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Learn Our Language
December 30, 2008
This is a headline story right here! It has to be one of the top issues in the country today. I am referring to the "Press two for Spanish" issue. Why is this even an option? If someone wants to become an American badly enough, they should take the initiative to learn the language that is spoken here: English. I mean, does the government not know that by allowing a language barrier to exist inside our country, they are potenially limiting the progression of the country. There should not be a need for any type of translator in our country. How can we be called the top country in the world if the citizens within it are not able to communicate freely? "Press two for Spanish" is also one of the most annoying statements that can be uttered over the phone. Spanish is not the only problem either. It is all the gibberish and nonsense that has to be endured before actually having the opportunity to speak to a customer service officer or telephone operator. I believe that Americans need to keep it simple. Diversity is grand, but when it pertains to the language, there is a problem. I have a simple solution that will unify our country and tear down the language barrier: Learn our language or go home!
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This article has 201 comments.
Luifie said...
on Jan. 4 2014 at 1:58 am
Although I do agree with you that learning the english language should be important if a person is considering moving or visiting the U.S., I definitely do not agree with your closing statement about "going home" if you do not learn the english language. I do not wish to be rude or negative, but have you considered that even if some people do learn the english language but are hispanic, that they maybe they feel more comfortable speaking to somebody over the phone in their native language? Also, being a translator/intreprator for any language is a great job because of the number of immigrants that are in this country who's native language is not english? I believe that people who come to the U.S. speaking a lanuge other an english such as japanese, russian, or somali bring diversity to our country. They beautify this country with their culture and language, and I feel that is important to a country that wants to be called "the land of the free." Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, including you. I am not bad mouthing, but simply expressing my opinion about this topic.
DID you even read this again? I thought that America was supposed to take "your tired, your poor. Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" What happened to that! If language is a clause in that statement, then America is going downhill more than I thought.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" What happened to that! If language is a clause in that statement, then America is going downhill more than I thought.
JustinNelson BRONZE said...
on Oct. 17 2013 at 3:36 pm
Very interesting opinion, I certainly agree. Immigrants are essentially separate from the rest of society by all these government barriers, but hey obama says we gotta drone Syria so don't worry about it!
blythebaird BRONZE said...
on Sep. 20 2013 at 7:40 am
Are you actually being serious right now? Did you even read this at all before you submitted it?
stellamaare BRONZE said...
on Aug. 19 2013 at 11:57 am
Here too live many natons, but i understand them in 85% of cases. I think that people have right to speak with accent, or in free time speaking on their native language.
America is a place for people with a dream to go. People that are in such extreme forms of poverity come here because they believe that they will have a better life in America. I'm proud that they think that of our country. And I'm more than happy to open our doors to those less fortunate. One more thing, I'm a Democrat. Are you a Republican?
I_Bleed_Acrylic_Paint said...
on May. 22 2013 at 12:26 am
Yes, because people immigrating to escape poverty, violence, instability, and/or war have time to learn English from scratch. Honestly. Not everyone has the opportunity to learn before immigrating. The lucky, yes, but not enough people.
plathfanatic GOLD said...
on May. 18 2013 at 8:04 pm
You're kidding me, right? First of all, there is no official language here in the U.S. People have the right to speak in any lingua franca they desire. Learning a new language isnt easy either. And for those of you who are commenting about how they also hate when they call customer service and the person on the other end of the call has a "foreign accent".. its called outsourcing. American companies transfer certain jobs to other countries in order to reduce costs and provide jobs to highly populated third world countries and such. Those people have "foreign accents" because they are sitting in an office, in front of a computer in some place like Delhi, India. They arent American, and English is not their first language. I'm sure people hate when we go on vacation and speak the native vernacular terribly. Think about what you're really saying or agreeing too, before you post it guys. I respect your right to an opinion, but i do not think you've given it much thought. Lot's of brilliant people in this world speak "gibberish and nonsense."
d124816d said...
on Apr. 11 2013 at 4:48 pm
English is not the official language of America and the entire southwest used to be Mexico. So yes, to press two for Spanish.
AJH99 said...
on Mar. 26 2013 at 10:26 am
I agree completely!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MaccabeePreiss said...
on Feb. 18 2013 at 11:18 pm
Yet what would happen if another language seemingly takes over English as the linga franca? If the Subcontinent and Far East continue their influence on buisness and global commerce - enough so that during the next span of decades Hindi or Manadarin becomes more beneficial to learn, would you continue this stubborness? Now it does bother me to some extent over the amount of immigrants who do not speak English in the United States, lingual diversity helps promote tolerance, respect, and understanding.
patricia216 said...
on Feb. 18 2013 at 4:30 pm
You're doing a great job with English right now. Continue to learn grammar and read as much as you can and I promise that you will improve!
DreamAngel BRONZE said...
on Feb. 17 2013 at 10:04 am
Though you do bring up a point, I have to disagree with you. America is a country made up of immigrants. Because it is a society made of immigrants, I think that we should actually want the immigrants to keep their language and tradition. However, that is not at all the same as not integrating themselves into society. Though they should integrate themselves into this country, they should do it in a way that they still keep their roots, because that's what made this country in the first place. Also, it takes a really long time to leanr a new language, so to have facilities that cater to people still learning English is actually more of a blessing than a curse, I believe.
Well, the issue of Americans not knowing proper English is a completely different story, but it's not like they don't know enough to order food at a restaurant or talk to a receptionist on the phone. The problem with American English is, well... let's not go there... My views on America are so self-contradictory...
I understand what you are saying, and yes in the beginning, it may be hard to learn to read Chinese or Japanese... but, in the English language we have many rules and exceptions to the rules that can be confusing to those who don't know our language. And, even the adults who have lived in America all their life, are still learning new words.
I understand what you are saying, and yes in the beginning, it may be hard to learn to read Chinese or Japanese... but, in the English language we have many rules and exceptions to the rules that can be confusing to those who don't know our language. And, even the adults who have lived in America all thier life, are still learning new words.
Actually, I have to say Chinese is the hardest because its alphabet is COMPLETELY hieroglyphic, and has all of the different tones and just makes me feel like fainting. To go from Spanish to English is much easier, you don't have to learn a completely different alphabet than your own, like trying to learn Japanese if your first language was English (I've tried this and it's hard, especially if you're teaching yourself). And a lot of words in English have similar roots to those in Spanish (part of the reason why both languages use the same alphabet), so it's not too different. Yes, English is different from the romance languages because of the verb conjugation and where the adjectives go and the whole "X of Y" thing that is "Y's X" in English, but maybe I'm biased because languages come easier to me.
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