Official US Language

Miamisportsfan45 · May 13, 2010

Not sure if this topic should go into the Debate Hall or not, but it's a topic I'd like to address and discuss.

Not sure how to begin this topic, but I'll try wording it the best I can. People that come to a country, and do not know the official language that the country speaks. People, or immigrants, even, just expect the country to abide by them and speak their language instead of willingly learning the language of the country for the country's and citizen's convenience.

Do you feel that this is a problem in the United States or any other country that it's occuring in or do you feel that this isn't a universal problem? (Sorry, I live in the United States...)

If you do feel that it's a problem, do you feel that they should learn the language of the country, or should the country learn the language of the race that enters the country?

I personally feel, that if you go to a country (legally or not), it shouldn't be expected for the country to revolve and have to work around you, considering you've made the decision to go to the country. If you go to the country, you should have to learn the official language that the country speaks. Just my opinion, but I feel that it's something that should be addressed and discussed. Intelligent discussion only, and no racism/racist comments. Keep the thread clean, and discuss.

Big-Cat · May 13, 2010

With the United States of America, there really is no "official" language. English is just the de facto language.

I believe that if you are going to a country, you should learn the language, but you don't have to be fluent. I also don't think they should accommodate you necessarily.

At the same time, however, the United States is extremely difficult when it comes to learning a language other than English and maybe French. The United States really needs to learn Spanish at bare minimum. All but a few countries in the Americas prominently speak Spanish. There's no excuse for us not to learn the language.

cheeseball540 · May 13, 2010

Yeah same here because we english people have to learn there language other wise you dont know that the frick they are saying such as when i was in puerto rico these really hott chicks started talking to me so things were going good but then i noticed they were speaking spanish so i was like ****nn this sucks

ru5514n · May 13, 2010

I do believe that they should learn English, but they must also receive professional help in order to learn the language quicker, so that the immigrant could become a full-fleged memeber of the American society a lot faster.

Mr.Freeman · May 13, 2010

English is pretty much our official language, and new immigrants should learn it.

Mewter · May 13, 2010

The US has no official language.
I agree with KumaOso: It would be a very good idea for someone to learn English because it is the predominant language, but it should not be forced on the people.

Sources:
http://www.usconstitution.net/consttop_lang.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_the_United_States

Nø Ca$h · May 13, 2010

i think it should be law for immagrants under the age of 60 should have to learn english. it could create language teaching jobs as well as help identify ilegal immagants.

~N9NE~ · May 14, 2010

Easier said than done. Of course learning English would be a benefit to them, but we shouldn't be so ethnocentric.

In countries like the US and over here in the UK immigrants often don't have to learn English as badly as you think because more often than not there are established communities within society made of people who already speak their language, and these are the people they turn to for help when trying to establish themselves within a new country.

It's beneficial, but it shouldn't be mandatory.

cF=) · May 14, 2010

The same crap still plagues french canadian.

Terywj [태리] · May 14, 2010

Yeah people should learn English if they come to the United States, but it's really not that easy.

I was born in the U.S., but I didn't learn English until I was like, 4. I learned Cantonese, Mandarin, and Hakka before that and my God English was difficult as hell. Expecting immigrants to come into the country and speak amazing English fluently is an impossible case.

Another point is that immigrants from other countries are already bilingual. People from Europe speak all the different languages there, while Asians typically have their native language and probably a secondary (Mandarin and Cantonese, etc.). Piling English on top that is difficult, I can vouch from personal experience.

-Terywj

1048576 · May 15, 2010

It's not that big a deal to have govt. forms in multiple languages. What else do we need to do to accomodate them?

Seems like cost to immigrants > benefits to natives. There's plenty of incentive to learn English anyway. If someone either can deal with not being able to talk to anyone, or is able to move to a _____-speaking pocket of the country, so be it.

Edit: fixed embarrassing typo.

SuperBowser · May 15, 2010

I've probably dealt with more non-english speaking people than most people on these boards.

Sure, it's nice for them to learn the language (it would save me a lot of effort!). But most of them can get by/adapt and a lot simply don't have the opportunity to learn it. I think a bigger push for free english classes would be the best course of action if people think it's such a burning issue.

What else would you do?

Greenstreet · May 17, 2010

In Australia at least, there is a big 'multicultural' push going on. It seems that's how we want to identify ourselves these days. It's ironic however, how much racist content seems to be reaching international ears at the moment.

Having said this, I think, Australia at least, should be as accomodating as it can be to immigrants. Whether that means funding English courses at Universities (which does occur) or simply being more accepting of different languages. I am of the belief that's been stated a few times here already: it sure is beneficial to learn English in a country where it is the dominant language, but it should be far from mandatory.

As for Australia's general disdain for immigrants at the moment (at least in some places), I am not a fan (of the haters). People don't choose where to be born, nor should they have to tolerate a wartorn country, or the racist comments of those who think they should "**** off, Australia's full".

The last paragraph was a little irrelephant, but I'm just venting a bit.
L8as.

OizenX · May 17, 2010

I'd like English to become our national language. But too many people would b*tch about racism and racial profiling. They will play that card forever.

Big-Cat · May 17, 2010

OizenX said:
I'd like English to become our national language. But too many people would b*tch about racism and racial profiling. They will play that card forever.

Unfortunately, they more than likely will continue to play that card. At the very least, I can say that the melting pot nature of the United States, made up of people from several different ethnic/cultural groups, makes it difficult to have an official language.

Slightly off topic, but learning a language does keep you connected to a culture, especially your native culture.

Thrillhouse-vh. · May 17, 2010

I'd honestly love it if the citizens of the United States would learn more than one language and understand WHY English is not the official language.

Then again I'm a socialist fascist hippie communist marxist reverse-racist towards whites terrorist supporting anti-American liberal leftist so what do I know?

OizenX said:
But too many people would b*tch about racism and racial profiling. They will play that card forever.

For good reason

OizenX · May 17, 2010

The good reason being that they can kiss everyone else's *** besides the white American?

The only reason it isn't official is because the politics want the illegal immigrants to vote.

Thrillhouse-vh. · May 17, 2010

OizenX said:
The good reason being that they can kiss everyone else's *** besides the white American?

what the ****?

OizenX said:
The only reason it isn't official is because the politics want the illegal immigrants to vote.

GOD FORBID

Luigitoilet · May 17, 2010

Wait, so you believe that someone who isn't a legal US Citizen should be able to have the power to vote for our government officials?

Interesting.

OizenX · May 17, 2010

so people in china who have never been to the US can help elect the president of the U.S.? This is the United States of America. Not the United Countries of Earth.

Call this a "conspiracy" but its looking pretty true. Democrats are trying to get illegal immigrants the ability to vote, then they will give them the same rights as a citizen. When election day comes they will say "Hey, we did this for you, now vote for us." Infact ACORN is already doing that, also giving out licenses and other fake paperworks for people to say they are citizens.

Thrillhouse-vh. · May 17, 2010

OizenX said:
so people in china who have never been to the US can help elect the president of the U.S.?

No, that's not what I'm saying.

I assumed you were talking about making them citizens first therefore allowing them to vote, that I fully I support.

OizenX said:
This is the United States of America. Not the United Countries of Earth.

Yeah this is AMURIKA!!!

OizenX said:
Call this a "conspiracy"

Oh boy this will be fun

OizenX said:
then they will give them the same rights as a citizen.

I know when you mean rights you only mean voting. How dare we treat these people as if they have rights? That's why we send them to Gitmo.

OizenX said:
When election day comes they will say "Hey, we did this for you, now vote for us."

This is done by both the Republican and Democratic candidates, denying that is absurd.

OizenX said:
Infact ACORN is already doing that, also giving out licenses and other fake paperworks for people to say they are citizens.

Like Obama

SuperBowser · May 17, 2010

OizenX said:
When election day comes they will say "Hey, we did this for you, now vote for us."

Welcome to democracy!

Luigitoilet · May 17, 2010

lol, I can't tell who is joking in here and who's being serious.

OizenX · May 17, 2010

hemightbegiant said:
I know when you mean rights you only mean voting. How dare we treat these people as if they have rights? That's why we send them to Gitmo.

Its not like citizenship is exclusive, anyone can do it >_>

also Gitmo was scheduled to be closed.

hemightbegiant said:
This is done by both the Republican and Democratic candidates, denying that is absurd.

Whos in office right now?
Who made it so Bush could'nt do anything?
Whos party does ACORN support?

Republicans are meh, I don't like them either. But Democrats are worse.

hemightbegiant said:
Like Obama

Just another black guy on Goverment property.

Afrimitive action can do many things, even make you the president.

Thrillhouse-vh. · May 17, 2010

OizenX said:
Its not like citizenship is exclusive, anyone can do it >_>

also Gitmo was scheduled to be closed.

Do you honestly believe Obama will close it? That's about as funny as him "taking the troops home, ending the war in Iraq in a few years, etc."

OizenX said:
Whos in office right now?
Who made it so Bush could'nt do anything?
Whos party does ACORN support?

Only the president counts? What about other who old office in the State and Federal levels of Government?

Do you know what ACORN does?

OizenX said:
Republicans are meh, I don't like them either. But Democrats are worse.

People who openly admit to being democrats are just closet republicans. Sure one of these evils is lesser tho.

OizenX said:
Just another black guy on Goverment property.

Afrimitive action can do many things, even make you the president.

Agreed, Obama is just a black Bush. Sure it's quite a feat that a black person, someone with Hussein in their name no less, was able to be elected president of a country where institutionalized racism is accepted, but really all that "Change and Hope" stuff was just bull.

OizenX · May 17, 2010

hemightbegiant said:
People who openly admit to being democrats are just closet republicans. Sure one of these evils is lesser tho.

I'm not though, my party is the "America f*cked me because I'm a white male" party.

hemightbegiant said:
Do you honestly believe Obama will close it? That's about as funny as him "taking the troops home, ending the war in Iraq in a few years, etc."

He wanted the war to end on Bush, there is no way he'll do it.

hemightbegiant said:
Agreed, Obama is just a black Bush. Sure it's quite a feat that a black person, someone with Hussein in their name no less, was able to be elected president of a country where institutionalized racism is accepted, but really all that "Change and Hope" stuff was just bull.

Did you think that during his campaign? If you did then hats off to you. I didn't like him from day one. "I promise change! But no one knows what the hell I'm changing."

Luigitoilet · May 17, 2010

"Black Bush" isn't the most accurate thing. Obama, while so far a pretty huge disappointment, has yet to do anything quite as inept as the Bush administration. So far, Obama is guilty of being ridiculously mediocre and weak. He has a hardon for bipartisanship and compromising that as a result nothing gets done.

It is funny though that the extreme right wing criticises him for being socialist/communist when in actuality he isn't even a liberal like in any sense of the word.

Thrillhouse-vh. · May 17, 2010

OizenX said:
I'm not though, my party is the "America f*cked me because I'm a white male" party.

lmao.

OizenX said:
Did you think that during his campaign? If you did then hats off to you. I didn't like him from day one. "I promise change! But no one knows what the hell I'm changing."

I didn't really like Obama then and I like him less now. Out of all the probable candidates Hilary was the one I would actually say I support.

Maybe that comment was not the right way to say it, but he pulled a bait and switch and is doing many of the things Bush did while saying they were problems, wanting to dispel Miranda Rights for supposed terrorists, "close" Gitmo after expanding Bagram, keep the PATRIOT Act going, and still having this "ideal" image of America as baseball, mom, and apple pie. Even at his most 'radical leftist' moments Obama is Centre-Right at best.

This is so accurate it's funny.
http://s3.credoaction.com.s3.amazonaws.com/comics/TMW2009-10-14colorlowres.jpg

~N9NE~ · May 17, 2010

Quick point: English > American English

Colour >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Color

Thrillhouse-vh. · May 17, 2010

~N9NE~ said:
Quick point: English > American English

Colour >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Color

I am in favour of other Statesians adopting this kind of behaviour.

Español >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Inglés

~N9NE~ · May 17, 2010

hemightbegiant said:
I am in favour of other Statesians adopting this kind of behaviour.

Español >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Inglés

Aramaic>>>>>>>>>>>>>> *insert language of choice here*

But seriously, American English irritates me.

Big-Cat · May 17, 2010

OizenX said:
I'm not though, my party is the "America f*cked me because I'm a white male" party.

I'd be more concerned about the economy and international relationships than complaining about the US screwing you up because you're a White male. You know what I'd like to know what they screwed you over with considering that as a Mexican-American, I definitely have gotten none of the benefits of being a minority, not even scholarships.

OizenX · May 17, 2010

When you say "American English" what do you mean?

It irritates me when people ruin the language by trying to talk gangster and by using the word "F*ck" as an adjective for everything. It sounds terrible, and really gains you no respect.

Thrillhouse-vh. · May 17, 2010

OizenX said:
When you say "American English" what do you mean?

English as spoken in the Americas, but I think he was referring to the United States in particular.

OizenX said:
It irritates me when people ruin the language by trying to talk gangster and by using the word "F*ck" as an adjective for everything. It sounds terrible, and really gains you no respect.

If they changed the language into anything but English we wouldn't have this problem! You got the solution!

OizenX · May 17, 2010

I don't really care if the National language is English, spanish whatever. I just want it to be the same everywhere. If I go to the town east from where I live, every thing is arabic, and if I go south there are a lot of spanish speakers. I know spanish pretty well, but I don't know Arabic at all. =_=

hemightbegiant said:
English as spoken in the Americas, but I think he was referring to the United States in particular.

THATS RACCISSSTTTTTT. Oh wait, American doesn't count as anything to the government. I don't have a problem with the american version of english, the only thing that bugs me is when idiots say things like "This is America, speak American." But that's not the language, that is just ignorance.

hemightbegiant said:
If they changed the language into anything but English we wouldn't have this problem! You got the solution!

Most languages do have their types of slang, so not much would change.

Today · May 18, 2010

If you go to Korea people expect you to speak Korean, right?

1048576 · May 19, 2010

It's a shame. ACORN was found to not have done anything wrong. The whole thing was a set-up by the right-wing propaganda machine, but Obama pulled their funding before this was known.

As for illegals voting; nobody want's illegals to vote, but if we require you to present a gazillion forms of ID at the voting booth, poor people wouldn't be able to obtain all the necessary documents, and we'd end up disenfranchizing a large portion of Democratic voters, pretty much the way we already do with convicted felons. (Yes, they should get a vote; it might make stupid **** like prostitution and marijuana finally legal. Victimless crime should be an oxymoron)

/ anti-crazy rant.

Mewter · May 19, 2010

Today said:
If you go to Korea people expect you to speak Korean, right?

That's because Korean is their national language. :laugh:

Miamisportsfan45 · May 24, 2010

This thread got moved, so I wasn't able to find it since my subscription got lost. But yes, English is the predominant language, so doesn't that give others the rights to learn the language that's the main priority? I mean, it only makes sense. In my eyes at least. Or is it just wrong to think this way?

cheeseball540 · May 26, 2010

hemightbegiant said:
Agreed, Obama is just a black Bush. Sure it's quite a feat that a black person, someone with Hussein in their name no less, was able to be elected president of a country where institutionalized racism is accepted, but really all that "Change and Hope" stuff was just bull.

Dud you are my hero you are exactly right he hasnt done nothing to help us he is the znti christ

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