To.ton.ka
Buffalo
thanks dances with wolves
Should Immigrants Be Made To Learn English If They're Living In The USA?
by minimus 68 Replies latest jw friends
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minimus
I'm talkind about any person being forced to learn a language. That's something I could see France doing.
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badseed
No, the USA is the land of the free, free to do what you want, even if the English don't like it.
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cyberjesus
To.ton.ka
Buffalo
ROFL
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minimus
Do you know where F Troop's Hekowi Indians got their name??
They got lost (as usual) and the Chief asked, "where the heck are we?" and the name just stuck.
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undercover
To.ton.ka
Buffalo
That's Lakota, not Cherokee
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Dark Side
The Naturalization Test
One of the requirements for U.S. citizenship through naturalization is to take the naturalization test to demonstrate that you are able to read, write, and speak basic English and that you have a basic knowledge of U.S. history and government (also known as “civics”).
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JeffT
Speaking of English as the language of pilots:
There is a story about a domestic German flight contacting the tower in German. He's told he has to speak English. "Why do I have to speak English, I'm a German, flying a German plane from one German city to another German city. Why do I have to speak English."
And this clipped English accent comes over the air "Because you lost the bloody war, that's why."
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MMXIV
In the UK, immigrants are soon to be asked to pass a basic English test.
This may reduce the number of immigrants that Vampire665 mentions from entering the UK who do not seem to contribute to the UK in a positive way.
I don't believe it should be a requirement to learn the language though. I believe the requirement should be to make a positive contribution to the country - only it's impossible to enforce.
I would like to move to France. After 6 years of learning French I don't speak French. If I move to France I will contribute to their financial system not take from it. I will make a positive contribution to their environment by restoring desolate properties. I will be polite to the French, adopt customs if they are reasonable but may lack the linguistic skills to pass a basic French test.
MMXIV
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Terry
It comes down to WHAT an immigrant wants/needs to do in this country and how difficult it is to do without adapting.
I see parents who cannot speak English using their kids as interpreters. That's good for the kids and lazy for the parents.
If you drag your culture around like a turtle does its shell, then, what need have you of expanding your universe?
On the Am/Fm radio in my car I like to press the SCAN button and count the Spanish speaking stations. There are about ten!
I see more and more cable stations on TV that are Spanish.
My impression is that Mexican Americans are about where Americans were in the 1950's sophistication-wise.
I'm pretty sure our "culture" must seem like Rome to the Early Christians to them!
That could be one reason the older generation doesn't want to assimilate.
But, sadly---I think there is little ambition beyond earning the next paycheck at menial labor for many Mexican men.
So, it is a Chicken-vs-Egg problem.
I can't succeed at anything better because I'm illegal and can't speak the language.
This rather than---I CAN succeed and make my life better BECAUSE I will become legal and learn the langauge.
There is a difference and it is quite a distinction!
I look at the Viet Namese and Oriental populations with extremely intelligent children who are well-behaved and English speakers and wonder what the difference really is!
Not an indictment of anybody....just an observation....