This is America. If you live here, know the language 鈥?ENGLISH. I realize that America has no official language, but naturalized citizens ARE required to take an ENGLISH test to become a citizen
When you get automated phone answering systems in other countries, do they prompt to you push 1 for (that country's language) I'd honestly like to know
If I moved/immigrated to another country, I would respect that country enough to learn its language.
Bottom line here is not about pushing a number on our telephone keypad, gimme a break. But there is a reason that If you want to live in a country (any country) and be accepted as a part of that country - START BY LEARNING THE LANGUAGE I cant accept a virus of ignorance and illegal aliens overtaking the country that I defended with my blood for over 21 years; and my forefathers and comdrades died for. A country must unite to stand strong, but how can it unite if some refuse to learn the language?
Celebrate unity not diversity I would never ask an immigrant to give up their heritage. That is who they are, but again for a country to stand solid, it must have a common language. I have no problem with anyone LEGALLY immigrating to the USA. But those who come in illegally, have by the very nature of their label initiate ILLEGAL behavior. I have been learning Chinese for a while now, but I find it a huge relief when I'm visiting China and find phone systems that ask to press 1 for Chinese or 2 for English. I wish my Chinese was better, but learning languages is tough and it does take time -- I wish I could select 1 for Chinese (and, in time, I'm sure I will be able to do so), but right now they speak too fast for me and the phone recordings are hard to understand (bad sound quality, and you can't see facial expressions or the mouth) so that it is a huge struggle to keep up.
But, I think the more important point is that you shouldn't see this as some kind of attack on society. It is just simple business. If a company doesn't offer a multilingual system, then it may miss lose important customers.
Living in a country where you can't speak the official language is tough. There's not a day I've spent overseas -- working or travelling -- that I didn't feel guilty that I couldn't speak the local language fluently. But learning takes time, and those companies and people who can help me out in English are much appreciated.
(In fact, you'll find the multilingual phone-thing in most Asian countries). I agree.
ENGLISH ONLY
Anyone in the USA who deson't speak English should be executed or deported. Amen! I agree Executed or deported? Wow you both have lots of issues! Just press the damn 1! Is it really that much of an inconvinience? You have to push one because there is too much damn political correctness in our great country. We have become to afraid to be ourselves and expect everyone who comes here to buck up. because english people were the first to make whatever the receiving phone is in whatever the company. If you are in Spanish, whoever set the receiving machine will say "Press 1 for Spanish...". And of course, i have no clue whether my answer is correct. I agree. While learning other languages is good, learning English should be required to come in this country. If I decided to pack up my things and move to Germany today, I'd have to learn German because they certainly aren't going to change everything for me.
I don't have a problem with people using their native language among their friends and family. That's fine. All I'm asking is to use the English language when dealing with the public.
I'm also frustrated that I can't find a good customer service job to help pay for graduate school when being bilingual is required. you should try living in england mate half the population[slight exageration] doesnt speak english thanks to blairs policies.[ie]let anyone in. I completely agree, go to the web site via the link below, you'll really enjoy this one.
http://www.casadice.com/signs/index.htm Here Here !!!! you answered it yourself.. America has no official language.. so you should be asking if English or Spanish should be the official language of the US. Are you kidding me? What does it take for you to just push one little number? It takes a second, and think of how helpful it is for other people to be able to receive telephone help in the language they best understand. they may have learnt the language (English) but would prefer to speak their own language.
You're lazy and selfish and that's a bizarre attitude! So much for tolerance. Welcome to Liberal America. The country you fought for died out long ago. What we have today is a corporation masquerading as a nation. It's all about customer convenience now. i'm an american.born here will probably die here. i speak 7 languages fluently. why? because i travel. if i have to learn so should everyone else. if you live here get with the program!!!!!!!!! Oh what an interesting idea.
I just remembered that European countries push on us for freedom of language in Turkiye. Everybody can speak whatever language she/he wants here.. Is this must only for Turkiye?? English baby! This is America, anyone who can't respect this country and it's language should be deported! I'm tired of seeing multiple languages on everything I buy. English. Diversity is crap. This just isn't going to happen. America is a grandly diverse country, built on the backs of immigrants, immigrants who rightly held fast to their heritage.
With all the new people we now have here, most noticably the Hispanic population, we must respect their heritage. I do think all citizens should have at least a modicum of communication in English, but we are still a land of freedom.
Why do people flock here? Because we are still the best country in the world. We have more rights and freedom than anywhere. And until we enact a language law, we will see an increase in certain languages and a decrease in English. I agree. If you went to Greece, how would you communicate? Or Japan? or Germany? If you move here, it should be manitory to speak English. And now they are even putting Spanish under the English in places such as Home Depot and even on the DVD movies. I can't stand it. If they add Spanish, why not German and French and all the other languages? Why be partial????? I agree that new Americans should learn to speak English, but what about the time when they only understand some of it, or what about vacationers? We shouldn't condemn people who are still learning or are only staying for a while.
You sound excessively angry about a small issue though, perhaps you are angry with something else? I agree too, we should not have to go through the "push 1 for English" rigamarole because LEGAL immigrants when they become citizens have to have basic English. Why should we have to accomadate ILLEGAL immigrants just to do business and make a phone call? Actually, in the majority of foreign countries, English IS spoken routinely. Other countries in Europe, the Middle East, and I'm sure African and Asian countries, you will find road signs, businesses, instructions, ingredients, etc, in both the home country's language, AND English. Is it really that much of a hassle to push one lonely button when other countries go through the trouble of translating almost everything for us?
Do you think that when your ancestors came to America they all bothered to learn the native languages? Have you yourself ever learned any foreign languages? If you do, you know how hard and confusing it can get, right? Did you know that the majority of foreign countries start teaching their children English as young as kindergarten? Do you not consider it ignorant to complain because others will not learn your language, at the same time considering it almost a crime against patriotism and humanity to learn more than English?
I don't mean to be offensive here, so if I do, please forgive me. My intentions are to open your own eyes to how your question sounded. Oh my God! You defended your country for 21 years and they have the nerve to ask you to actually push the "!" button??? What's next? Will these country-overtakers ask you to press "2", or even, God forbid some large number like "8"?
Funny thing. I defended the very same country. I even defended it with a lot of young men who scarcely spoke English - we had a draft then. Some of these very-poor-English speakers were my best troops - hundreds of them were from Puerto Rico, others were recent immigrants from Cuba and other places. Their blood had the same color as mine. You push one for english because you would be even more pissed off if it told you to press one for spanish and two for english. HERE HERE!!!!
You are my hero!!! Your detail implies that you think all Spanish speakers are illegal immigrants. You definitely need to rethink that.
Surely a patriotic American like yourself doesn't have a problem with capitalism. If the company only offers services to its English-speaking customers, that narrows its customer base. Why would you restrict the company to only customers who speak one language?
By the way, I know very few immigrants who don't want to learn English. But learning a new language takes time and resources. Perhaps you don't realize that because you already use the language of power.
Unfortunately, I fear that many questions like this one (which are plentiful on Yahoo! Answers) are fueled by tacit racism. I'm not calling you a racist, but I think you could perhaps examine your motives. Listen to JAT on this one. I'm not American so I won't comment on that bit.
As for whether I have to push 1 for the language of my choice, yes--but then again I have only ever lived in countries with more than one official language. Horror of horrors, in Quebec, sometimes I had to push 9(!) for English! I hate close-minded people like you.
Let's say you've live your whole life as a middle-class citizen in Korea. You have an excellent job, as god an education as you could have hoped for, and now, at thirty years old, you and your wife have decided to move to America, the land of opportunity, where everyone is free to take what they will.
Learning a language is a hard thing - even more difficult for adults, who are usually the ones who bring their children (duh). Especially for Hispanic immigrants, who are usually and sadly poorly educated. Imagine how scary it is to live in a country where you can't do anything for yourself because you need your child to translate for you. But that is what America is - frankly, I do think that in at least some European, and definitely in most African and Asian countries that they have to pick from an array of languages - and they probably know more than one of them.
However, the one who is ignorant is you, my friend. Grow up and realize how the world (including America) works. It's always been this way. Maybe you don't live in a place with many immigrants - I know several immigrants and first generation Americans. Do you think that in the 1860s and 70s NYC wasn't covered with signs in Irish and German? Do you think that you are better than people just because you can speak English and they can't? You have to push it because you're one of the dumbass, selfish americans. Companies do that not because they thing people can't speak english, but because it might be more convenient and easier for someone to hear dirrections or something in another language. I mean if you like moved to a country and were trying to learn the language there, wouldn't you like it if they had a push 3 or 4 for english, at least while you were still learning, and even after you were fluent in the language, it is more comfortable and natural to speak with people in your native language. The reason you push "1" for English, is because the European immigrants were too lazy to bother to learn the local language.
>If I moved/immigrated to another country, I would respect that country enough to learn its language.
So how many of the following languages are you fluent in:
Achumawi
Ahtena
Alabama
Aleut
Amerax
Angloromani
Eastern Apache
Apache, Kiowa
Apache, Lipan
Apache, Mescalero-Chiricahua
Apache, Western
Arapaho
Arikara
Assiniboine
Atsugewi
Blackfoot
Caddo
Cahuilla
Cayuga
Tslagi
Chetco
Cheyenne
Chickasaw
Muskogean, Western
Chinook
Chinook Wawa
Chippewa
Choctaw
Clallam
Cocopa
Delta-Californian
Coeur d'Alene
Columbia-Wenatchi
Comanche
Coos
Cree, Plains
Cree-Montagnais-Naskapi
Crow
Dakota
Degexit'an
Eyak
Gros Ventre
Gwich'in
Haida, Northern
Halkomelem
Han
Havasupai-Walapai-Yavapai
Hawaiian
Hidatsa
Ho-Chunk
Holikachuk
Hopi
Hupa
Inupiatun, North Alaskan
Inuit
Inupiatun, Northwest Alaska
Jemez
Kalapuya
Kalispel-Pend D'oreille
Kansa
Karok
Kawaiisu
Keres, Eastern
Keres, Western
Kickapoo
Kiowa
Klamath-Modoc
Koasati
Koyukon
Kumiai
Kuskokwim, Upper
Kutenai
Lakota
Luise帽o
Lushootseed
Maidu, Northeast
Maidu, Northwest
Malecite-Passamaquoddy
Mandan
Maricopa
Menominee
Mesquakie
Micmac
Mikasuki
Miwok, Central Sierra
Miwok, Lake
Miwok, Northern Sierra
Miwok, Plains
Miwok, Southern Sierra
Mohave
Mohawk
Mono
Muskogee
Navajo
Nez Perce
Nisenan
Okanagan
Omaha-Ponca
Oneida
Onondaga
Osage
Ottawa
Paiute, Northern
Panamint
Pawnee
Pomo, Central
Pomo, Southeastern
Pomo, Southern
Potawatomi
Quapaw
Quechan
Quileute
Salish, Southern Puget Sound
Salish, Straits
Seneca
Serrano
Shawnee
Shoshoni
Skagit
Snohomish
Spokane
Salish, Southern
Tanacross
Tanaina
Tanana, Lower
Tanana, Upper
Tenino
Tewa
Tiwa, Northern
Tiwa, Southern
Tlingit
Tohono O'odham
Tolowa
Tsimshian
T眉batulabal
Tuscarora
Tututni
Umatilla
Ute-Southern Paiute
Walla Walla
Wasco-Wishram
Washo
Wichita
Wintu
Yakima
Yaqui
Yokuts
Yuchi
Yupik, Central
Yupik, Central Siberian
Yupik, Pacific Gulf
Yurok
Zuni
Abnaki, Eastern
Alsea
Atakapa
Barbare帽o
Chumash
Biloxi
Carolina Algonquian
Catawba
Chehalis, Lower
Chehalis, Upper
Chimakum
Chimakuan
Chimariko
Chitimacha
Chumash
Coquille
Cowlitz
Cruze帽o
Cupe帽o
Esselen
Galice
Inese帽o
Iowa-Oto
Karkin
Kato
Kitsai
Lumbee
Mahican
Maidu, Valley
Makah
Mattole
Miami
Miwok, Bay
Miwok, Coast
Mohegan-Montauk-Narragansett
Molale
Nanticoke
Natchez
Nawathinehena
Nooksack
Nottoway
Obispe帽o
Ofo
Ohlone, Northern
Ohlone, Southern
Piro
Piscataway
Pomo, Eastern
Pomo, Northeastern
Pomo, Northern
Powhatan
Purisime帽o
Quinault
Salinan
Shasta
Siuslaw
Susquehannock
Takelma
Tillamook
Tonkawa
Tunica
Tutelo
Southeastern, Tutelo
Twana
Unami
Venture帽o
Wailaki
Wampanoag
Wappo
Wiyot
Wiyot
Wyandot
Yana
Yuki
Those are the local languages of the United States of America.
Fluency in at least one of those languages should be required for graduation from High School. |
