Does it bother you that 40% of London schoolchildren do not speak English at home?

Question

Just read this and found it appalling. There really is no such thing as assimilation anymore, is there. Move into a country, but don't adapt to it at all.

DK- Diversity? Nice buzzword. It means chaos. Should every cop, doctor, and judge learn to speak 5 or 6 different languages so they can speak to their non-english speaking constituents?

EDIT: I'm American and of German and Irish extraction. I don't speak German or freakin' Gaelic at home and no one in my family does. That's how we became citizens and not just squatters.

KINI- the UK is "accepting" its way into Third-World status by opening the floodgates to people that do not want to assimiliate. In 20 years, sharia'a law will be practiced openly in London, mark my words.

DIRK D-
I speak English, Spanish (self-taught) and I am teaching myself Arabic. Being American is not "bland nothingness," it is the nationality my relatives CHOSE when they came here.

Answer 1

How many British children abroad do you think speak the language of their adopted country rather than English with their parents at home? Do you think that is also "disgusting"? So there are children who are bilingual, sometimes even trilingual - that is a good thing. Children pick up languages extremely easily and quickly. Two Norwegian lads I went to school with knew not a word when they first arrived. After one term they were fluent. At home they spoke Norwegian. How is that "disgusting"?

Answer 2

What they speak at home is their business, isn't it? If anything, it is a competitive advantage. Language skills are essential in a global economy, especially in the UK. Our office in the UK has a hard time getting anyone with language skills other than English. How do you expect companies to find employees that speak Spanish, German, French, Polish or Dutch fluently? We have to hire people that learn it at home...

Incidentally, I understand it was hard to hang on the german heritage through WWII, but it is still sad to see a family completely forget everything. The point of the melting pot is to contribute something, not to become some bland nothingness. And I certainly can't fathom that you would be proud that you can only speak one language.

EDIT: Good that you've learned some Spanish and are starting some Arabic. But are you actually claiming that you are proficient in those? In my experience there is no substitute to immersion. If you don't live it and breathe it, you won't get the finer parts of the language.

On the blandness of American culture, I'll have to disagree. The best part about being in a big American city is that you can experience many cultures easily - often easier than in the countries those cultures come from. But tastes vary. Can you tell us what cultural thing you see as typically American?

If you're currently based in the UK, please go sample some good old-fashioned traditional British cooking, and then tell me that some "diversity" would be bad for that country ;).

Answer 3

I think that when people move to new countries that they should learn and use the language of their new country. But as far as speaking their native tongue at home, or in neighborhoods that are of the same background as them, that is fine with me. I think when you forget your language you lose part of yourself, and your culture. So what if they are speaking something other than English in their homes as long as when they are out in the schools and can communicate with others in English that is all that should matter.

Answer 4

Yes it does because indigenous children suffer because of the time and resources spent on children whose first language isn't English. This Government and B-liar should all be tried as traitors, they have ruined England with their refusal to impose any control over immigration.

Answer 5

it extremely is purely stupid human beings specially. have self belief me, i'm interior the rustic, and that i've got talked to human beings like that, nonetheless maximum are unlike that for the time of any respect. those sort of persons particularly supply the rustic a foul call, i'm particular that there are human beings like that for the time of England, or the different area of the worldwide additionally. Ignorant all and sundry is everywhere.

Answer 6

Is this the story http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=496466&in_page_id=1770 ? Not surprisingly it's in the Daily Mail!

Like others have said, just because they speak a foreign language at home doesn't necessarily mean they can't speak English! And children find it much easier to pick up a foreign language than adults. I think you're just reading what you want to read.

Answer 7

Provided that they can speak English when out and about and in school, it surely matters not what mumbo-jumbo they use at home.

Answer 8

I'm from America, and the bothers me! Maybe because we have a similar situation going on here. Only about 50% of Californians speak English at home. The USA is literally being invaded by Spanish speaking immigrants mostly from Mexico. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing racist against them, but what is happening to OUR country? So, don't feel like you're alone, Britons, because we are facing some of the same challenges over here.

Answer 9

Why do you care so much what language they speak at home?
If I moved to a non-English-speaking country, I would continue to speak English in my home, and use the native language when out conducting business.

Should they be restricted from speaking their native language at all? If they can't speak it at home, where do you propose they be allowed to speak it?

Answer 10

It bothers me more that more than that figure don't speak english in the street either!!.....It appears 'cool' especially in the south for white kids to speak as though they were from Africa or the west indies! What a disgrace!!