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“Why Aren’t You Speaking English?”

What's naive about looking at past trends in language learning and applying them to the future? If second generations have consistently learned English and if English continues to be the language of popular culture and money, how is it naive to think the pattern will continue?

Ignoring a major force on society. Change.
 
This has nothing to do with political correctness - this has to do with the market and businesses wanting to cater to a certain population for money. Moreover, none of this suggests English is in danger - college requires English and high paying jobs require English. And again, popular culture is primarily English and young people always want to be a part of that. Let's not also forget that education is in English.


Is that so? English in the West, and South is in some cases being taught as a secondary language.

j-mac
 
Is that so? English in the West, and South is in some cases being taught as a secondary language.

j-mac

For many there it is a second language. ANd I'm not talking about immigrants.
 
Ignoring a major force on society. Change.
Right. There have to be foundations for change - no signs point in that direction. Until Spanish becomes the language of popular culture and money, I think we're safe.
 
Is that so? English in the West, and South is in some cases being taught as a secondary language.

j-mac
I don't believe you. American classes in American schools are taught in English. Maybe you're talking about classes that teach English to kids who don't know it, but this just further proves my point.
 
I don't believe you. American classes in American schools are taught in English. Maybe you're talking about classes that teach English to kids who don't know it, but this just further proves my point.

To be fair, Engish as a second language is taught in English. And for many native speakers, it is like a second language, sadly.
 
And my foundation is 88% and 94% of 2nd and 3rd generation Americans of Spanish-speaking households are fluent in English, immigrants have consistently learned English in history, English remains the language of popular culture, English remains the language of money. If you're claiming that believing English will remain dominant is "naive" in light of all this, then you're just incapable of seeing anything outside of your own predictions about the future as plausible and that's your problem. Spanish may become dominant and I don't think it's naive to make that prediction. Nonetheless, history and popular/money culture say otherwise.
 

Perhaps we've stumbled across why the interpreter was there.

The fact that he has lived in the US for 23 years suggests strongly that his English was sufficient enough to make himself understood when giving a presentation.

However, as the "The Growing Importance Of Spanish Translation For US Businesses" suggests, translation is a growing business and as the courts usually pay for these translators it's an opportunity to make a political point, as well as allowing a friend to make a few bucks.
 
And my foundation is 88% and 94% of 2nd and 3rd generation Americans of Spanish-speaking households are fluent in English, immigrants have consistently learned English in history, English remains the language of popular culture, English remains the language of money.

Based on the past where we have been far more closed minded towards accepting anything other than English.

If you're claiming that believing English will remain dominant is "naive" in light of all this, then you're just incapable of seeing anything outside of your own predictions about the future as plausible and that's your problem.

It's not a prediction, its a possibility. I'm not claiming this WILL happen, I'm seeing that it could. It is you that seems certain that all will remain as it is. This is naive.

Spanish may become dominant and I don't think it's naive to make that prediction.

Well, I don't either....

Nonetheless, history and popular/money culture say otherwise.

History is in the past, and popular culture in American is known for embracing the new and different.
 
Based on the past where we have been far more closed minded towards accepting anything other than English.

It's not a prediction, its a possibility. I'm not claiming this WILL happen, I'm seeing that it could. It is you that seems certain that all will remain as it is. This is naive.

Well, I don't either....

History is in the past, and popular culture in American is known for embracing the new and different.

There are two possibilities and I believe in one. You think it's "naive" and I think that's how you feel about anything you disagree with. The end.
 
There are two possibilities and I believe in one. You think it's "naive" and I think that's how you feel about anything you disagree with. The end.

No, I just think that about a lot of things you say. Epilogue.
 
You can speak all the Mandarin you wish...expect alot of confused faces, and you having to couple your speech with alot of finger pointing, and hand gestures.....

j-mac

Actually, last trip I did speak in Mandarin with my wife (who also speaks Mandarin) and my kids (who also speak Mandarin)... no issues, except that there were people surprised at a white person (myself) and my two girls (who look Caucasian at first glance) speaking Mandarin Chinese...
 
No, I just think that about a lot of things you say. Epilogue.
That's what you say to everyone who points out your inability to disagree with people. I do appreciate, though, that you tried to make me feel special.
 
That's what you say to everyone who points out your inability to disagree with people. I do appreciate, though, that you tried to make me feel special.

No, I am quite capable of disagreeing with you. I do it quite a lot, actually...
 
I used to live in Germany. I was fortunate enough to land a temporary teaching job there. Before I even got there, I studied the language hard, and when I got there, I studied it even harder every day. The result was I became highly proficient in German. I wasn't perfect. I still had some accent, but I could say anything I wanted to say and hold any conversation I wanted to. It wasn't easy, but I did it. I did it because I respect Germany and am grateful for the opportunity I had to live there. I was there by the grace of the citizens of that country. They didn't have to allow me a work visa, but they did. I took it as my responsibility to be able to communicate with the citizens there and not the other way around.

At the time, there was controversy about people moving to Germany and not bothering to learn to speak in German. Most such people came from Turkey. When Germans got upset about people’s reluctance to learn German, they were accused of racism. Of course, it didn’t help that Germany has had a history of racism. However, their belief that foreigners coming to live in Germany should learn German was not racism. It was nothing more than an expectation that someone from outside behave responsibly. I did. It would have been absolutely ridiculous for me to move there and not learn the language.

Americans aren’t being racist or xenophobic by expecting people who move here to learn English. We’re only expecting people to be responsible. For that man to have been in the country for 23 years and to still insist on testifying in court in Spanish is absurd. His answer to “Why aren’t you speaking in English?” should have been, “Because I’m irresponsible. I don’t have enough respect for the United States to have learned English well enough in 23 years.” If he had only been here a short amount of time, I would be willing to cut him some slack. It’s hard to learn a new language. But with 23 years under his belt, he’s had time to learn it and to learn it well.

English has been the unifying language of our country since its inception. Immigrants have always been expected to learn it, and rightfully so. To not learn it is to be irresponsible. End of story. The Federal Government hasn’t made it the official language, but it should. That doesn’t mean no one has the right to speak in another language within our borders. I do. I speak German when relatives of mine come to visit. However, if a relative from the old country came here to live, I would insist that he or she learn English if he doesn’t already know it. If you live in a country whose language you don’t know, you should take out a part of every single day to study the language until you know it well. Imagine if that man had done that for 23 years. You can guarantee that he would speak well enough to testify in English.

Be responsible. Learn English. No excuses.
 
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