I would vote for him

[RHRanch]

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I have no problem saying that people who choose to move here need to make an effort to learn English. I agree that if you are going to live in a country, you should make a concerted effort to learn the language of that country. I don't understand why anyone would be offended at simply hearing another language being spoken out in public. How can it possibly harm someone to hear another language being spoken?

I can say it bothers a lot of people my kids growing up in school just hated it, my mothers caregiver does this, to have the people they are around speak in another language on the phone or together. It is rude, you don't know what they are saying and feel like they are saying bad things or talking about you or?

I went to a 60% latino school. Neither myself, my friends or anyone else I can think of I went to school with "had a problem with it". No one here has made a good argument for not liking hearing a foriegn language spoken that I can think of. As far as I can tell, the dislike is a personal issue and has nothing to do with the law, america, etc. I suggest that if your employees speaking spanish around you bothers you, you can ask them if they would mind speaking english when you are present so you can understand whats being said. They probably are not talking about you, but even if they were, so what? They could talk about you in english when you are not around, so what difference does it make? They probably have no idea that it makes you uncomfortable, and if you don't communicate openly with people how can these things get resolved?

 

[arabianequine]

True, what I said does not bother me but I know it bothers a lot of people. I hear it bothering people all the time and not just Spanish speaking either there is a lot of Russian and Ukraines that live here too. I have a lot of very good friends from both speaking languages.

My mom got a different care giver just recently.....so not a problem at the current moment. She has had several and I think they were from Africa. They are not to be on the phone driving in the first place but that is a whole another issue.

 

[country lady]

"I don't understand why anyone would be offended at simply hearing another language being spoken out in public. How can it possibly harm someone to hear another language being spoken?"

I would guess that when some Americans hear Spanish spoken in public that American citizens think either the foreign-speaking people are illegal, refusing to learn English, or refusing to assimilate into our country/society. If I were to even travel to another country, I would first learn some of the language/culture out of respect for the visiting country. I, myself, love to hear foreign languages spoken. I also don't believe in dual citizenship. This is a wonderful country. Some immigrants spend years and thousands of dollars to come here legally. Learning the language is a small price to pay.

 

[RHRanch]

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My husbands parents immigrated here legally and never became fluent in english. BTW, I think you are right, when people get upset hearing people speaking a foreign language they probably make a lot of assumptions and judgements about it. Some of the time these assumptions might be correct, but just as often they are probably also wrong. I would also bet that a lot of the people speaking a foriegn language out in public speak a lot more english than you would think. I'm sorry, but if I were out with my family in France I would probably speak english to them even when out in public - it just makes sense becuse thats my first language, and the one I would use even if we could all speak french. Knowing that about myself, I can't get upset if someone is out with thier family and they are speaking arabic or something to each other.

 

[Dunkopf]

I spent two years in Germany and we had to take a course in basic German as part of our initiation. The first time you try to order something in German they laugh at you and speak English. You probably don't need to worry too much about speaking their language in Europe. English is a standard course for almost all of those countries and they usually teach 3 years or more as a standard.

 

[pdsavage]

Yes this has been posted before,me I like being an individual.Why would someone want everyone to be the same.

 

[country lady]

" You probably don't need to worry too much about speaking their language in Europe."

Wanna bet? I know a couple of university teachers who went to an out of the way place in Germany and the waiter didn't speak English. They ended up with a platter of broccoli.

It's still a good idea and good manners to learn basic words in the foreign language.

My German niece (by marriage) began English in elementary school and she has no accent--beautiful English. However, the European countries are so close together that they use their foreign languages all the time. Our 3,000 mile borders almost makes it impossible to learn a language and use it, IMO,( except for Spanish maybe). This same niece heard that her son's California school was bilingual so she went there speaking German. She was told quickly and clearly that "bilingual" meant Spanish!

 

[Dunkopf]

While I was in Germany we visited Spain. We stayed in a tourist spot so everyone spoke English. The last day we went to a restaurant in a town near the bullfight we went to. We decided we were going to have some Spanish food. We ordered some fried eggs and something else we didn't know what it was. It was eggs barely cooked sunny side up and fried bananas.

Too bad about your friends. Germany has the best food in the world for taste anyway. Way too much fat, but they know what to do with a pig and some fresh potatoes.

 

[arabianequine]

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Your making me want to go there even more....I will some day!

 

[gamebirdsonly]

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