NOAA Weather

[jaguar]

because they handle your food before you eat it.

[busterb]

I once could read, speak a fair amount of German, some Indonesian and a little dab of Farsi,sp? Iran. But really in US. As in south. Your not exposed to anything to learn. When I was in school, I don't think they even taught spanish. Couldn't find a teacher? Say in Frankfurt, you catch a train. In ten or twelve hours you might pass though six or eight languages. Oh well

[xoxoxoBruce]

How do you think I would be treated if I moved to France and demanded they speak English? How about Mexico? Or Russia?
I'm talking about dealing with the government, official business?
I look at countries like Canada and see that multi languages do more harm than good.
If an individual is or wants to be multilingual thats great but to force it on a nation only leads to animosity and apprehension.
I've seen people that came to the US and didn't learn English. They would pick up enough to barely function and live in a neighborhood with similar immigrants for social interaction. They demanded their children speak English so the kids could have the opportunity to succeed and live anywhere.
How many different languages have come here in 200 years? Should every American learn them all to make these people welcome? I don't think so.

[Undertoad]

The biggest plus to Canada's approach is keeping their country together as a single unit, instead of breaking it in two and creating strong cultural boundaries. I think Canadians would tell you that their cultural diversity is a plus.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

The biggest plus to Canada's approach is keeping their country together as a single unit, instead of breaking it in two and creating strong cultural boundaries. I think Canadians would tell you that their cultural diversity is a plus.

I have some cousins from Ontario that would like to confer with you....in the alley.

[Catwoman]

Originally Posted by oxoxoxoBruce

I look at countries like Canada and see that multi languages do more harm than good.

That is hilarious.

Oh - what - it wasn't meant to be a joke? Oh, sorry.

Look, there's no shame in being too lazy to learn a different language - we don't need to, as Europeans cater for us. But feeling you have to excuse it by saying 'I don't give a shit what they think' or 'how would they like it if I did bla bla bla' is just plain stoopid.

[Troubleshooter]

I think Bruce is serious and I agree with him.

Allowing for multiple languages allows for groups to become insular, it makes discrimination easier as well as making it easier for the gov't to pit group against group.

[Catwoman]

There will always be someone you can't understand because they speak a different language. With greater exposure to multiple languages, the next generation could become more open to and adept at foreign languages. Why enforce ignorance? Why encourage it? Opening Muslim textbooks does not make one a Muslim - let them learn, and make their own mind's up. If a group of people is going to be separatist or insular, they'll find a way of doing it, be it through language or bank accounts.

[Pie]

Originally Posted by Catwoman

Why enforce ignorance? Why encourage it? [...] Let them learn, and make their own minds up. If a group of people is going to be separatist or insular, they'll find a way of doing it, be it through language or bank accounts.

Eloquently stated.
English is the national language of the United States of America. Immigrants should be encouraged to learn this language, to better co-exist with the rest of us.
By the same logic, perhaps we Americans should learn other languages, familiarize ourselves with other cultures, in order to better co-exist with them?

Busterb, what do you think?
- Pie

[jinx]

Originally Posted by Pie

By the same logic, perhaps we Americans should learn other languages, familiarize ourselves with other cultures, in order to better co-exist with them?

Don't we? I took latin, spanish and french in school - as well as at least one class actually called 'world cultures'. Was my school unique?
Admittedly, I'd struggle to conjugate a verb in french at this point because I haven't used it at all in a long, long time, and you forget after a while. But everything is in english around here. ::shrug::

[Pie]

Originally Posted by jinx

Don't we? I took latin, spanish and french in school - as well as at least one class actually called 'world cultures'. Was my school unique?

No, it wasn't unique. I took Spanish and German. Russian, Italian, Latin, Greek and French were also offered. World Cultures was a joke, or at least my teacher was a joke.
But the point I was trying to make is that there are folks who would get rid of foreign language requirements, fire all the language teachers, 'cause "We are all Americans who should speak English and only English!"

[Perry Winkle]

I'm fairly fluent with Spanish and have very very basic German. Next summer when I've graduated I'm going to spend ~3 months living in Germany to practice.

From what I hear I'll have to convince Germans to speak to me in German instead of English.

I don't care about anyone else. I'll embrace any culture and their language.

[busterb]

Originally Posted by Pie

Eloquently stated.
English is the national language of the United States of America. Immigrants should be encouraged to learn this language, to better co-exist with the rest of us.
By the same logic, perhaps we Americans should learn other languages, familiarize ourselves with other cultures, in order to better co-exist with them?

Busterb, what do you think?
- Pie

This is true, but not at the expence of having more lazy bastards on the Gov. pay rolls. Do you by chance think that when I was working overseas, I had an interpreter working with me? The boss had one, but he was busy grave robbing. While in Sumarta, We had one guy that each morning he would teach you a new word and you him. Our driver carried me to family weddings & to his hut. I also had to convert to Islam to marry. Think maybe I became familiar enough with their ways?

[BigV]

Originally Posted by Pie

Eloquently stated.
English is the national language of the United States of America.

No. This is wrong.

Originally Posted by Pie

Immigrants should be encouraged to learn this language, to better co-exist with the rest of us.
......

Yes, this is right. But only if both want to and only as far as both parties want to.

[Kitsune]

By golly I had almost figured that experimental part out, but why spanish?

Someone hasn't checked, lately, to see what language the people working in the fields in Mississippi speak!