Why do so many Americans believe that to live in this country, everyone has to speak english 100% of the time?

Question

Now, I am not saying that immigrants should not learn english, because I definitely believe that anyone moving to another country should try his or her hardest to learn the country's native tongue. But again, why should they lose their heritage as well? Why must immigrants conform and forget their roots just to have a better life here in the US?
I think that everyone needs to think back through their family trees and remember that they, too, came from another place, or at least once spoke a different language or dialect than what is spoken here.
Even those people of UK ancestry speak a different dialect than that of their ancestors. Have they forgotten this?
If they have, they need to wake up and realize that there is a huge world out there, with many different types of beautiful and wonderful cultures. No one should ever have to give up where they came from...and it is ignorant and infuriating to me to think that there are so many people out there that expect someone to do this.

English is God's language? How is that when the Bible was written in Hebrew? And Jesus spoke Hebrew?

In response to Timothy W:

I wrote this question from personal experience. I equate the loss of my native language to the loss of my heritage because if my children are forced to be embarrassed to speak spanish, from ridicule and hatred, they will never learn how their family history the way that I did. It is important to know where you came from, and to relate to your family members back in the country from which you came.

This is not morphing two topics together, but rather they quite clearly correspond.

I have had people come up to me, in public places such as grocery stores or the mall, and rudely tell me that I am "not allowed" to speak in spanish to my neighbour or on a telephone call.

This is when it is ridiculous. I clearly speak english with no problem. So why must I forget spanish? I should not have to, and will not.

How does this correlate with losing my heritage? Because the language of your ancestors is the largest, and most intimate part of your heritage

and it should be an honor to be able to speak and interact the way they do and once did. Plus, it will only ever help you to know more than one language. It can never hurt you to know too much.

Just a note:

Not to be too rude...but I think that it is really funny how so many people can yell and use all capital letters to show that they believe everyone should speak ENGLISH ENGLISH ENGLISH...

and then they themselves do not even know how to spell half of the words that they have typed...

I'm sorry, but I find it hard to be sympathetic to someone who judges before they look at themselves.

Answer 1

Oh! What a hot discussion. When a girl with flawless English explains native English speakers with poor spelling that she is discriminated as Spanish speaker and all... That proves only that we are on the eaves of great ethnic calamities in quite a nearest future. By the way I’d like to remind that Jesus spoke Greek as Greek was common in Palestine at those day, Jewish was a dead language by the time. It’s always easy to start a civil war, it’s difficult to stop it – see Afghanistan!

Answer 2

I completely agree that people should have a working grasp of the language of the country they are living in. However that does not mean that they should have to give up their heritage/language altogether. I work in retail and run into many people who speak English as a second language and do it very well and in almost all instances even if the parents don't speak English well the children in the family do and help out their parents.

One thing that people often do not understand is how hard English is to learn. It is far harder than the romance languages because there are more exceptions than rules and the grammatical structure is different. This is not an excuse but sometimes we should stop and remember than before we judge people harshly.

I am what most people would call a pure blooded American and I get a lot of trouble from family and friends because I only speak Spanish at home. I love the language and have adopted it as my second language but it makes many people crazy that I do not speak English all the time. I don't understand why they are upset because I was under the impression I have freedom of Speech/Expression in this country and I find no mention of that only covering English.

Basically we need to be a little more tolerant of others no matter what nationality/race/language/religion they are. Everyone can contribute to our society that's whats makes this country a truly great place to live.

Answer 3

That's not what they really say. Most mean is that instead of writing in Spanish or another language beneath English words (i.e. if a store puts up 'welcome' on the bottom they put a different language as well). And some immigrants don't even know english, and this is the top language in the world. If they won't learn, they will spread it around in a way to there kids and such. And some don't even want to learn this country's language, after all, America's top language is English. And the more people don't learn it, slowly this country's language may change.

And being Bi-lingual is great! It's just learn your home country language and don't be ignorant enough to just stick with your own language like a stubborn brat.

Answer 4

Simply, I can see that this is a passionate topic for you, as you have experienced people who "seem" to force you to do something in your private world, for which they have no authority. However, do understand that if we go to another country and plan to live, you should integrate into that country, which includes following their civil laws, their processes, etc. Any country would expect that, not just the U.S. The U.S. is an English speaking country; however, so many have immigrated here, English is probably no longer a "second" language, though it should remain primary. Many companies have implemented programs that allow Spanish speaking people to utilize their services in THAT language. How many countries will do that in English? When I went to Morocco, their second language was French. I plan to live there and must learn either Moroccan or French in order to communicate. Sweetie, I will NOT lose my heritage when I go there to live. I will not forget the English language - it is my heritage. My husband will NOT lose his heritage when he comes to live for these few years we are here. No one will ever lose their heritage just by speaking the language of the country they choose to make their home. By living in the U.S., no one has asked anyone to give up where they come - simply to embrace where they are. In the privacy of your own world where you are not interacting with the public for business, English does not have to be the primary conversational language. :)

When I am shopping at a store, I truly detest that so many of the workers insist on talking in their language (and this includes Indians, etc.). When I am the customer, they should acknowledge that and wait until their break time to complain in their language about an incident to their co-worker. This is just rude and ignorant. No one cares that people speak their language when they are not conducting business for an English speaking company.

If it bothers you terribly, you can always go to another country and hope that they change their processes to include your country's language to make you feel more at home. :)

Answer 5

No one has to speak English all of the time In fact, people who live in the United States are rather nosey by nature. They are always in someone else's business. So its rather difficult to be in someone else's business when they are not speaking English.I find it humerous when I hear someone speak French or Italian and people who live in the U.S. look at them as if they were foreigners. Then the same people start speaking English and the faces look rather jealous. The fact is that few in the United States know any other language except English. WHich is THEIR problem. Most who speak another language in the US also know English. Except for those who haven't been here that long. (I learned French and Italian...weren't that difficult)

(WE can't forget those who speak in 'tongues' either, can we?
omg ha ahahaha

People in the United States are under the blind assumption that we are Americans. But. If that is the case, so are people from Venezuela, and Brazil, etc. They are just as American as we are, in fact moreso.
We are from the United States. We are located in North America. So is Canada. and Between us and South America we find Central America. So these people are just as American as we are.

Answer 6

I am British and I haven't any concern with any Americans. In truth I keep in mind the United States to be a exceptional asset to western democracies as a complete.The buck and human price protecting our values and spreading democracy wherein tyranny reigned, is unrivaled via all European democracies in combination. The intent the USA is unpopular in our nation on the second is conveniently as a result of the leftist media's skewed reporting of parties. Mostly it's our lesser informed men and women ,that consider a have to belong to a fashion versus comparing the crisis ,which might be so much vocal. Many of my compatriots which might be speedy to sentence the movements and values of the United States,must watch out what they want for.I could as a substitute be Airstrip one million than Tehran two.

Answer 7

I think you are right. No one should be forced to speak one particular language or be shunned by society. But, I think there is something to be said about when immigrants should be using their native language and when they should be speaking English. Example: My workplace consists of 85% chinese folk. They speak more chinese than English all day long. I don't understand a word they are saying and they are my coworkers! I think that's rude and anti-team friendly! If you are new to the country and you meet fellow newbies - you should still speak English because you are in a workplace or public place where others would appreciate knowing you are not bad mouthing them behind their backs! NOW! How am I supposed to tell them that it is rude to speak chinese in front of me and my other English speaking coworkers?

Answer 8

you dont' have to speak english 100% of the time, but when you are doing business here or going to school here working with the public in any kind of way you should be able to speak english! Heck I would not go to France and expect the French to all learn english because I don't want to learn their language!

Answer 9

I don't believe that's what all Americans think. We just want people who choose to live in this country to speak the English language. We want to be able to communicate on a day to day basis with the people who hold jobs and provide service for us. We don't want to struggle to communicate that we want onions on our hamburger or that there's a problem with our phone service. I don't want them to give up anything..I want them to add and use this country's ways. I don't want to have to choose between several languages when making a call. If I were to decide to move to another country where I didn't speak the language, I know no one's going to be forgiving and adapt to my English. No one's going to put up new street signs in English or accommodate me with someone who speaks English when I go to apply for government help...oh wait! There is no government help! And honestly, I wouldn't EXPECT this. I would EXPECT to learn the language on the land. So, I disagree, I think you have it totally wrong. We don't want them to forget their language and customs, just respect where they are and adapt. Some people have been here 20 years and claim they don't speak English!

Answer 10

Your argument seems to morph one topic into another.

The majority of complaints I've seen are for non-English speaking immigrants to learn English as the Lingua Franca of life in the United States of America, rather than expect typical social and government services to cater to them by belaboring multi-language assistance (i.e., DMV forms in a rainbow of translations).

English is our native tongue, and anyone who wants to function in the US should learn 'enough' English to communicate at the most basic level with citizens in this country.

But I think we agree on that point. What puzzles me is your implied haste to equate this expectation (US speaks English) equivalent with the demand for immigrants to forsake their heritage and ancestry.

That's a non sequitur. How does insisting upon a single language as the official tongue of a nation equate to forcing immigrants to deny their heritage? Sorry, doesn't compute for me.

Best to you.