All Nonfiction
- Bullying
- Books
- Academic
- Author Interviews
- Celebrity interviews
- College Articles
- College Essays
- Educator of the Year
- Heroes
- Interviews
- Memoir
- Personal Experience
- Sports
- Travel & Culture
All Opinions
- Bullying
- Current Events / Politics
- Discrimination
- Drugs / Alcohol / Smoking
- Entertainment / Celebrities
- Environment
- Love / Relationships
- Movies / Music / TV
- Pop Culture / Trends
- School / College
- Social Issues / Civics
- Spirituality / Religion
- Sports / Hobbies
All Hot Topics
- Bullying
- Community Service
- Environment
- Health
- Letters to the Editor
- Pride & Prejudice
- What Matters
- Back
Summer Guide
- Program Links
- Program Reviews
- Back
College Guide
- College Links
- College Reviews
- College Essays
- College Articles
- Back
Learn Our Language
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!
Similar Articles
JOIN THE DISCUSSION
This article has 201 comments.
This. Is. Terrible. You make it sound like people that come here DON'T want to learn English. The truth is, they do. But English isn't easy to learn; English is developing new slang everyday and it has the most words in it. My English class discussed the English language once and discovered it has about 10x as many words as Chinese, which has a large variety of words as is.
Also, learning English comes with risks(surprisingly). Learning English can make your native language fade. Why? Because everyday you are surrounded by English. Being surrounded by English will slowly envelop your mind and cover up your native language. I know because my native language is fading a little bit every day, and if it wasen't for my dad making me speak my native language at home, I would have lost my native language by now.
My dad came here from Vietnam about 20 years ago and ever since, he has been trying to learn English everyday, but even now, he only knows about 1/10 of the words/language I do.
So don't tell everyone to learn English so freely, it's not as simple as you think it is.
I just want to add something here: The United States of America does not have an official language. "Taking an initiative?" - There are many people in my school who struggle to learn English. Yet, they are American. Just as much as you, presumably, and me. Therefore, they can't "go home". They are already home. They are equally intelligent - I know that for a fact. They are trying extremely hard to learn English, which by the way happens to be one of the hardest languages in the world. Much harder than French or Spanish. ESL classes are not for fun where it's "yippee i don't have to learn English now!!" The whole point of them is to get of ESL to join regular classes, and thus they do teach English. I know quite a few students who have gotten out. In the some parts of the world, they try to use English in addition to their native languages. But English is not the universal language by far. Which countries have the largest population? China and India. When I went to Israel, they had signs in three different languages - yet their official language is Hebrew. Why do we complain when, as stated, we dont even have an official language. If you want a universal language, you have to play fair. Learn Esperanto if that's your goal.
omg THANK YOU!
at my school we have used half our money to help kids who only know spanish get more help from spanish teachers, not to help them in engilish, but TEACH THEM IN SPANISH! and at my school there allowed to just speak spanish. and i researched that btw. but i am so with you learn our language or go home! i agree its a touchy subject but i am SO fed up with all the people who come to AMERICA and dont and wont learn ENGLISH! It really makes me so p.oed so yeah.
This is a touchy subject, I do have to say. There are many ways to go about living in a multi-lingual world. One of the ways is to stay seated in the English language, or branch out. I encourage the learning of different languages.
Yes, having a language barrier is a difficult thing to have to live though. Maintaining it weakens the structure of society. (Telling non-English speaking immigrants to learn our language in English might not work as well).
Instead of telling other people to change, be the agent of change. The message become stronger if you yourself also take steps towards becoming multi-lingual.
I wish you the best of luck!
Freedom_Cow
Maybe you're the one who needs to learn a new language: Respect.
This is very offensive. My first language isn't English, and my parents don't speak English well either. Yet we have the same right as anyone to be here. This country is first and foremost about freedom. It's important to take into account the cultural diversity in our country. It's a good thing, and seeing it as an annoyance just seems bigoted and prejudiced.
America is a country of immigrants. "Our language" is not English. It's Spanish and Chinese and French and German and Japanese and every language in between. What you're basically saying is that Spanish and Chinese are not as valid as English.
"learn our language or go home"? America is our home.
give me your tired, your poor
your huddled masses yearning to breathe free
1 article 0 photos 42 comments
Favorite Quote:
When you've lost it all.......That's when you finally realize.....That life is BEAUTIFUL
Hm...I disagree...first of all, yes, English is one of the most difficult languages to learn...
Not to mention that I find other languages, such as Italian and Japanese to be interesting....beautiful even....