My County just made English its "Official Language"

what a pointless waste of time and money. Why dont they create jobs instead of masterbating to ego stroking culture wars.

 

Breeeeeathe

 

It could be worse. My entire state has tried to pass (and may have succeeded, I'm not sure, I know our Supreme Court through it out) a law that not only made English the official language, but also forbade state workers from speaking in another language while on the job. So basically if I were a state clerk and a Hispanic person wanted my help, I would have been legally forbidden to talk to him in Spanish.

 

Can't it just have two official languages, so that everything is bilingual?

 

Is it that big an issue, really?

When you go to a country, you are expected to know the language, correct? Then really, this is just reinforcing that. English is a 'world language' - most people in the western world know enough English to communicate with others. While they're not all illegal immigrants, if we went over to live in Mexico, would you expect that everything which we need be in English? That everybody speaks fluent English, and that everybody bends over backwards to meet the needs of a minority? No.

Despite the fact we have immigrants from China etc., we do not have everything printed in Chinese, despite the fact that in some suburbs in Brisbane have quite large Chinese populations.

And before you say "This means you're anti-gay rights etc." No, it doesn't. The fact that Adam Steve and Steve Adams of WeHateGod, Sydney are having gay buttsecks and want marriage doesn't impact me. Having all the things which come with making Spanish an 'official language' does.

 

Having an official language is pointless and is usually used as a wedge issue.

I think if a government needs to make an issue out of it that they are out of genuine ideas.

 

Sounds like it must be election season...someone needs to establish a record.

Sorry to hear about it. I'd feel the same way if I was there (and, living in Arizona, I think it's safe to say I can sympathize :lol. I also, in theory, don't like the idea of party politics, but like you, I find that the right makes it hard for me to avoid it... :eusa_doh:

 

Ugh. Austin (beachboi) I so agree with you. In my opinion, support of English Only laws is basically racism, pure and simple. It's no different than the Chinese exclusion laws, or Japanese internment, or African slaves, all black marks on US history. Even old farts complaining that the telephone system offers "press '2' for spanish" is just racism.

The process of assimilation in the US has been the same for probably 200 years now. Immigrants come into the community, and they might not speak (much) English and it might be difficult for them to learn (or maybe they don't even try). Their kids go to school and learn English but maybe speak another language at home. The kids of those kids grow up in an English speaking home, and sometimes can barely speak their grandparents language. No one sticks fully to the original language, because opportunity is limited in the USA when you can't speak English, and the key reason that immigrants come is so their children can have these opportunities. So we shouldn't punish them or ridicule them if the immigrants can't speak the language well.

/rant

 

I'm not sure about English being a difficult language to learn. Our language is a little like Russian, as it is spoken by indigenous speakers of Russian, in that we are extremely loosy-goosy with word order and grammar, in practice. I can understand non-native speakers of English just fine.

And heck, I don't mind dealing with people who don't speak my language at all. It's not all that much trouble to work out a temporary pidgin or something with someone I have to interact with regularly. I don't mind learning a few words of another person's language. I don't consider it an invasion or anything. It's kind of neat.

So, anyway, I think it's very nice and helpful if a government agency puts things out in different languages. I think it's something that ought to be encouraged and praised where it's done. It's a very nice way of showing consideration and presenting a welcoming atmosphere to people from elsewhere in the world...or, in some cases, non-English parts of our country.

So...I find "press 2 for Spanish" to be heart-warming. I consider my country's tradition of hospitality, in this respect, to be a mark of great pride. I ultimately think it's silly that so many people get so mad and bothered over it, on either side of it.

 

I am actually writing my current paper on this topic of whether or not immigrants should have to learn English in the United States. Would you happen to have a link to an article about this?

 

This.

I hope you argue in favor. In my country immigrants are not obligated to learn the language (Dutch), so basically no one really learns it. As a result, we have a huge population of immigrants, especially from Turkey and Morocco, who barely speak Dutch. It's freaking annoying. If I have an electrician coming over, I want him to be able to communicate with me about how to fix the problem. Even at the supermarket you'll find people who just can't help you with anything because of the language barrier. And I think it's ridiculous, because it's my country, so they should adjust to my language, not the other way around. :bang:

I really have strong opinions about this, because this is actually quite an issue in my country, because of the lack of a law saying anything about language. I'd do anything for a law the op described. Come live over here for a week and I'm sure people will have a different opinion.

*This is just me, though, I respect any other opinions.

 

It's more of an annoyance, really, so long as they don't see it fit to ever create laws enforcing a "requirement" to speak English or foster an environment of hatred against immigrants.

It's more the ill-informed political message that rights wingers in America are implying - that English is the "proper" language of America and that our Founders intended that to be the case, that silly things like this ought to be enforced in social policy, and (in some cases) the idea that Mexican immigrants are somehow second-rate citizens whom speak the "language of the Ghetto" (as Mr. Gingrich felt so inclined to point out a few years ago ).

The most annoying part of that notion for me is the idea that English is the "correct" language to speak in America, and that are Founding Fathers somehow wanted that to be the case is quite incorrect. Heck, if anything it's inherently anti-American in personal value. This government was founded upon the wish that it would not have an "official" anything - no official religion, language, social structure, universally-applied State laws (with exceptions later added), et cetera. I.e., the slogan regarding language in America ought to be "This is America, I speak whatever the hell I want." Instead we have legions of people claiming that we must be forced to speak English...

And that is my muddled rant for the day, lol..

 

Funny fact, England doesn't have an official language (Though the UK does)

 

"English only" laws aren't intended to be racist. The advantages of one national language are numerous; most important of which is ensuring Americans don't have to learn a new language in order to "keep up."

A sensible alternative to existing laws, however, would be ensuring dominance of English rather than creating a monopoly. For example, codify that all documents be in English while simultaneously permitting other languages to ease assimilation while immigrants are still picking up the language. I'm not sure I see the point of outright outlawing other languages when you can simply require English as a baseline.

It's a "tyranny of the majority" kind of thing. If I were planning on emigrating to Mexico, I would waste no time in developing a mastery of Spanish.

 

The US as a whole doesnt have an official language although I believe it was almost German....fun fact...but dont quote me on it lol

 

Zontar, if I were in a mostly Spanish-speaking part of the US, I am not sure I could see myself as being entitled to being spoken to in English. If I go into an authentic Mexican restaurant, I see being spoken to in English as a courtesy, and I try to smile a lot and show my appreciation. If I am in a high-Espanol neighborhood, I tend to look to the people who do speak English as go-to community-leader kinds of people.

I would also have to see more information on the repercussions of laws targeted at making one language more dominant. I am not unilaterally against these kinds of laws, but I would have to know more about how they worked in practice before weighing in on them.

 

I support making English the official tongue.

Not only that, I favor restoring English to what it would have sounded like 1000 years ago under the Anglo Saxons.

It was more manly than modern English.