Obama: Arizona law securing borders is "misguided"

[Antitrust32]

Originally Posted by Princess Doreen

And what two languages would that be? English and....

Other countries learn English as their second language because so many people in their countries speak English.

Since we're a melting pot of all nations, just how many languages and what languages should we have to learn in order to be PC?

I know a wee bit of french. How much good has that done me here in the USA?

EXACTLY!!!!

I'll re-phrase your sentence. "Americans should learn Spanish as their second language because so many people in this country speak Spanish"

[Princess Doreen]

Case in point. I have a friend who is an assistant trainer. He speaks Italian and Spanish. But his Spanish did him little good because the workers speak Chicano, and they don't speak Spanish or understand it very well. They made no effort to learn English or Spanish, so my friend had to learn their dialect in order to understand and be understood.

Kind of a double standard, I'd say. We've become a country of enablers and apologizers. I'm not ashamed that I speak English. I find it grating to go into a rest stop on a major U.S. highway, and the person behind the counter doesn't understand one word I'm saying.

But, hey, that's me - totally unapologetic and not embarrassed.

[Princess Doreen]

Originally Posted by Antitrust32

EXACTLY!!!!

I'll re-phrase your sentence. "Americans should learn Spanish as their second language because so many people in this country speak Spanish"

And, I'm saying that that sword cuts both ways.

English is the de facto national language of the United States, with 82% of the population claiming it as a mother tongue, and some 96% claiming to speak it "well" or "very well".

I'm supposed to cater to 4% of the population. - many of whom who do not speak English wouldn't understand Spanish if a gun were held to their head.

People coming to American should learn English the same as Americans going to other countries should learn their language.

[Antitrust32]

Its not about catering to Spanish people. not at all. eventhough thats how white people take it.. and then they go learn French

There are lots of things we can learn from other countries, learning two languages while growing up is one of those things.

[Princess Doreen]

Originally Posted by Antitrust32

Its not about catering to Spanish people. not at all. eventhough thats how white people take it.. and then they go learn French

There are lots of things we can learn from other countries, learning two languages while growing up is one of those things.

Back in the time (the stone age) that I learned French in high school, it was a popular language to learn. There was French, German, Spanish, and Latin, and they were all considered (at that time) valuable languages to learn. I spoke, read, and wrote fluent French when I graduated. I'm lucky I understand a word or two here and there any more.

And, that's the reason why Americans don't speak a second language - they have little need to do so. Languages are something that have to be spoken on a regular basis in order to remember them.

[Antitrust32]

Originally Posted by Princess Doreen

Back in the time (the stone age) that I learned French in high school, it was a popular language to learn. There was French, German, Spanish, and Latin, and they were all considered (at that time) valuable languages to learn. I spoke, read, and wrote fluent French when I graduated. I'm lucky I understand a word or two here and there any more.

And, that's the reason why Americans don't speak a second language - they have little need to do so. Languages are something that have to be spoken on a regular basis in order to remember them.

see that is what I disagree with. At least 60% of my friends (white, black, hispanic or purple) speak spanish. I'm embarrased that I dont. My hispanic friends all speak English perfectly, yet I cant speak their language much at all. I bet if you knew Spanish you would find situations DAILY where that language would come in handy. Thats why I think it is important to know that language above all the others like French, German, Arabic, etc.

I really need to get the Rosetta Stone thing.

[Princess Doreen]

Originally Posted by Antitrust32

see that is what I disagree with. At least 60% of my friends (white, black, hispanic or purple) speak spanish. I'm embarrased that I dont. My hispanic friends all speak English perfectly, yet I cant speak their language much at all. I bet if you knew Spanish you would find situations DAILY where that language would come in handy. Thats why I think it is important to know that language above all the others like French, German, Arabic, etc.

I really need to get the Rosetta Stone thing.

OK - now we;re getting somewhere. 100% of my friends don't speak Spanish - or maybe they do and I just don't know about it.

I would agree with you that if your friends speak Spanish and you feel guilty because you don't, Rosetta Stone would be the way to go.

The difference between us is that I don't feel guilty not knowing how to speak Spanish because I don't have the occasion to use it and I don't see a need (no matter how hard I try) to learn it. On the highways at fast food rest stops, I find pointing to an object or a picture USUALLY gets me what I want when the person waiting on me doesn't understand English. Should I learn Spanish just for that instance? Don't think so, and with my luck - they wouldn't understand Spanish anyway.

[Danzig]

back in the day, people used to know multiple languages. i envy those who are multi-lingual.
i think we don't put a premium on it because we're lazy.