English only

[HungLikeJesus]

Another benefit to being bi-lingual: it doubles your chance for a date on Saturday night.

[DanaC]

Yeah....ready for a bit of the old Lingua Franca...woof!

[jinx]

Originally Posted by DanaC

Usually the two or three languages that are prevalent in an area are the ones you'll routinely find in public offices.

California, on one hand, agreed to allow the publication of state documents in other languages to represent minority groups and immigrant communities. Languages, such as Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Tagalog (Filipino/Pilipino), Persian, Russian, Vietnamese and Thai appear in official state documents, and the Department of Motor Vehicles publishes in 47 languages.

In 2000, the census bureau printed the standard census questionnaires in six languages: English, Spanish, Korean, Chinese (in traditional characters), Vietnamese, and Tagalog. The English-only movement seeks to establish English as the only official language of the entire nation.

On May 19, 2006, the United States Senate voted to make English the national language of the United States. According to the bill, written by Sen. James M. Inhofe (R-Okla.), the federal government will no longer provide multilingual communications and services, except for those already guaranteed by law. Shortly after the approval of the Inhofe amendment, the Senate voted for another bill by Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Colo.), according to which English is the "common unifying language of the United States", but mandated that nothing in that declaration "shall diminish or expand any existing rights" regarding multilingual services. Neither of the bills were signed into law.

Which mulit-language services are "already protected by law", which ones aren't included in that, that the govt. will no longer be providing? If it doesn't change (diminish or expand) anything, what's the point? What does "English Only" or "English First" mean?

[DanaC]

I have no idea.

[orthodoc]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

There is still resistance... to French in the Western provinces, and to English in Quebec. But basically every Canuck child is publically educated to be bilingual. It seems to work OK.. they are generally patriotic about it, any Canucks currently on board?

Raises hand sheepishly ... well, dual citizen. Bilingualism in Canada is established but not equally distributed. Children in the English public school system have mandatory classes in French through 9th grade; they can continue beyond that if they wish. Children in the French public system take English, but I'm not sure for how long. In Quebec the rules are different and English is not used.

There is resistance to enforced bilingual policy in areas of Canada where there are few to no French communities, especially in view of Quebec's language laws - they stipulate no English in government, on any public signs, on any business signs, and in the schools. However, bilingualism is the law and one effect has been to encourage francophones to move to new areas (great paying government jobs) and establish a new need for French services.

The anglophones (English or non-French Canadians) in these areas aren't thrilled at seeing their jobs disappear and their taxes go up. Their schools decline in quality because school taxes are split between English public, French Immersion, and French Language public schools. In Ontario there's a further division with English Catholic and French Catholic schools getting public funding as well. The English public system draws about 10% of funding (I was told this by a school administrator). The schools are in terrible shape - asbestos hanging out of ceilings, no mirrors, soap, or paper towels in washrooms, no janitorial staff, no repairs, no air conditioning, filth everywhere, no lunchrooms (kids eat at their desks in classrooms). There was a series of articles in the Toronto press on the problem in 2004-2005.

So some Canucks are less patriotic about this than others. It depends on whether you get the new jobs and schools or whether you get the other end of the stick.

[SamIam]

The Canadian situation does not sound like a very happy one. Its as if Canada has gone to the opposite extreme with what amounts to a "French Only" policy in certain provinces. I don't agree with that either. Here in the US in areas where there are a high percentage of Spanish speakers, I do think government forms, etc. should be made available in Spanish, as well as English. I've been in government offices where notices are printed in Vietnamese, Russian, Tagalog, and heaven knows what else. This to me seems like taking things to an extreme, but as long as everybody is not forced into speaking Tagalog or whatever, I don't see the harm in it.

I guess I just don't like the idea of people being coerced into speaking any given language, and the English Only movement smacks of that coercion. First generation Americans may have difficulty with the language, but their children grow up to be bi-lingual which I think is a good thing. Knowing another language besides English allows you a broader view of the world, and we are increasingly becoming a global community. It wouldn't hurt to speak an extra language or two. I wish I was bi-lingual.

[orthodoc]

I agree, it's useful to be bilingual - if you're in a place that uses both languages. I worked summers as a bilingual secretary (temp) in Ottawa to put myself through college (back when it was possible to do that with a good summer job). At the time, I was pretty fluent in French; now I'm very rusty. My husband spoke only Ukrainian until he went to school. Years later he retains only a smattering of it because he hasn't used it.

In Toronto, Oakville, and Hamilton, Ontario (the most populous area of the province) you'll hear almost any language you can think of ... except French. Having signs and services in French in that area isn't the most logical thing. The law is based on ideology rather than reality.

[ZenGum]

Originally Posted by dar512

There's more than a bit of German (from the Saxons):

"English is the result of Norman men-at-arms attempting to pick up Saxon barmaids and is no more legitimate than any of the other results."
- H. Beam Piper

I'm teaching English in Japan and I loved this quote. It's the most pithy explanation for the inconsistencies in English.

Seriously, though, being unable to speak the language of the country where I have moved is very limiting and I am sure I miss out on a lot. But I chose to come here and if I were planning to stay long-term I'd be studying Japanese much more than now. If you migrate to a country, learn the language. Even a few mangled basics can get you by.

But it's great business to have an English speaker on staff. Most Anglophones in this city are with the same phone, internet, travel agent and computer companies, for this reason.

So to apply this to US schools:
Everyone must learn the official language (English). Without it you're at a major disadvantage. But lots of people should learn common minority languages (Spanish, etc) too. And I recall (but can't cite, sorry) claims that English-only schools are less effective at teaching minority students than mixed language schools. Remember they're also learning math, history, science etc - and social skills.

now let me end with the universal language ...

[HungLikeJesus]

Originally Posted by ZenGum

...

Everyone must learn the official language (English). Without it you're at a major disadvantage. But lots of people should learn common minority languages (Spanish, etc) too.

But English is not the official language. The US doesn't have one.

[Cloud]

"English is the result of Norman men-at-arms attempting to pick up Saxon barmaids and is no more legitimate than any of the other results."
- H. Beam Piper

Long live Little Fuzzy!

[monster]

Originally Posted by rkzenrage

I think it is a great idea. No other nation cow tows like this.

You what?

Is it different in Canada? Belgium? Holland? Is there some key point I am missing which makes their multilinguality not "cow-towing"? (trying to erase visions of heiffers on skateboards holding on to ropes atrached to pick-up trucks from my mind)

[Aliantha]

I think the correct spelling is kowtow and it's a Chinese word.

Here's a definition:

Kowtow, from the Chinese term Kòu tóu (Cantonese: Kau tàuh) (叩頭 traditional, 叩头 simplified), is the act of deep respect shown by kneeling and bowing so low as to touch the head to the ground. While the phrase Kē tóu (磕頭) is often used in lieu of the former in modern Chinese, the meaning is somewhat altered: kòu originally meant "knock with reverence", whereas kè has the general meaning of "touch upon (a surface)".

So like most other languages that come into contact with western english speaking nations, the true meaning of the word has been lost by people not being open minded enough to realize that bowing is not necessarily showing your inferiority to another, but rather it can and should usually be a way of showing your respect.

I guess that means no heiffers on skateboards. lol

[DanaC]

umm.....kow tows to whom exactly?

[ZenGum]

Originally Posted by HungLikeJesus

But English is not the official language. The US doesn't have one.

mmm. didn't know that. Never been there.

But the point still works if you replace "official" with "predominant" or "most common". Even if government services are multi-lingual, very much else isn't. Having lesser English skills is still a disadvantage.

You trip me up on semantics, and if that weren't exactly the sort of thing I get up to I'd get so ... so ... something.

PS I'm new... what do you mean, HungLikeJesus. He wasn't hung (hanged). He was nailed, with big 10-inch-long, iron-hard spikes ......... aaaahhhhhhh. Sir I am impressed!

[ZenGum]

PS I really want to see some cow towing in the IOTD. Oh please please. I am laughing already.