Why would someone say I was ignorant for asking about learning another language just to work in the U.S.A. ?

Question

In response to my last question, learning another language to work as a farm hand, some one considered me as "ignorant" for asking . I wasn't asking about one nationality or targeting a specific one, Ispeak alittle Canadian, and alittle Native American (you see, part of my family believed you come to the land you speak the language).
The Canadian I learned when I worked at a sawmill 70 miles from the Canadian border, Abinaki Indian because I have alittle indian in my blood, my question was what happened to any imorgrant learning our language,Inow work at an air force base in a groceriy store, and people are hired that don't even speak english on a federal instalation,why not even try to learn our language ?

Answer 1

The average American speaks one language fluently and can swear in one other language. Learning English as a second language is hard -its a difficult language to learn and if you have no teacher its very difficult. If you want them to learn English then help them out or help them by finding someone who can teach them. For the poor of other countries it can be difficult to get any where learning the language before they come here-that doesnt mean they dont want to learn it but had to wait til they got here.

Answer 2

- It's not "our language".
- It's not the official language of the U.S.
- The true language of this country is Native languages, we don't need to perpetuate the myth that English is the right language.
- This country was built on the precept of cultural diversity. This includes language.
- Why should they have to learn English? Why shouldn't you learn another language? As we've already established English isn't official U.S. language or true language.
- It's a double standard. Americans go to other countries and expect them to speak English. America is at the lowest end of the stick for language learning. MANY/MOST other nations speak multiple languages.

There are some reasons.

Answer 3

The US has become very tolerant of immigrants and therefore accommodates them. They do not require immigrants to learn the language as they did with former ancestors. You are not "ignorant" for asking such a question. It would be nice to have those who seek the freedoms of this nation also have the respect to learn the language. To speak their native language in their own homes is commendable because they don't want to forget where they came from, but it's also important to broaden their horizons and attempt to adapt to their new homeland.

Answer 4

Elaeblue- That is a lie for the majority of the immigrants who come here!! It has been proven that English is a hard language, but we are not asking immigrants to become valedictorian! We are asking to learn basics, and that can be learnt in 6 months!

The English Language is no where as difficult as ANY Asian—and if I can learn some Japanese on my own then the immigrants who come here, and LIVE here, can learn English! Period the end, there is no excuse.

Paul Y- that is a display of ignorance. (the woman you speak of); and that shows you that anyone can be immigrant, and that we should not single out the Hispanic immigrants who come here for their ignorance, we Americans of the United States can also showcase ignorance!


Some say you are ignorant because they are complacent with how their life is and how accommodating the United States are to them. If they were to learn English it would force them to commit to the rules of the US and become as United States individual. Some people have too much pride, but that pride can be confusing and then that just turns into ignorance. (and this goes for anyone who goes to a different country and does not adapt to their culture and language)

You are not ignorant, and they should learn English—and hell, assimilate themselves to the(US) American culture, after all we are in the US are we not?

Answer 5

i aplaud your efforts to learn a new language. whether you end up needing it or not, its a good thing to have.

on the part of those who dont speak english on the federal instalation, u have to put yurself in their shoes. think, "hell, if i could get this job and not have to learn a lick of english, why learn in now?" in whatever language they speak (im assuming we're talking abt mexicans here? maybe, maybe not) lots of people are devided on the issue with very few in the grey. your encounter with someone who considered you "ignorant" is clearly a supporter of immigrants in the USA, and these people dont take any **** that myt be about the immigrants. they get offended and dub you ignorant because you're supposedly trying to take away these peoples' culture.

i totally agree they should learn our language, if only to benefit themselves. it shouldnt be hard to learn a language when your practicly submerged in it, but hey...some people, right?

Answer 6

Stay on this board and you will see some of the arrogant things the Hispanic people say. They will call you ignorant for not wanting to have to learn a FOREIGN language in the US. But they can live here twenty years and not learn English. That is much more ignorant, but of course we are racist to point it out.

Answer 7

i was told by a person who lived in japan (a employee of the US FBI) the reason she did not learn the Japanese language was because she did not want to pollute her self?

well, i heard later that she was dumped (jilted) by a Japanese gentleman and she hated the Japanese and anything that was in their country...and yet she stayed many years working out of the US Embassy in Tokyo.>
this may or may not be the case every time but i do blame people being lazy to not learn another language to be better employees.

Answer 8

yes learn Spanish that good for you!!