. Do you think the US should make English the official language.

bitkahuna · 02-22-07, 11:27 AM

Yes, definitely. While it's nice to think governments and businesses should be able to handle people in every language, it's not feasible or practical.

Canada, which is officially 'bi-lingual' wastes billions translating everything into French (well a ruined version of French anyway

) and English (ruined that one too, lol). All manufacturers must tow the line too, releasing instructions in both languages. I know big companies today do that anyway (EFIGS is typical in Europe - English, French, Italian, German and Spanish) but to mandate it really hurts small businesses.

Lexmex · 02-22-07, 11:45 AM

Yes.

Having lived here in Mexico for the past 5 years, I know the importance of speaking Spanish as the national language here (incidentally the largest Spanish-speaking nation on the planet). I cannot speak English here and expect that everything will be ok. However, English is expected in multinational and other large, local companies.

By the same token, in order for one to function in American society, one needs to know the national language, English.

mkorsu · 02-22-07, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shawnmack

I've been reading in the paper lately that towns across the US are making English the official language. Do you think the US should make English the official language.

Uh.......................YEAH!

This is America, we speak English! I'm all for learning other languages and I hope one day to be able to speak fluent Spanish but I digress. If we were to move to....say Germany....in a store, at their Motor Vehicle division, wherever. If we didn't speak German? SOL!!! ****** outta luck. No one's gonna translate it for you. Here we cater to non-English speaking citizens and there is no incentive to learn English.

Lexmex · 02-22-07, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkorsu

Uh.......................YEAH!

This is America, we speak English! I'm all for learning other languages and I hope one day to be able to speak fluent Spanish but I digress. If we were to move to....say Germany....in a store, at their Motor Vehicle division, wherever. If we didn't speak German? SOL!!! ****** outta luck. No one's gonna translate it for you. Here we cater to non-English speaking citizens and there is no incentive to learn English.

I remember about 2 months ago, I took my elderly neighbor over to the nearby municipal building to help him renew his driver's license. There was an American couple there (I could see the passports) and I had a hunch they must have been shipped down here for an expat somethig or other, as the first words that came out of their mouth to the official were, "hablas English" They couldn't even mention English in Spanish and I ended up helping them out.

DASHOCKER · 02-22-07, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkorsu

If we were to move to....say Germany....in a store, at their Motor Vehicle division, wherever. If we didn't speak German? SOL!!! ****** outta luck. No one's gonna translate it for you. Here we cater to non-English speaking citizens and there is no incentive to learn English.

Show them some green$$ Mark, and those Germans will understand you clearly

marshmallo · 02-22-07, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DASHOCKER

Show them some green$$ Mark, and those Germans will understand you clearly

Unfortunately the so called "green" $$ is not worth very much in
Europe right now... I am considering buying lots of Euros

But I digress. English should DEFINITELY be the official language.

mkorsu · 02-22-07, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DASHOCKER

Show them some green$$ Mark, and those Germans will understand you clearly

Yeah, the universal language!!!

Lexmex · 02-22-07, 03:36 PM

Green definitely works down here, BUT if you don't know the language they won't know what to do for you.

Big Andy · 02-22-07, 04:04 PM

Looking around the internet there is certainly a case for making English an endangered language. Punctuation, capital letters, correct spelling etc. all seem to be going out the window in favour of some kind of "text speak". Language is all about making communication easy but sometimes I find myself re-reading postings over and over to try and understand them.

Yes, I have now officially become my dad.

mmarshall · 02-22-07, 04:24 PM

The American dollar bill is not only the official language of the U.S. but most of the planet as well. I can think of nothing that more people, around the globe, do not understand more.

Is that the way it SHOULD be? That question, of course, is open to debate. Is that the way it IS?

Yep....you can bet your last dollar on that.

JLSC4 · 02-22-07, 06:17 PM

Since when is it not the official language?? I've always believed if you don't want to learn the language then get the heck out of here!

If you can't speak English in America then don't expect to be listened to or understood or receive service. Sorry.

mmarshall · 02-22-07, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JLSC4

Since when is it not the official language?? I've always believed if you don't want to learn the language then get the heck out of here!

If you can't speak English in America then don't expect to be listened to or understood or receive service. Sorry.

Yo creo con usted. Vayance !

JLSC4 · 02-22-07, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmarshall

Yo creo con usted. Vayance !

I'm an American, please translate.

cpone · 02-23-07, 06:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmarshall

Yo creo con usted. Vayance !

LOL.. I am Latino and I STILL don't know what he said.

Let me break out my "gringo" dictionary.............

"I believe with you. Go away...."

LMFAO.....

no really that is what he wrote... LMFAO....

Anyway I also believe that English should be the official language of the United States of America and that this constant catering to predominately Latinos is pretty damn ridiculous and shows how people are so quick to be an all inclusionist country that they forget that immigration by its nature means to assimilate to your new surroundings. NOT change your surroundings to suite you.

Little story as an example.
MOST people that I knew in elementary school had two choices. Bi-lingual classes and English only classes. My parents were smart enough to put me into all English classes. Thankfully they did. I would say 95+% of the kids that took the Bi-lingual class struggled very much in High School because the same Bi-lingual classes were not available and their english was HORRIBLE. Most of those dropped out. The 3-4 or so that actually graduated BARELY to this day still cannot speak english perfectly despite being here for years now. And most till this day are either hustling, in jail or in low paying jobs.

This is an english speaking country.
Learn it. Speak it.