[OnyxCougar]

I've always had a problem with people coming over here to live and EXPECTING that companies, government documents, signs and other seemingly important things be in their native language.

It has irked me to no end when the elementary school my son goes to sends flyers for the PTA or Talent Night or whatever with English on one side and Spanish on the other. When unemployment and welfare applications and documents are bilingual.

I've been in several countries where I didn't speak the language (most especially Croatia) and although English is fairly widely spoken, it is NOT common to see English on official documents and aside from Trg Bana Jelacica, the main touristy type square in Zagreb, the capitol city, I didn't see English on street signs, either.

It forced me to learn enough of the language to get around and ask directions, and luckily I was with Bosnian and Croatian friends, so it wasn't an issue if I didn't know how to say something, but the point was, I had to learn their language to function in their country. And I really believe that if a person comes here to live, they should learn English.

On a related note, I think Americans should learn English as well. I'm not talking about British English either, I mean Amercian English. This ebonics crap, while occasionally funny, is still crap.

I dunno. Maybe it's just cuz I'm gonna be a teacher one day.... teaching foreign languages to Junior High Schoolers....

Go fig.