Comments on: Speak The Language Of The Country You’re In Please http://www.meandmydrum.com/speak-the-language-of-the-country-youre-in-please/ The beat of a different blogger Thu, 08 Jan 2009 23:24:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Study New Languages http://www.meandmydrum.com/speak-the-language-of-the-country-youre-in-please/comment-page-1/#comment-7279 Study New Languages Wed, 26 Nov 2008 22:34:04 +0000 http://www.meandmydrum.com/2007/07/29/speak-the-language-of-the-country-youre-in-please/#comment-7279 Someone pointed out quite accurately that English is not the official language in the United States. It's interesting to me that before the founding of the nation there were communities of immigrants that spoke German, drafted laws for their settlements, and carried out the bulk of their business in their native language. Of course, over a few generations most of their descendants had learned English and joined the English speaking majority. English is the predominant language in the world, but many people believe very strongly that language is a vehicle for their culture and work hard to maintain that link to their roots. I think our country is big enough to welcome those who speak any language, however I do wonder what limits we should set. I don't know how many people are employed by Washington to translate to HOW many languages for support of our own citizens. Maybe there should be limits there. I don't want to see us so uptight about our language though that we rival France by defending our language with silly laws to prevent foreign words from being used. Here in the United States we have had the luxury for many years of not having to learn anything other than English and that may be changing now with so much immigration from Spanish speaking countries. (And what of the Spanish speaking areas that became part of our country by no choice of their own? Puerto Rico, etc...) Of course, there are parts of the country that speak French more predominantly as well. Maybe in keeping with our Federalist system roots it should be something we leave up to the States and more local jurisdictions to decide what THEIR official language is and keep the Federal Government out of the "official" language decision altogether? <abbr><em>Study New Languagess last blog post..<a href="http://www.studynewlanguages.com/learning-spanish/spanish-speaking-countries/" rel="nofollow">Spanish Speaking Countries</a></abbr></em> Someone pointed out quite accurately that English is not the official language in the United States. It’s interesting to me that before the founding of the nation there were communities of immigrants that spoke German, drafted laws for their settlements, and carried out the bulk of their business in their native language. Of course, over a few generations most of their descendants had learned English and joined the English speaking majority.

English is the predominant language in the world, but many people believe very strongly that language is a vehicle for their culture and work hard to maintain that link to their roots.

I think our country is big enough to welcome those who speak any language, however I do wonder what limits we should set. I don’t know how many people are employed by Washington to translate to HOW many languages for support of our own citizens. Maybe there should be limits there. I don’t want to see us so uptight about our language though that we rival France by defending our language with silly laws to prevent foreign words from being used.

Here in the United States we have had the luxury for many years of not having to learn anything other than English and that may be changing now with so much immigration from Spanish speaking countries. (And what of the Spanish speaking areas that became part of our country by no choice of their own? Puerto Rico, etc…) Of course, there are parts of the country that speak French more predominantly as well.

Maybe in keeping with our Federalist system roots it should be something we leave up to the States and more local jurisdictions to decide what THEIR official language is and keep the Federal Government out of the “official” language decision altogether?

Study New Languagess last blog post..Spanish Speaking Countries

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]]> By: Mark http://www.meandmydrum.com/speak-the-language-of-the-country-youre-in-please/comment-page-1/#comment-1643 Mark Sun, 05 Aug 2007 00:38:47 +0000 http://www.meandmydrum.com/2007/07/29/speak-the-language-of-the-country-youre-in-please/#comment-1643 Hi glj12, hehe...I'm glad you dropped by to get that off your chest. Anytime! ;) Hope to see you return. Hi glj12, hehe…I’m glad you dropped by to get that off your chest. Anytime! ;) Hope to see you return.

]]> By: Mark http://www.meandmydrum.com/speak-the-language-of-the-country-youre-in-please/comment-page-1/#comment-1642 Mark Sun, 05 Aug 2007 00:30:24 +0000 http://www.meandmydrum.com/2007/07/29/speak-the-language-of-the-country-youre-in-please/#comment-1642 Well, if today's Romans are speaking English, then you're doing like the Romans do, so thing are in balance over there it seems. :) Thanks for stopping by and hope you return. ;) Well, if today’s Romans are speaking English, then you’re doing like the Romans do, so thing are in balance over there it seems. :)
Thanks for stopping by and hope you return. ;)

]]> By: glj12 http://www.meandmydrum.com/speak-the-language-of-the-country-youre-in-please/comment-page-1/#comment-1640 glj12 Sun, 05 Aug 2007 00:25:03 +0000 http://www.meandmydrum.com/2007/07/29/speak-the-language-of-the-country-youre-in-please/#comment-1640 In response to "Marie," English is the dominant language in the world, no matter how you take it. Its really hard to avoid it, as you put it. What gripes me on the other hand is how some certain countries *cough* France *cough* are quite rude even when you make an ATTEMPT to be kind enough to speak their language. Apparently its never enough for them. When was the last time an American corrected a foreigner's English? Just a random thought, had to get it off my chest. In response to “Marie,” English is the dominant language in the world, no matter how you take it. Its really hard to avoid it, as you put it.

What gripes me on the other hand is how some certain countries *cough* France *cough* are quite rude even when you make an ATTEMPT to be kind enough to speak their language. Apparently its never enough for them. When was the last time an American corrected a foreigner’s English?

Just a random thought, had to get it off my chest.

]]> By: Marie http://www.meandmydrum.com/speak-the-language-of-the-country-youre-in-please/comment-page-1/#comment-1637 Marie Sat, 04 Aug 2007 21:39:27 +0000 http://www.meandmydrum.com/2007/07/29/speak-the-language-of-the-country-youre-in-please/#comment-1637 What do you call someone who can speak several languages? Multilingual What do you call someone who can speak two languages? Bilingual What do you call someone who can only speak one language? American Okay, that's an old joke but very true. As for the comment "When in Rome..." that doesn't wash. I was there a few weeks ago and even though I was looking forward to practicing my Italian almost everyone spoke English. I really don't mind pressing '1'. JMHO What do you call someone who can speak several languages?
Multilingual

What do you call someone who can speak two languages?
Bilingual

What do you call someone who can only speak one language?
American

Okay, that’s an old joke but very true.

As for the comment “When in Rome…” that doesn’t wash. I was there a few weeks ago and even though I was looking forward to practicing my Italian almost everyone spoke English.

I really don’t mind pressing ‘1′.
JMHO

]]> By: Sephy's Platzish http://www.meandmydrum.com/speak-the-language-of-the-country-youre-in-please/comment-page-1/#comment-1576 Sephy's Platzish Mon, 30 Jul 2007 17:47:07 +0000 http://www.meandmydrum.com/2007/07/29/speak-the-language-of-the-country-youre-in-please/#comment-1576 <strong>This was the Week that Was, Vol. 6...</strong> This week, it's been somewhat cooler, but as I mentioned yesterday, we did get quite a bit of rain, which is good for the garden outside. I also got the chance to use the new grill, I'll post about th...... This was the Week that Was, Vol. 6…

This week, it’s been somewhat cooler, but as I mentioned yesterday, we did get quite a bit of rain, which is good for the garden outside. I also got the chance to use the new grill, I’ll post about th……

]]> By: Kyle Eslick http://www.meandmydrum.com/speak-the-language-of-the-country-youre-in-please/comment-page-1/#comment-1565 Kyle Eslick Mon, 30 Jul 2007 02:07:49 +0000 http://www.meandmydrum.com/2007/07/29/speak-the-language-of-the-country-youre-in-please/#comment-1565 I actually agree with you more than you can know, but the general idea is we shouldn't force people to learn English. It isn't actually the official language of America, it is just the most spoken language here. If we force people to learn English, are we then going to force them to become Christians because it is the most common language? Like I said, I agree more with what you are saying, but my belief goes against what America stands for in my opinion. I was just born here, I'm not necessarily here by choice. :???: I actually agree with you more than you can know, but the general idea is we shouldn’t force people to learn English. It isn’t actually the official language of America, it is just the most spoken language here.

If we force people to learn English, are we then going to force them to become Christians because it is the most common language?

Like I said, I agree more with what you are saying, but my belief goes against what America stands for in my opinion. I was just born here, I’m not necessarily here by choice. :???:

]]> By: Mark http://www.meandmydrum.com/speak-the-language-of-the-country-youre-in-please/comment-page-1/#comment-1564 Mark Mon, 30 Jul 2007 01:49:26 +0000 http://www.meandmydrum.com/2007/07/29/speak-the-language-of-the-country-youre-in-please/#comment-1564 Well spoken, Sephyroth. :wink: Well spoken, Sephyroth. :wink:

]]> By: Sephyroth http://www.meandmydrum.com/speak-the-language-of-the-country-youre-in-please/comment-page-1/#comment-1563 Sephyroth Mon, 30 Jul 2007 01:45:18 +0000 http://www.meandmydrum.com/2007/07/29/speak-the-language-of-the-country-youre-in-please/#comment-1563 I'm not so sure if it's the immigrants who are totally demanding the concessions, rather that the government (and more recently companies) are feeling that they have to be all-inclusive lest they offend one person or a group of people. In that case, the affected people then come to just expect that everyone will make the same concessions for them. And I agree, it's silly to think that making English the language "de jure" could be offensive, but I guess that's part of the PC culture we live in nowadays... Sephyroth http://www.sephyroth.net I’m not so sure if it’s the immigrants who are totally demanding the concessions, rather that the government (and more recently companies) are feeling that they have to be all-inclusive lest they offend one person or a group of people. In that case, the affected people then come to just expect that everyone will make the same concessions for them.

And I agree, it’s silly to think that making English the language “de jure” could be offensive, but I guess that’s part of the PC culture we live in nowadays…

Sephyroth
http://www.sephyroth.net

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