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English as Official Language of the USA

Posted by ChicagoMotorman on Tue Jul 29 09:52:37 2014

fiogf49gjkf0d
Here.

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(1208446)

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Re: English as Official Language of the USA

Posted by Spider-Pig on Tue Jul 29 09:57:28 2014, in response to English as Official Language of the USA, posted by ChicagoMotorman on Tue Jul 29 09:52:37 2014.

fiogf49gjkf0d
What does a church service have to do with mandating an official language? Mandating an official language would not repeal the First Amendment.

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(1208470)

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Re: English as Official Language of the USA

Posted by ChicagoMotorman on Tue Jul 29 10:29:49 2014, in response to Re: English as Official Language of the USA, posted by Spider-Pig on Tue Jul 29 09:57:28 2014.

fiogf49gjkf0d
Do You think that English should be our official language?

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(1208473)

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Re: English as Official Language of the USA

Posted by Spider-Pig on Tue Jul 29 10:32:39 2014, in response to Re: English as Official Language of the USA, posted by ChicagoMotorman on Tue Jul 29 10:29:49 2014.

fiogf49gjkf0d
Yes, but I don't think it's an important issue.

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(1208477)

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Re: English as Official Language of the USA

Posted by LuchAAA on Tue Jul 29 10:34:27 2014, in response to Re: English as Official Language of the USA, posted by ChicagoMotorman on Tue Jul 29 10:29:49 2014.

fiogf49gjkf0d
it is our official language.

the belief that immigrants resist English is exaggerated.

those who don't speak English, most likely can't read and write their own language, usually Spanish.



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(1208480)

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Re: English as Official Language of the USA

Posted by ChicagoMotorman on Tue Jul 29 10:36:09 2014, in response to Re: English as Official Language of the USA, posted by Spider-Pig on Tue Jul 29 10:32:39 2014.

fiogf49gjkf0d
I agree. There are a lot more important issues. Carry on.

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(1208482)

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Re: English as Official Language of the USA

Posted by ChicagoMotorman on Tue Jul 29 10:37:59 2014, in response to Re: English as Official Language of the USA, posted by LuchAAA on Tue Jul 29 10:34:27 2014.

fiogf49gjkf0d
It isn't by law.

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(1208483)

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Re: English as Official Language of the USA

Posted by Spider-Pig on Tue Jul 29 10:40:27 2014, in response to Re: English as Official Language of the USA, posted by ChicagoMotorman on Tue Jul 29 10:37:59 2014.

fiogf49gjkf0d
It is in some states.

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(1208528)

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Re: English as Official Language of the USA

Posted by Stephen Bauman on Tue Jul 29 12:58:10 2014, in response to Re: English as Official Language of the USA, posted by LuchAAA on Tue Jul 29 10:34:27 2014.

fiogf49gjkf0d
those who don't speak English, most likely can't read and write their own language, usually Spanish.

The ability to learn a foreign language is age dependent. Children can learn languages easily. It's much more difficult for adults. If learning to speak unaccented English with fluency is the primary requirement for becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen, then we should be encouraging unaccompanied children to immigrate.

Culturally, I'm a second generation American. I've known the immigrant generation. I sympathize with them. They were too busy earning an incomes and raising families to learn English as adults. They were able to succeed because there were immigrant communities where English was not the "official" language. They had to rely on their first generation American children to act as translators, when conducting official government business. This practice provided a reversal of generational roles between parent and child.

My grandparents were functionally illiterate in English despite living in this country for 50 years. They read newspapers and books in their native tongue (Yiddish). They were not stupid; they just did not speak English. Their experience was hardly unique; it mirrored the typical immigrant experience.

I see the same routine being played out today. My neighbourhood(1) has become overwhelmingly Chinese. Many adults cannot speak English. I've seen them bring their small children to act as translators, when going to some stores. It took me back 60 years, the first time I saw this.

I've mentioned Yiddish and Mandarin/Cantonese. A friend works in a hospital. She reports seeing the same routine with Spanish speaking immigrants.

(1) I'd better use proper English spelling, rather than the vulgarities introduced into our "official" language by the Republicans.

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(1208530)

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Re: English as Official Language of the USA

Posted by mtk52983 on Tue Jul 29 13:00:38 2014, in response to Re: English as Official Language of the USA, posted by Stephen Bauman on Tue Jul 29 12:58:10 2014.

fiogf49gjkf0d
I think this is the first time I have seen a message board post complete with footnotes

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(1209921)

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Re: English as Official Language of the USA

Posted by Nilet on Sat Aug 2 19:56:52 2014, in response to Re: English as Official Language of the USA, posted by ChicagoMotorman on Tue Jul 29 10:29:49 2014.

fiogf49gjkf0d
No.

If America needs to have "official" languages, then we should name English, Spanish, and every single language ever spoken by the first nations.

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(1209922)

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Re: English as Official Language of the USA

Posted by Nilet on Sat Aug 2 19:56:54 2014, in response to Re: English as Official Language of the USA, posted by LuchAAA on Tue Jul 29 10:34:27 2014.

fiogf49gjkf0d
it is our official language.

No, it's our de facto language. It's what most people tend to speak, but it's not official.

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(1209923)

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Re: English as Official Language of the USA

Posted by Nilet on Sat Aug 2 19:56:57 2014, in response to English as Official Language of the USA, posted by ChicagoMotorman on Tue Jul 29 09:52:37 2014.

fiogf49gjkf0d
Yeah, why can't those immigrants learn to speak English? My great grandparents had no problems speaking English when they immigrated from England!

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