Are we forcing immigrants to learn English ?

Question

if you traveled to any country is in your own intrest to learn their language for communication.But let not forget that when Britain and France colonize part of the world they impose their language on the people without their wiling. In africa for example there are about 2000 defirent languages non is use as an official accept (amharic)in Ethiopia as it was never been colonized.what i want to say is that they should learn the language that the native people speak. Ok, let say we now in a modern svlse wrld i met a brish man who's being in Saudi arabia 4two yrs the only arabic word he knew is (MARHABAN BILMIMLAKA) IS mean welcome to the kingdom.PLEASE DONT BE OFFENDED I LOVE ENGLISH

Answer 1

It has to do with cultural and political control. Typically the strongest survives. English was probably a more developed language than the one present at the time and place.

For example: The Roman Empire controlled Greece politically, but Greece's culture was so strong that it changed the Roman culture - i.e. mythology.

And no, we are not forcing anyone. If you go to Florida, Texas, California, and New York, you will see many government offices with Spanish translations on the walls and on the documents.

Answer 2

If you intend to live in a country then learn the local language there and be respectful to their religion and laws too. I think anyone coming to an English speaking country should be able to speak it or go home. I know families here in Cnada that are here for over 30 years and the parents still know zero other than "allo" for hello. Also as far as Africa my friend I speak a lot of Swahili as it is the language they use in the areas around Uganda where I was stationed for about 6 months and the locals loved it when I spoke to them. Also Africa the "Continent"as you put it is a large population of tribes and "countries" to say the least and the dialects are all different too. The people of Uganda for instance speak Swahili, Lugandan, Zulu and English. If one does travel it is within their best interest to learn at least the basics of the local language, but if you intend to stay there, then learn it all. Not like the ones that come here to Canada and put up their own language signs on stores and yet if I open any sort of business I have to put it in English and French which are our 2 national so called languages here. I am from Scotland and was raised in the English language system. Now where is the discrimination here? I have to comply with the 2 national languages yet the Ch, Ar, In, (short form initials) and the rest come here and the government says zero to them. There are certain areas in the North east side of Toronto where I have no clue if I am going into a video store or a local butchers or a body rub parlour.

Answer 3

If you are going to live somewhere for some time, you should make the effort to learn to speak the language used there, in the manner it is used. For instance, English, spoken in the US, is different to the English spoken in the UK and in Australia. This is true, even if we would like to think that it is the same language. The English spoken in some of the Islands in the Caribbean, is different again. I have seen English and Americans in the Caribbean telling the people living there to 'speak' proper English, when instead, those people should be trying to speak proper Caribbean English.

I lived in France for 5 months, and spent a lot of time trying to speak to the French in my poor French. It was not appreciated, by some I was told to speak English, as my French was not up to the standard expected to carry on a conversation, and others would just turn their backs on me and walk away. Why 'English' speakers put up with outrageous French Accented English when the French will not put up with outrageous English Accented French I'll never understand.

In a Spanish speaking country, I speak Spanish, not very well, but I speak it.

But many people feel that if they are travelling and only spending a little time in a country, they don't have to learn anything about the country, except perhaps how it looks.

If you are going to live somewhere for any long length of time, you should try to speak the Official Language of that country.

England is is English. Wales, it is Welsh. But in the USofA, there is no official language, it is what ever it is. Hence, in the USofA, you can find pockets where everyone speak Russian, Spanish, Italian, Greek, Welsh, and a host of other languages.

The only part of the US 'Empire' that has an "Official Language", is Puerto Rico, which lists both English and Spanish as official languages.

So people coming to the UK, should learn English. And people going to Saudi Arabia, should learn what ever the official language is.

Answer 4

Of course you should learn the language of the country. I live now Germany and study twice a week at an evening class. My German is far from perfect but I can speak with my colleagues, friends and strangers and go about my daily life. I do know other English people here who have been living here for 5 - 10 years and their German ranges from extremely bad to non-existent.

I think languages should be encouraged more in schools and the way they are taught should be changed to make them more interesting. I wish that I had learned a language to a reasonable degree of competence in school but I was put off languages by the way they were taught and also because there was prevailing attitude that you didn't need to learn another language because everyone else speaks English in world. That statement is completely untrue.

Answer 5

We do not force people these days to speak English. In fact we offer help to immigrants who cannot speak English interpreters to translate for them in cases where they need to speak to one of the authorities, Local Councils for example. However, it is in the immigrants best interests to learn English so that they can integrate into society. They do need to be able to do shopping for example. With the diversity of people in Britain today, it would be impossible to learn all their languages. By rights the man mentioned in your question should of made more of an effort to learn more of your language, unfortunately growing up in a society where English is predominantly the second language spoken by most countries. There is no incentive for us to do so.
There are more English people who can speak other languages now, due to the revised education system, which makes it more important to learn a second language. I've always considered that the British people have been arrogant when travelling abroad and don't attempt to learn at least the basics of the native language, but we are changing slowly.

Answer 6

One has to learn English so that the person can go freely any where in the world. It is the International language spoken almost everywhere in the world. It acts as an umbrella to safeguard one's interests. A decade ago to learn English, you had to attend costly English classes or purchase course material like tapes and books. Now you can learn English for free from the comfort of your home using the Internet. The BBC and the British Council offer a number of on line courses, which teach written and spoken English. You can also improve your English by watching television programs and reading English newspapers. For more information, visit http://tinyurl.com/qnzpt

Answer 7

I feel that if you live in a country you should learn the language not only so you can communicate with people but so you can understand customs etc better. If I moved to Greece I would learn Greek and I would speak greek when around Greek people, because I feel there is nothing worse than when you are in the company of people who cant be bothered to learn our language its soooooooooooooooooo rude!! Sorry just my thoughts x x x

Answer 8

I dont believe so, they come here of their own free will, if they plan to get anywhere during their stay, they have to learn the native language!

Now if the british were going round to other countries, imposing the english language on them, that would be totally different. As it happens that is not the case.

So i disagree, they're not being forced to do anything!

Answer 9

We've changed since our days of colonisation when we wanted to turn India and Africa into extensions of the UK.
Today, yes immigrants to any country should make an effort to learn the national language. If I was moving to Spain I'd learn Spanish.
I work for a bank and regularly meet customers who have been in the UK for many years, have lived in their own ethnic group, and cannot speak a word of English - annoys me and comes across as antisocial.

Answer 10

To me, it's not a question of forcing immigrants to learn English, it's a question of helping immigrants to learn English.

Settling in a new country, particularly one with a significantly different culture to your own, is a very difficult process, so it is no wonder that communities of people in a similar situation form, to help each other out. Look at the situation in reverse: go to somewhere like Tervuren in Belgium, and see how the British ex-pats interact.

Remember that to move halfway across the world in search of a better life is often a dangerous, difficult (even life-threatening) thing to do, and is not taken likely. People doing so therefore want to work, want to integrate, want to do the best for themselves and their families. But English is not an easy language to learn, and, if you come here as a refugee, you do not have the chance to learn before you leave.

It makes best sense to help people in such a situation integrate, and the best way to do that is with sponsored language lessons. This helps prevent the ghettoisation that keeps the current situation, and benefits nobody.

It is an easy situation to fall into. Just look at all the countless British communities abroad that have utterly failed to integrate or learn a local language. Look particularly in Spain, Hong Kong, Japan...

Answer 11

All of my family as far back as 4 generations were immigrants from Ireland or Germany. Nearly all of them bilingual. Most of them speak their native language when they are at home. They still feel a sense of pride for being from their countries of origin.

I have always found it interesting that my maternal grandfather learned to speak German at home and wasn't taught English by his parents. When he was finally put into the public school system around the age of 7 he quickly learned English to assimilate. This was in the late 1920's and early 30's. My grandfather felt so much pride at being an American that he never spoke German again. He even fought as an American in WWII. Not against the Germans but against Nazism. He loves the country of his origin but he told me that once he educated himself and realized the sacrifices made by so many Americans before him, to be able to call himself an American and enjoy everything that being an American affords him, it would have been a "Contradiction of commitment" [his favorite expression] not to use the language of the country that has provided life, liberty,and the pursuit of happiness to all of its citizens.
He was a strong, loyal,hard working beautiful man and I miss him very much. He died Dec. 23,2004. Men with such character and strength are hard to find.
So I hold being a citizen of the United States very important and deserving of my loyalty and that includes being able to communicate with its citizens. How would anything ever be dealt with or decided upon if we all spoke a different language. Everyone speaking one language provides us unity through diversity.