How much money does our country waste printing documents in different languages??

Question

All government documents now have to be printed in at LEAST 2 languages, and I have seen some that may have been printed in 8, or more. How much money do we spend catering to all of these fringe minorities?

Plus, don't you have to speak English to be a citizen, anyway?

There should only be ONE document in this country printed in other languages: The document to sign up for English classes.

---By the way, I am not saying people in our country should not be bilingual. In fact, I love the Hispanic culture, and it's language. But, if you want to live here, it should be REQUIRED that you speak English. However, we should also continue teaching our kids second languages. It never hurts to speak two languages, as long as one is English!

Answer 1

I guess is a lot of money...Yes it should be English ony...Is optioonal to learn a second or as many languages you want...But that is optional not a law...I myself I am a US citizen original from a Latin American country...And I learn 6 languages and English when I moved here I just speak and write English and I am OK with that so...

Answer 2

More than many would want to know. English is a requirement for citizenship. It has already been voted this states official language and they STILL cater to the hispanics.

I have written my senators...Durbin and Obama. Their response was a problem making it "official" since they still want to have any emergency notifications and warnings to be given in other languages in case there's an out-break or some other emergency and for our tourists. They're afraid if they make it "official" it will discourage people from learning the wonders of another language.

OK now. I've lived ALL over this country. I've lived in heavy tourist areas and very diverse immigrant areas. I have NEVER, EVER, seen any emergency evacuation, weather warning, or even leaflets left out for a Hep.B outbreak, mumps warning , meningitis warning...anything....done in any other language but English and Spanish. Not in writing, not verbally, and rarely even signed for the deaf. If it was....it was done by a person who owned their own shop and did it to be nice. So unless there's a secret channel only tourists know to tune into.....that explination just doesn't wash.

Now since we are a land of immigrants many are already bi-lingual by comming here and learning English. It's just not Spanish. Unless they have changed the rules there were requirements atleast to have a foreign language in order to get into college and then maybe more when you got in there. Latin for medical fields. Maybe Hebrew or Greek or some other language for relegious things. Others like me made choices to learn my ancestors languages and they aren't Spanish. Having English as our atleast beleived "official" language didn't stop people from learning other languages. So that excuse didn't wash either. Not to mention we have many natural born citizens who have no desire to do anymore than just live their life in peace here and shouldn't HAVE to learn a foreign language to do basic work or order a hamburger or get directions and ask for help. People who are bi-lingual and have gotten their education and have been doing their jobs shouldn't be threatened with job loss just because 1 specific group doesn't want to learn English.

Not everyone is really good at learning a mulitiude of different languages. Many are lucky they master one. If it's their countries main language they should not be mandated to learn the next language of another majority of immigrants who come here and decided they won't speak English either.

My neice has a wierd nail condition. Artificial nails helps atleast the looks for her. But there are certain things she has to tell the nail tech. She preferes the work of this asian salon since they seem to do a better job. They've checked other places but I guess depending on your area.....they have pretty much sewn up that market. Unfortunatly it's becomming more and more difficult to find someone who understands English and a smile and nod doesn't cut it. She speaks Spanish, and German and English and she's a citizen of this country. More than qualifies for bi-lingual. Now she's supposed to learn either Chinese or Korean to have a service done in this country? You can't be calling people racist in this country when they are willing and want to work with people from other races and cultures and can't because they won't learn English. Race isn't the issue.....language barrier is. Bottom line is THEY came HERE for whatever reason to cash in on money or education or freedom and speaking English is the LEAST they can do! If they only want to cater to "their" people and use their language as a way to keep the majority out or limit others ability for employment in other areas because of their refusal to learn English.....that's discrimination. When's the last time you had a hispanic employer looking for an English speaker? What are they gonna say when they speak Spanish and English and then they go to school and get an education and the better job they've been working for says "must speak Chinese" after they've done it for 30 years or you loose your job because it's the Chinese with the big bucks now. Where do you draw the line in an overly PC world? Where's the limit? Is the Mexican gardner going to learn 167 different languages to please all his various clientel?

Answer 3

The government is wasting far too much money on this, then trying to raise taxes to pay for useless things like this!
English should be required no matter who you are! Don't come here and expect us to learn your language to make you more comfortable.

Answer 4

I heard that it runs in the billions, especially when you include having a translator for the non-English speaking people. Los Angeles has so many different languages they have to deal with that it costs them lots!

Answer 5

It's a drop in the bucket.

Face it, this whole 'immigration problem' is just a way of channeling public outrage away from the government and onto Latinos whose only crime was trying to support their families. Meanwhile, how many hundreds of billions of dollars are we throwing away in Iraq? Hmmm, you're right though, we should ignore the elephant in the room and continue to scapegoat the little guys.

Answer 6

ThAT'S RIGHT = Learn English or get out

Answer 7

Its a democracy and therefore it is necessary that information be accesible to all of its citizens.

There are illegal residents who have children who are now legal members of society and may need to have paperwork filled out.

Also even if you are fluent in another language the language regarding politics and government are technical and difficult and so it is important to inform people.

Answer 8

Too damn much.