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Should English be declared the official language of the United States?

Should English be declared the official language of the United States?


  • Total voters
    79
I'd agree with you, but the problem is that is will just make it harder for people to became legal citizens the right way...

The other problem I have is that Spanish speakers, such as Puerto Ricans, are considered America.
 
The other problem I have is that Spanish speakers, such as Puerto Ricans, are considered America.

Puerto Rico is a US territory. Do you have a problem with children in elementary school in Hawaii being taught the Hawaiian language? This ethnocentrism is really getting to me.
 
Right, you were the one that was supposed to be directed at. You expect Americans to learn the language of wherever they go, but you also expect us to put everything in other languages for people who come here and don't speak English. Which is it gonna be?

I am not contradicting myself. I am saying there can be more than one official language, and I favor education and language studies for everybody.
 
If someone moves somewhere with family and is over the age of 50, I don't see why they should spend their twilight years struggling to learn a language instead of devoting their time and efforts to the family. Additionally, language is pervasive imperialist dogma and no one should be required to take one.
 
Puerto Rico is a US territory. Do you have a problem with children in elementary school in Hawaii being taught the Hawaiian language? This ethnocentrism is really getting to me.

No, I don't have a problem with that... and I think you didn't read my statement as intended. I didn't notice the problem with my wording until you quoted it without the other poster's quote attached.
 
I am not contradicting myself. I am saying there can be more than one official language, and I favor education and language studies for everybody.

I don't object to people learning other languages. I think it's great. I just think that the official language, used on things like government forms or street signs, should be English.
 
I don't object to people learning other languages. I think it's great. I just think that the official language, used on things like government forms or street signs, should be English.

So do you intend to go to Puerto Rico and demand they give all their streets English names?
 
So do you intend to go to Puerto Rico and demand they give all their streets English names?

No, I'd actually prefer if Puerto Rico was it's own country. The US doesn't have any business going around making colonies in other parts of the world.
 
You bled how much making this "our" country? Why are you so focused on Mexicans. What do you have against people who are in this country legally? Some of those actually have bled for this country. And when the Italians came here, hey, they spoke their own language for a couple generations.
And they, and our government never forced their language on us.
But, now, its press "1" for English, "2" for Spanish, "3" for French, "4" for Swahili(whatever), and "5" for Chinese.
Ridiculous !
So, lets clean up things and return to "1" language.
Its is a unifying factor.
 
And they, and our government never forced their language on us.
But, now, its press "1" for English, "2" for Spanish, "3" for French, "4" for Swahili(whatever), and "5" for Chinese.
Ridiculous !
So, lets clean up things and return to "1" language.
Its is a unifying factor.

I prefer "Press 1 for English, or hang up and don't call back until you learn to speak English".
 
it doesn't happen that way. People go to France all the time who don't speak french. Sorry.

Go to France, visit France, not move to France permanently and never learn the language. Sorry.
 
Go to France, visit France, not move to France permanently and never learn the language. Sorry.

Like everywhere else, the language is largely learned by the children. Adults rarely learn a new language well, if at all.
 
And they, and our government never forced their language on us.
But, now, its press "1" for English, "2" for Spanish, "3" for French, "4" for Swahili(whatever), and "5" for Chinese.
Ridiculous !
So, lets clean up things and return to "1" language.
Its is a unifying factor.

That's not government force. That is the business sector marketing to people. And I call BS on your claim that businesses never did it before. My great grandpa's obituary was published in a Czech language newspaper, and he wasn't even Czech but a lot of his friends and community members were Czech.
 
I prefer "Press 1 for English, or hang up and don't call back until you learn to speak English".

What about capitalism... businesses want to make money and all that?
 
I prefer "Press 1 for English, or hang up and don't call back until you learn to speak English".
That attitude doesn't make a good business strategy.
 
Go to France, visit France, not move to France permanently and never learn the language. Sorry.
1. I don't think that's true.
2. France has a more homogeneous culture and population. The heterogeneity of the United States makes the idea of a single official language more complex.
 
Like everywhere else, the language is largely learned by the children. Adults rarely learn a new language well, if at all.

I agree. I can't tell you how many time I have seen families where the parents barely know English, but their kids speak English and the native language and translate back and forth. Some of those kids are really small t0o... one little girl was playing with my nieces and she was probably 6 or 7 and spoke English and Spanish fluently. That's very impressive.

Everybody knows it's easier to learn a foreign language the younger you are... and parents that migrate here usually do it to give their children a better life.

I date somebody from Israel, and he first came to America barely knowing English and he had to deal with racism and discrimination... He was harassed and mocked by some cops once because they didn't think he knew English very well, but he actually knew what they were saying better than they realized. Once you start learning a foreign language, at first, you're better at understanding native speakers talking to you than you are actually speaking it yourself. The point is, it takes people time to learn a language. You can't expect immigrants to be fluent in English right away, and you especially can't expect them know technical language in legal forms or financial applications right away either.
 
6 or 7 and spoke English and Spanish fluently

Kenyans begin their third language, English, at 8.
 
What about capitalism... businesses want to make money and all that?

That attitude doesn't make a good business strategy.

That's not government force. That is the business sector marketing to people. And I call BS on your claim that businesses never did it before. My great grandpa's obituary was published in a Czech language newspaper, and he wasn't even Czech but a lot of his friends and community members were Czech.

Again, what the private sector does is its own business. I'm just talking about the government.
 
Again, what the private sector does is its own business. I'm just talking about the government.

You would be surprised how many people don't liek the private sector accomodating and seemed shock that English only laws don't stop them. :coffeepap
 
I agree. I can't tell you how many time I have seen families where the parents barely know English, but their kids speak English and the native language and translate back and forth. Some of those kids are really small t0o... one little girl was playing with my nieces and she was probably 6 or 7 and spoke English and Spanish fluently. That's very impressive.

Everybody knows it's easier to learn a foreign language the younger you are... and parents that migrate here usually do it to give their children a better life.

I date somebody from Israel, and he first came to America barely knowing English and he had to deal with racism and discrimination... He was harassed and mocked by some cops once because they didn't think he knew English very well, but he actually knew what they were saying better than they realized. Once you start learning a foreign language, at first, you're better at understanding native speakers talking to you than you are actually speaking it yourself. The point is, it takes people time to learn a language. You can't expect immigrants to be fluent in English right away, and you especially can't expect them know technical language in legal forms or financial applications right away either.

Exactly. Well said.
 
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