NOAA Weather

[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.

[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.

[Pie]

Originally Posted by grant

I'm going to spend ~3 months living in Germany to practice.

Cool! Wohin in Deutschland werden Sie gehen? Some people leave their heart in San Francisco; I left mine in München.

[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!

[Troubleshooter]

Language in an academic sense is ok, but outside of that it is a barrier.

If everyone spoke the same language it would be much easier to find ostensibley legitimate things to hate each other for.

[lookout123]

"We are all Americans who should speak English and only English!"

what a load of crap. people who are multilingual are not spat upon. they are too be commended. i've never heard anyone say that we should ONLY speak english in this country, but rather you should be able to speak AT LEAST english.

why is it chic to ridicule americans who only speak english? because they can't speak spanish? they are in an english speaking culture, why should they have to learn a second or third language so they can communicate to someone in their own country?

americans who only speak one language (english) in america = lazy, stupid, ethnocentric

mexicans who only speak one language (spanish) in america = poor, misunderstood, disadvantaged... WTF?

[warch]

I believe the start of this was that the government dare offer the weather in Spanish. If your English version is available, what do you care? How are you slighted or inconvienced in any way? What are you really so afraid of?

The Latino boom in our city has increased the amount of Spanish language signage and services, and enhanced my existence through mercados, interesting radio stations, and excellent food!

Travelers of all origins can/may choose to be insular assholes but they'd miss what's great about exploring new places and people. My experience has been that no matter how ignorant, (I speak one language and often do that poorly) if you act with respect you'll be met with it.

And as a former food service worker, the ugly customer thing is pretty lively English on English, as well. Jag's caution is well stated.

[jinx]

Originally Posted by warch

If your English version is available, what do you care? How are you slighted or inconvienced in any way? What are you really so afraid of?

Depends on how much money was spent on it I guess. Reading about how much California spends printing ballots in all the various languages helped me form my opinion on the matter of a national language, not fear.