ND4SPD

Answer

I find this slightly disturbing. Thank God I can press one for Spanish though.

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Mojave954

Yeah if you are one to read between the lines on things. Then it was done on purpose so people immigrating here wouldn't be intimidated to learn the "official" langauge. You know, like other countries do!?

phobe

A free country shouldn't have an official language.

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Bourne

No, but they now have to take a civics exam which I guarantee most people here would fail.

Oh, and I don't know about you cats, but I'd much rather have ou Congress discussing and voting on bills with a little more importance than what our official language is.

Bourne

Agreed.

luvtolean

I agree. But I don't agree with 57 languages in public schools.

You're worried about Congress wasting their time? I'm all for paying those pricks to stay at home all year for a few years.

While I would agree it'd be a waste of time to do that, they waste huge blocks of time on far more inane BS than language, though I'm not totally convinced that's a bad thing.

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ND4SPD

So what *should* a free country have? That same argument could be said against many things we have set in place.

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luvtolean

<Shurg> What we do...nothing.

BUT, as I said, I don't think it's our responsibility to teach everyone in their native language, and I am opposed to driving tests in any language but english.

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ND4SPD

And that's sort of what I'm getting at with this. If someone wants their kid to learn their native language either teach it to your kid at home in the evenings, or send him back to the homeland to live with other family for a couple years. The US *should* have an official language for this very reason.

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luvtolean

When all of our official documentation, and all of our teaching, was in english we didn't have an "official" language.

I agree with what Mojave said, it's done this way for a reason...

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Bourne

If you don't condone the way they waste time now, how could you condone them voting for an "official" language?

Note that I didn't say they are too busy with other things, it's just that I see no reason to enable them more by insisting on something such as this.

luvtolean

I don't condone it, but arguing about something useless like an "official" language, or taking "God" out of the pledge of allegance or whatever is better than arguing for something like suing OPEC.

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ND4SPD

Piss poor reason IMO. When I moved to the States I didn't speak a lick of English. It was certainly a concern for obvious reasons but I had to learn it whether it was the official language or not if I wanted to make anything of myself. If I came here with a different attitude I would've been better off staying where I was. As an immigrant, if you don't realize that you'll probably have to learn a new language if you move to a different country, maybe you should do a little more homework first.

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phobe

Let people choose to use which language they want... if they choose a first language that isn't the dominant language of commerce then that's their problem.

In Canada we have 2 official languages and all it does is create barriers for commerce and politics and waste a huge amount of money and time.

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luvtolean

As a liberal friend of mine says, "of course they don't want everyone to speak english, how else are you going to ensure a continued supply of cheap housekeepers?"

I'm against foreign language teaching in schools (other than of course, learning a foreign language) as it does nothing but penalize the kids.

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Bourne

Yet this really doesn't make an argument for creating an official language.

As you and Phobe have both clearly stated, learn it or you're going to be fucked.

Where's the need to make it official?

SheepOfBlue

They should have two


Seriously I HIGHLY disagree. An agreed upon common mode of communication is a basic need. Otherwise our court system would be required to accommodate a gazillion languages, which does not sound bad except that the effort required would hurt the main purpose which is justice. Our government docs would require a semi to haul and be like the new manuals that are an inch think with 2 pages of non-content for each language. Learning English is not an unreasonable requirement just as I should learn French if I moved to France or Japanese if I moved to Japan.

The people that are opposed and want a personal language are really just against American culture (yes we do have one).

Oh and preemptive to whiners I think learning other languages is a good thing and likely will enhance your ability to communicate. Also if you are a guest here we should be patient and as good hosts even attempt to communicate in your language IF we know it. If you are not a guest get the h$$$ out and come back legally or not at all.

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SheepOfBlue

You are doomed then as y'all cannot understand my dialect half the time let alone an entirely different language

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luvtolean

I don't care what language people speak, and I don't care if they choose not to learn english.

But I'm against our public schools teaching in every language there is. In CA there are tens of different languages taught in public schools, which is a monstrous waste. Even when you buy a car here, you have to sign a form that has 5 or 6 languages on it affirming the language the deal was transacted in!

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phobe

You're making my argument for me here.

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phobe

I doublt they're mandatory. And if they're optional, and the rosters are filling up enough to justify the classroom time, then they're definitely not a waste.

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abtech

It is my understanding (from reading this in several places) that airplane pilots worldwide must use English when communicating with ground operations or during other "official" radio traffic.

If they can enforce this, I'm guessing that a uniform language must be a reasonable idea.

Anyone remember the biblical story of the Tower of Babel? Anyone try to order breakfast at the Denny's in Glendora recently?

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figment

what language is printed on our money? Latin?

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luvtolean

The school districts have been repeatedly sued, and villified as racists in the media, for not offering native language schooling even for individuals....it is most definitely a de facto mandatory situation.

I know, and am related to, a whole bunch of teachers in California. No matter the political stance, all will mention the language problems. (among many others)

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SheepOfBlue

It is mandatory for the districts in many states (if not all) and that adds costs that take away from all the other students by depriving them of resources.

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