Press One For English

[halfdome, Danny]

The fastest way to remove a people's national identity is to take away their common language...

This is one of the steps to destroy a free nation. Danny

[Classic Finn]

The French here refuse to speak English even though many of them do and expect us to speak French to them..Being that Ive spent majority of my life amongst the International Travel Field..

I just speak Finnish to them if they start playing the lil game of theirs..that shuts it off immediately..

On a lighter note I was working at the Airport Duty Free Shops and the plane for New York was getting ready to leave in an hour or so, when an elderly lady - from the USA comes over and asks kindly...

Young Man do you speak English? ...I replied yep sure do sweetheart with a smile and she turned to her friend in amazement and said why it sure has been a longtime since anyone has called me sweetheart..This lady was about 60 - 65 years old. I thought she was about to drop her dentures..

But she was so happy we could converse with her...

I have had a lot of fun also being able to use different languages. And it sure has had its benefits here on the forum as well.

Darn Id be lost if it was French used here. Also here in our country as well as the rest of Scandinavia English is taught from grade 3. And then in a few years Swedish is the 2nd language so its also mandatory with selective languages taught such as German, French or Spanish.
Its a good thing that the program here on languages is enforced. My 15 year old already speaks 3 languages fluently.. and writes them. In my opinion its a Gift.

Classic Finn

[Classic Finn]

I both agree and disagree with some or all of the posts here. My 2 cents :
if you come here to live you should learn english, if you go somewhere else to live you should learn that language. If you're visiting somewhere and can speak the language good for you, if you're visiting somewhere and they speak your language lucky for you. I spent 3 years in high school learning french (quite possibly the biggest waste of my time ever)and can't speak a word. I've spent a little time in Mexico and can order food and drink (barely). I've spent a little time in Portugal and that's just close enough to spanish to really screw you up (but I can still order beer ) I've been told that most french people can speak english but refuse to with Americans (since most of my relatives are western Canadians, I don't generally care for french people anyway) I personally know of hispanic people who have avoid the law (court, traffic tickets, etc.) by claiming to not speak english when they do. To sum up where ever you live learn the #$%$# language and Hekki that last line in the conversion looks suspiciously like pidgeon french

Hey BobGorilla, which last line are you speaking of that looks suspiciously like pidgeon french?

Classic Finn

[Classic Finn]

I both agree and disagree with some or all of the posts here. My 2 cents :
if you come here to live you should learn english, if you go somewhere else to live you should learn that language.

But.......Let's go back a ways....... If that was true, shouldn't our relatives have learned the Native American language????

I'm curious, which Native American language would you have had them learn?

Many of them did! However, we have a unified country because we have a unified language. The fastest way to remove a people's national identity is to take away their common language...

Auntie M and others..

Taking away ones identity - the monetary unit of each country ... thats interesting enough...that going on this very day..

EU EU AND MORE EU.. It all started when this EU got its 1st members unfortunately.. One - is take away the individual countries monetary units.
make it 1.. so as many did lost their own currency. an excuse of not having to exchange currencies was used. BullSheeeeet.

Then the Passports were changed to one color that states the EU and Country..

Before it was differnt in color and just showed the country..

take away the borders...melt everything into one...

and then its control from Brussels instead of control from your own Capital...

Now anyone want to say this isnt taking away ones Identity..

One World Government is more than half way done..

It happened back in history and its happening once again.. What didnt succeed during the wars is happening in a peaceful way .. but a dishonest one.

Were being unified even though we dont have a common language and not even common cultures... It will never work as they figure..

The Roman Empire didnt last neither will this.. This makes me sick and Im sure many of our forefathers are turning in their graves..

Classic Finn

[SamR]

Can't help but throw my 2 cents in...

What bothers me is that we, as a country, seem to be bending over backwards to accomodate people who have no apparent intention of reciprocating. We are expected to provide interpreters for people who wish to live here, but do not wish to take the time to learn how to communicate with those who already do live here. I'd be happy to provide an interpreter for someone who is incapable of learning another language, but please, in a show of good faith, make an attempt to learn the language. I'm pretty sure most people are capable, and it's only good manners.

Also, ignorance of the law is no excuse for those of us who are here legally, why is it not for those who are here illegally? I'm tired of the double standard.

As for the argument for the native american languages... I'm not saying the europeans were right in what they did, nor am I saying they were wrong. They were acting according to the rules of the age. Those rules are no longer acceptable in today's society. Why would we want to go backward?

Ok, blast away.

[Classic Finn]

Ahh Im done.. Im glad I can communicate here on the Forum in English and because of it I have made a lot of nice friends even though weve never met...

So thats enough for me ... Ohh no its not... I would like to meet one day..
Meanwhile its back to building a Teardrop ...

Classic Finn

[emiller]

Not to bash anyone but living on the west coast most of my life I have a hard time understanding some Americans from the South. Listen to some truckers on the CB. Sometimes I don't think they understand them selfs. But also growing up in Los Angeles you have the most different languages and you just go on with your life. When I moved to Portland there was alot of prejudice that I felt towards me but also met some of my best friends there. I think people just like to judge instead of trying to understand people. I believe we are still a free nation.

[Nitetimes]

I think you all are missing the point of that song. In a melting pot country like the USA English has been the accepted language with great success. My Italian grandparents learned the language with a pride in being an American. If the ultra liberal thinkers think it's okay to ask the vast majority to press 1 for their language then why is the alternative Spanish? Why not Finnish or French or whatever. Before illegal immigrants started flowing over our borders English was the national language. Those who are fluent in other languages my hat is off to you but in my country you'll need to speak English to communicate with me. Now Ira can call me all kinds of awful names like before, but please do it in English. Danny

I have to agree with you.
Personally I'd like to hear that song get lots of airtime!!

[caseydog]

I wounder if the Indians had a simuliar song?

They didn't have phones back then and this is the here and know. Most so called American natives speak English so what's your point? Danny

Well, at least the Mexicans aren't killing us and taking our land.

<flame suit on>

[caseydog]

My point is what's the big deal:

If you had a business that could prosper by servicing Spanish-only speaking folks, you would do it in a heartbeat.

Let's cut through the hypocrisy:

It might bother some of us to hear accommodations being made to people of other languages, but if it put a lot of bucks in your bucket, then it's okay.

I'll never understand why the hell so many people are afraid of "language," especially in a country where we profess to be for free speech.

Right at 100 years ago, my great-grandfater came to America from Torino, Italy. He didn't speak a word of English.

The US is the "Great Melting Pot". That's inconvenient, but it's reality. I live with it. Yeah, press one for english is a PITA, but that's life in the melting pot.

[caseydog]

I think you all are missing the point of that song. In a melting pot country like the USA English has been the accepted language with great success. My Italian grandparents learned the language with a pride in being an American. If the ultra liberal thinkers think it's okay to ask the vast majority to press 1 for their language then why is the alternative Spanish? Why not Finnish or French or whatever. Before illegal immigrants started flowing over our borders English was the national language. Those who are fluent in other languages my hat is off to you but in my country you'll need to speak English to communicate with me. Now Ira can call me all kinds of awful names like before, but please do it in English. Danny

It is not the "ultra liberals" putting "press one for english" on the phone systems, Danny, it is the free-market business owners. "Big Government" isn't forcing "big Business" to do it, Big Business is catering to their customers, many of whom understand Spanish better than English.

Sure, Government agencies do the same thing, but so does free-enterprise.

Besides, remember the Golden Rule, Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. When I go to other countries, which I do regularly, I am VERY grateful when someone reaches out to speak to me in my language, instead of me having to fumble through theirs.

CD

[caseydog]

Danny ...From my travels there in the States...The accents were abundant..sooooooo many..that is was confusing...

I,ll always remember my time down in Branson Missouri...Dont ask how I ended up there..

I did meet a nice gal .... and...she had a very nice.. accent,,, She again thought my accent was strange..

But all in all I was surprised of some accents I couldnt for the life of me understand...when spoken ...

Classic Finn

I stopped for directions near Stratford Upon Avon in England once, and the store clerk gave me a lengthy set of driving instructions in English, and I thanked her, walked out, and had NO idea what she had said. Her accent was so thick, I literally did not understand her. LOL

CD

[caseydog]

...let us see...there are 3 theories that I have seen put forth on the settlement of America...1) they came from Siberia, VIA a land bridge(immigrants) 2) they sailed over from China(immigrants) and 3) they sailed over from Northern Yurp(immigrants)...so just what is this native American language you speak of...Dinosaur or some such?????

I do however think, that if you move to another country, you should learn to speak the language...I know if I moved to France or Germany or Swahili land, I would endeavor to learn the language, so as to be able to communicate effectively...and so I could know when I was the butt of a local joke...just so I could laugh as well...
madjack

I think that most imigrants to the US WANT to learn English. But, that takes time, and it is easier for some than for others. I took four semesters of Spanish in college (foriegn language required for my degree), and they were the toughest classes I took in college.

I imagine it would take me a good year to get proficient in Spanish if I moved to Spain or Mexico. I can't imagine it is easy learning English, either.

[caseydog]

One World Government is more than half way done..

It happened back in history and its happening once again.. What didnt succeed during the wars is happening in a peaceful way .. but a dishonest one.

Were being unified even though we dont have a common language and not even common cultures... It will never work as they figure..

The Roman Empire didnt last neither will this.. This makes me sick and Im sure many of our forefathers are turning in their graves..

Classic Finn

Correct me if I am wrong, please, but I thought that the EU was formed for economic reasons, primarily, to make a "union" of separate European economies that could compete with the size and power of the US.

If so, then the "free market" is behind yet another thing that many Americans would consider, "big-government liberalism."

BTW, sorry about all the separate posts I am making. I am trying to catch up, and I really enjoy good discussions like this. I learn a lot about my country from hearing what a variety of people think.

And, I promised myself I wouldn't get tinto these controversial off-topic discussions. They seem to never end well. But things are different here, right?

CD

[apratt]

I have a son in law that has been in the U.S. for at least 9 years and he still speak very little english. I keep harping on him to learn english. I told daughter that they need to quit speaking spanish so be easier for him to learn english. Same with me, my first language is english but my hearing is getting worst so I learned ASL (america sign language). At first it was hard because we kept reverting to speaking in english, when finally told ourselves to stop speaking and to only use ASL then it became easier. You was force to learn!