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Elizabeth
Joined: Jul 1, 2003
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I am proud to be an American......
August 25, 2003 - 06:56 AM
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I am proud to be an American because I think that what the constitution says we should do is right, not that everyone follows it. But I also have ancestry. Csn one really say they are American and just end the sentence there? I am Italian, Irish and English, but I no longer speak any other language other than English(and beginners Spanish). This is because my ancestors wanted to be "American" thought they did not forget all the old ways. Currently, many new culures are immigrating to America and they are keeping their traditions and ways, but should they be obligated to learn English? If America is truly a melting pot, then why do so many of us act the same? Our differences make us who we are. Theoretically we are "melting because we are living as one nation and exchanging ways of culture, but I do not think we should forget our pasts.
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tim
Joined: Jul 10, 2003
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Re: I am proud to be an American......
September 18, 2003 - 10:08 AM
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[i]Currently, many new culures are immigrating to America and they are keeping their traditions and ways, but should they be obligated to learn English? [/B]
I think it is a matter of respect; to say that immigrants are obligated to speak English may be harsh, but i think the immigrants should WANT to learn our language simply because English is the official language here. If i go to another country to live, i am going to do my best to learn the language of that country out of respect for the people there.
Thanks
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Mikael
Joined: Apr 12, 2002
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Re: I am proud to be an American......
September 18, 2003 - 11:52 AM
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I agree 100% with that... it's a question of respect of the country's policies, and doesn't mean that an immigrant will have to stop speaking their native language. In fact, I think they should attempt to preserve their native language and culture because it adds diversity to the cultural makeup of the country, rather than 'melting' everything down into homogeneity. This is key to the difference between Canada and the US - in Canada this 'melting pot' concept is not emphasized; rather it is diversity that makes us strong.
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Nibal khalil
Joined: Aug 29, 2003
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Re: I am proud to be an American......
September 21, 2003 - 12:03 PM
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Dear,
Well, I do agree in some point and not in every point you mentioned. The reality found when you just touch itm when you just experience it. So its not the country who made us like who we are now... I agree it affects our life, but not all of our thinking... Yes im not saying to past good bye... never... But I may not give a five or kiss the hand of what Im here now...
so its who you are where ever you go.....
Finally, Im not against if you are proud or not... nor if you like it or not... But I care here if this prodness is the reality that you are happy with after experiencing all lives around you and even when you knew that you are ancestrally some body else......???
Well, God bless you
Nibal
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Jennifer Vallery
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To speak or not to speak
October 19, 2003 - 04:37 AM
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Well...I think that people should learn english if for no other reason than to better understand the world in which they live. English is a very widely spoken language, and chances are, it could be benificial for anyone to pick up. However, they should not drop their cultural backgrounds. Your heritage is part of who you are. You don't want to lose sight of that. I do agree that it is respectful to learn the language that is widely spoken in the country one lives in, but more importantly gaining that knowledge would improve the quality of life of that individual.
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Minakshi Ratkalkar
Joined: Nov 10, 2003
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Lost Language
November 11, 2003 - 10:21 AM
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I am an Indian American. My parents are both fluent in 4 languages, my grandparents are in 7 and 10 respectively. Ten languages. However, I can only speak English because they chose to stop speaking native languages with me. I regret not having this knowledge, especially when I travel to India and my ignorance is apparent. I'm currently dating a Caucasian and would not have any objections to intercultural marriage, but I cannot help but think of my children whose identity will be more muddled than my own. I can understand a few words of some Indian languages, but I cannot pass this understanding down to my own children. The culture will live on in my children, whether they are half-Indian or full. The language will be lost. With this means of communication gone, it will further sever ties to their Indian heritage. English should not be mandatory in America because it encourages drastic assimilation. However, English study should be encouraged.
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Karis Sherbert
Joined: Nov 3, 2003
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Re: I am proud to be an American......
November 12, 2003 - 05:42 AM
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I personally believe that it should be mandatory for anyone from a foreign country to learn english before they come to America. They should at least speak english to some degree. I do not know how they can expect to socalize or even ask for directions otherwise. I work in an enviroment that employees thousands of foreigners all of whom speak different languages. I am the manager of this particular company. Let me tell you, I have employees who have no idea what I am saying when I speak to them. This is always a big problem, considering that they need to be able to direct our guests and offer any assistance they can. Inevitably they will be fired, and I will have no problem doing so.
I just have one question to ask. What are foreigners doing in America in the first place if they cannot speak the predominant language, english? I know that if I were to ever permanently relocate to a foreign country, I would most definitely learn to speak the language before I left. I would also like to assume that the residents of the area would expect me to know the language. This is my view on the subject. I do not claim to be right, I just speak with the tone of someone who is.
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Raymond M. Kristiansen
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Re: I am proud to be an American......
November 16, 2003 - 03:44 AM
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Originally posted by karis01
... I just have one question to ask. What are foreigners doing in America in the first place if they cannot speak the predominant language, english? I know that if I were to ever permanently relocate to a foreign country, I would most definitely learn to speak the language before I left. ...
This debate is huge and difficult, and yet very acute. I will use three examples here:
(1) A French scholar working as a professor at a French institute at a University in Hong Kong. Even tho he has been living in Hong Kong for years, he does not know Cantonese, and he expects to survive on English (which he does, and this adds even more to his lack of interest in learning Cantonese).
(2) An Arab immigrant coming to Norway (my country) and does not learn Norwegian, but can work in a restaurant as a cook, for instance, and only talk Arabic with other arabs. Whenever this person has to deal with local authorities, he/she needs a translator.
(3) A Norwegian emigrating to the United States. This person already knows English (we are taught English in school here, and almost everybody knows english, at least to some degree), and has no problem communicating in his/her new society. That person may still predominantly talk Norwegian with other Norwegians in social settings.
Now, these three examples are different, yet they all point at a crucial issue. If you know English, you can really go a long way. English is the dominant language, and everyone from Mexico through China to Zaire would like to learn English. For those who are from the US, UK or other English-speaking countries this is of course a blessing. They can travel almost anywhere and expect that Someone understands. And yet, this might lead to a cultural arrogance on the English-speaking people's side that is really destructive. Those of us who have been in France and tried to speak English without at Least saying something in French first know how numb the French can be. It seems almost like they do NOT want to speak English with you, even if they Do know it.
What's my point? Err... Language assimilation is a tricky business. I personally agree with those that say that immigrants Should learn the majoring language of their new country. But imagine for instance the US in 80 years, when the % of "white" americans has dropped compared to Hispanic Americans. The demographics of any country is changing. How many millions of Arab-speaking people aren't there in France now? So what to do? Require everyone to speak the language of the "original" people of that country?
White man's cultural self-centeredness can be quite sickening. We Norwegians complain about muslims who barely speak a word of Norwegian, and yet in the winter we go on vacation on Spain's east coast and there we only speak Norwegian or English, and even buy Norwegian newspapers which is being shipped to Spain because of all these Norwegians are all over the place. (Costa del Sol, etc). Is there an element of racism here? That our language is better than theirs, and that THEY shall conform to us, and we don't want to conform to them too? This IS a complex issue, and I do not have any definite answers..
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Karis Sherbert
Joined: Nov 3, 2003
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Re: I am proud to be an American......
November 21, 2003 - 03:52 AM
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I do hear what you are sying and belive me I do understand the way you think. I also think that you make a very good argument. I just really do not agree with most of what you are saying. Where as your examples are relevant, they do not condone their behavior, and I have no empathy for them. First of all I want to bring up what you had said about going on vacation and not knowing the language. I get your point and all, but I was not talking about vacationing, I was talking about permanently relocating to a different country. These are two completely different subjects. I would not expect people to know every language spoken, there are far too many. Let me give you a few examples of how I see this situation.
1) Lets say that you are on vacation at Las Vegas, Navada. You and your friends are having fun gambaling and drinking. When evening comes around you decide that you want to go get something to eat. While walking around you get completely lost. Finally after searching for what seems to be hours you come across a casino employee, whom you can see is a foreigner. After you approach the employee you ask for directions, and do you know what happens, huh? First, for about 20 seconds the employee just stares at you before he/she starts babbling in an unknown language,and the precedes to walk away.
Do you really find this accpetable. I will tell you that I do not one tiny bit. Not only do I find this unacceptable, I thing it is appalling. I would most definitely hope that even if you are foreign that you would be capable to give directions. Otherwise what good are you to any company. Other than a company whose employees do not have contact with its clients. (ie. janitorial, and other low income jobs) Not to say that is what thay deserve to be doing. ijust believe that those type of jobs are all that they are qualified for. If you cannot talk to people you do not belong.
I will relay another example to you. At my job I have to deal with all types of people everyday, which I enjoy for the most part. Sometimes though, I just want to walk away and let them figure it out themselves.
2) Imagine that you are a sales person. Your job is to be polite to all prospective clients. (which really is everyone) Many times people will come in and ask you for directions or some other question along that line. Ok, now say that you are working with a client, when suddenly a man or woman comes up to you and starts yelling at you in an unknown language. He/she is jumping up and down and pointing and really trying hard to make you understant. All you can do is kind of stand there and stare at tyhis person. Alright, do you want to know what they were so frantically trying to ask, do you? He/she had to use the restroom and wanted to know where it was.
This situation in my humble opinion is utterly disgusting. The sheer ignorance is just abysmal. How could you go anywhere, even if just on vacation, if you cannot ask for directions to the restroom? I mean seriously now I honestly would not even wnt to help them. This is my opinion anyway. I do not really claim to be right, I just speak with the tone of somone who is. You have your opinion and I have mine.
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