Americans...What action can we take to reunite our country with the English language?

Question

I am not looking for racial answers here. My best friend is from Mexico and even agrees with me on this. My kids are required to learn Spanish at a young age..why don't we take that funding and force the Spanish kids to learn English? There are businesses that have only Spanish signs available. I called 911 a few months back and, no joke, had to press one for English! (Nevada Highway Patrol to be exact).
Now I am not hateful. I have no problem with people wanting to come here for a better life. But learn the language. If you want to be here so damn bad then become American. Don't force my kids and my life to go Mexican. I have never been a person who has disliked any one group, but I have noticed lately that I really resent Spanish speakers. I am sick of it. What can we do as Americans to get our country back?
LOL, I just got an email answer to this question from an African American that said 'on the up side, we (Americans) are now all united for a common cause'

Answer 1

Having studied languages most of my life, I think I am uniquely qualified to answer this.

First and foremost, you have to drum it into the heads of bleeding heart Liberals that learning English is not difficult. It is one of the easiest languages on the planet. So, little Pedrito does NOT need bilingual education. He should be functionally literate in English within a year.

Recently I moved to Prague (Czech Republic). People here do not treat language like some unsolvable mystery. They don't act like it's some huge barrier no one should be expected to overcome. Here, young kids, High School and College age often go to another country and work an entire summer. On the way, they learn the language..... amazingly well.

The reason we haven't been more resolute about forcing people to learn English is this pandering Liberal attitude that we can't expect people to lean the language. That's nonsense. Do you know who is teaching me Czech? A High School student !!!!

Yep, at 46 years old, I'm being taught by a High School student, and his command of English is excellent. Has he ever lived in an English speaking country? No. The Mexicans, etc. have no excuse. They should be embarrassed. They've been bested by a High School student.

In fact, the main difficulty in learning Czech is that SO MANY people here are so proficient in English. They won't give you the opportunity to even try.

So, let's remove the misconception that learning English is some Herculean task. That removes all excuses for not learning.

Answer 2

To the person that said that English should be the official language... I hate to burst your bubble, but it is and look how well we have enforced it.

As for this person being racist - I don't think so... I don't know anyone right now that thinks much different than she does.

As for the black person that emailed her - this was a statement made by a black person on a news show a few months back. I think it was more like "Finally, the African American and Caucasian communities have come together for a united cause! To get OUR country back" I don't remember who said it. My hubby is black and has said something similar since he heard that. It has brought our country together, that is for sure. So, on that note, I don't think the emailer meant that the black and mexican people are united. I think he/she meant that we being the black community, hispanic, white, asian, irish, indian..... American community are on the same page with this issue. Think very hard... if you don't have a unifying language than you have conflict. If we all just speak the language we want and not learn a unifying language then in states of emergency - what language should they broadcast instructions? If the workers in a Wal-Mart can't speak English and there is an emergency, how will they direct the person to safety? There are so many problems with this that it is unreal. Get off your politically correct soapbox and think about the consequences of what we are doing.

BTW - I moved here legally when I was two - from Mexico. My parents learned English as fast as they could and now I only speak English. I can't remember ever speaking Spanish. I do wish I could have retained that, but I had a lot easier time in school than my friends and family who didn't HAVE to speak English.

Answer 3

That is the problem , we funded them to much, this is why there are so many here. All illegals need to be sent back, legals stay. Illegals needs to go through the legal process to be here and be able to speak English to get citizenship. All have let this go on to long, while whine now, the press a button for English and Spanish has been going on for at least 15 yrs or more. Best way to stop it, is force it. United for a common cause of what, support all the non english speaking illegals from Mexico, I think not.

Answer 4

No its not racist. Englich is the language of the land and if you live here you need to learn it. The government bending over backwards to do everything bilingual(including ESL classes) has turned Houston into a city that has large areas where no speaks English. I have several friends whose parents have been here for over 20 yrs and refuse to learn English. A country cannot survive without a common language. It just does not work. To be a country there must be one language.

Answer 5

For starters, stop hiring people to answer phones who can barely speak English! Grrrrrr! When I talk to a business on the phone, I want information, service, or to conduct business. I can't do this when the person on the other end of the phone line speaks such poor English that makes it a totally useless phone call. If you can't speak English, you shoud not have a job that requires communication with customers.

Another thing we can do is stop making it more profitable to live off welfare than it is to take available jobs. The aliens gladly take these jobs that Americans don't want.

When I was in Mexico many years ago, English was taught to school children. These children are adults now. So why are there young adults from Mexico who cannot speak English? Do we presume they must be dropouts?

As for the Asians, do you know 5 of them who can speak English well enough to communicate? Neither do I, even though I am married to one. We have concluded that the reason is that most of them live and shop in ethinc villages (such as Chinatown), instead of interacting with the general American population. That could be our fault for not reaching out to make them feel comfortable, or it could be their fear of stepping outside their comfort zone.

It doesn't matter whether you are Chinese, Spanish, French, Russian, or whatever. You will never learn to speak the language unless you interact with the people who speak that language. So my answers is: Interaction.

Answer 6

Well, I support you. I am a Chinese guy in China. I started learning English when I was 7. When I go to the US, I do not want to speak Spanish or French. People told me that when I started learning it. Let us make this thing simple and easy. It is common sense that a language is simply a tool. Nothing else.

Answer 7

I was reading through other responses, where someone said that there are other languages being spoken in doctors offices etc. Thats fine, but it seems to be one particular group of people who think they can say and do whatever they want, whenever they want. I know several Romanians who came to America, not because they wanted to, but because they sought refuge here, and our country was open to them. They have been learning English since day one, and when I am around, they speak English. I have overheard them speaking their native tongue, but when I come into the room, they switch to English. It's called respect. If my taxes are going to pay for someone's drug habit, then I should at least get the respect of being able to understand their "Fcuk You"

PS A house divided cannot stand. Americans need to unite on this and demand to have English as an offical language.

Answer 8

I understand where you are coming from and as well as the answers you got from your questions.

I am not hispanic but I think you are racial profiling. English is the main language here in America but come to think of it...where did the English language came from? And where did the Spanish language originated?

For me, English language is a universal language. You go to Asia, people speak in their native language but has to learn English as well. You go to Europe, some people speak in English as well. From where I came from, we study English from Grade 1 and we didn't argue with that, it's like our second language. America as a whole is very different from the eyes of a foreign country and you should take credit for that. In our country, its like a second language. Its hard to get a job if you're not fluent in English, at least a white collar job.

I don't think you'll loose your country because of the Spanish language being taught in schools. Afterall, Spanish is not just a language of Mexicans...in fact, it originated from Europe. Just as the backbone of English is old english in Europe.

Its an advantage for your child to learn spanish. Don't worry, she won't loose his/her identity as a true American. She will just extend her capabilities not just here in her own country, but as well as beyond borders. You are opening an opportunity for your child to explore beyond her comfort zone someday when she grows up and tell the world of the things she can do...not just speak of her own language, but other language as well.

It's just like a fisherman who knows how to fish, but at the same time, because of his other capabilities, he knows where to fish. Hehehe, hope it make sense :)

I have a baby and I want her to someday be bilingual since I am bilingual. Or if she wants, she could learn all other languages as well.

Answer 9

This issue has been discussed in my family for many years, My mothers parents were first generation Itallian and Sedish immigrants. No one went out of thier way to make it easy for their parents. They had a choice, learn English or accept a life of menial labor and minimum wage jobs. They chose to learn English. Stop putting up bilingual signs, let it be known that if you want to live in Los Estados Unitos, you should start calling it the United States.

Answer 10

Simple - pass a law to make English the official language of the United States. That alone would save millions, if not billions,of dollars by not having to label everything with at least six languages, and save school district and other public entities tons of money to comply to affirmative actions.