Isn't it fair to say that?

Question

Yes mexicans speak spanish yes they do when they came to the U.S.
When your desendants invaded from europe did'nt they speak french, german,yidish polish, well you see my point!

Answer 1

yes but when our ancestors came they were pigs
who mercless;ly brutalized the native americans
and they did not want pay work or to get the same beniftis as the natives

while illegal immigrants in th us want the same respect pay and reward citizens gets
without going throu the paperwork
or learning the language

Answer 2

Speak - but how many can actually READ even their version of the Spanish language?

To be bi-lingual is the ability to read and write in two languages. When I have to deal for business reasons with someone that has been illegally within this country for over 20 years and they don't even know how to read in either or speak either correctly - it is a NIGHTMARE!

My people learned to speak the language and didn't have special classes within school systems to teach them separate from the rest of the student body. In school, when someone came from another country (LEGALLY, I might add), they were placed within the classes and learned American (not English as that isn't what is spoken within the United States except by English immigrants/tourists). To suggest that those that are from a Spanish background can not do what others have done successfully as a whole is to suggest that they are less - which actually would be a racial insult.

Answer 3

1. we're descendants, our ancestors are predecessors
2. mine are Native American, we WERE required to speak English.
3. if my predecessors came from Europe, they did speak french, German, Yiddish, polish, etc.
4. if they invaded Europe, they still required their original language to be spoken.
5. it is RUDE to speak in a language not native to the speaker if you can indeed speak in their language. When in Mexico, I speak Spanish. With my family, I speak Tslagi. When in the United States, I speak English as I would NEVER assume people should accommodate me in THEIR country. You want to live here? Learn English, if for no other reason than the fact that there are some people who simply cannot learn another language (never thought about that, huh?). If you can get through passably, then what language you use with friends and family is no skin off my nose. IF you are one of those people who simply cannot learn another language, use a translator! Assume I'll accommodate you and speak Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, etc. and I will act so dumb you'll think I was a simpleton.

Answer 4

Anyone living in the USA has a responsibility to learn English. Americans can't be expected to learn every language of every immigrant who comes here. We can't put up signs in 52 languages at the Courthouse. We shouldn't be putting up signs in Spanish either.

People coming to the US from Spanish speaking countries would learn English a lot faster if they didn't see Spanish everywhere.

Answer 5

Yes, you are right, but I live in a city where the population is largely Mexican, and most of them are illegal, and don't ask me how I know, I do. And from what I have seen, they have no desire to learn English or acclimate to our culture. That is the difference. When the people you spoke of came here, they had no option but to learn English. Spanish speakers today have everything written in Spanish.

Answer 6

I think it is fair to give people a reasonable time to learn, say two years to have a basic grasp of it. However, when our ancestors came legally according to the invitation of the United States government immigration laws as may have applied at the time, they took the trouble to learn English.

Polls show that 80% of Europeans think you should learn the language of the place you are going, and fit in (never forgetting your own heritage). It is something like 57% of Latin Americans polled that think that, and even fewer think children should be taught in the language of the country they chose to enter.

That is a big difference between trying to make the host culture adapt to you and adapting to it.

There are 12 to 20 million people more here than our immigration allowed and between 54% and 80% of that came from Spanish speaking countries. In violation of our assimilation based immigration laws they were able to create entire communities in our country that are now 'foreign cultures' to our own people. We can't "make" those legally here learn, but since assimilation is one of the problems illegal immigration has brought here, we absolutely can require that it be addressed as a condition of legalization.

Answer 7

But we speak English now, not my native Dutch and German. The spanish-speaking community needs to wake up and drop there native tounge if they want to be accepted in America. Just a suggestion.

Answer 8

My great-grandparents on both sides of my family were immigrants who had to learn English and they did. They came here legally and immigrated. They did not sneak in and expect everyone to provide a translator and health care and welfare and , and , and. I do not have a problem with immigrants coming here speaking a different language. It's the ones who refuse to learn English and expect US to find a way to communicate with them. What other country has interpretors for other languages than their own? I realize a lot of countries do encourage their students to learn English but it isn't a requirement and they don't hire translators to explain things to Americans. Besides, how many languages do you think we should provide translators for? If you provide for one- you should provide for all.

Answer 9

Actually my family did speak English, my ancestors were from England and Ireland. They mixed a little here with native americans, but they also spoke English. I get your point though. It is unfair to say that immigrants need to learn English, I can see that it would be beneficial, but we cannot make anyone learn it.

Answer 10

have you ever noticed that english tv stations offen have subtitle available in spanish. But Spanish stations never have english subtitles. It not in their interest for their audience to learn english. As a result much of the media that they are exposed to really drives home the opinion that they need to protect their heritage and scontinue to speak spanish only.

Answer 11

Difference is, is that they learned English...
great they come to THIS country knowing how to speak their home language, No one is taking that from them, all they are saying is LEARN ENGLISH!! for *****'s sake really, I don't NEED to be bi-lingual to live in a country where the damn language is English should I? Why should I who was born here be forced to learn another language to accommodate those who come to this country? If they want to speak Spanish amongst themselves fine, but teach your kids English so that MY daughter isn't having to be HELD back by Spanish speaking kids in her class cause they have to have special treatment...
If you come to America learn English...
If I moved to another country I would sure as hell learn the language BEFORE I moved there, why should anybody have to accommodate me? hmm?