'...A bilingual United States..'

[Macanudo]

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[A. BETTIK]

The U.S. being bilingual, meaning we all have to learn Spanish and English?

Then yes there are downsides.

1. It would take less time and money for all Spansih speakers to learn English than for all English speakers to learn Spanish.

2. If the Spanish speaking populatin concentrates say in the Southwest to the point no one even bothers to learn English because no one speaks English, then why not cecede? Wasn't it something like 600,000 killed in the Civil War?

3. The D word. I'm sure lots of people would want to learn a language other than Spanish. I myself studied Latin in High School and German at UT. My next language would have been an Indo-Iranian langauge.

4. I consider it a great benefit to not have to learn a second language. It allows me time to concentrate on more appealing pursuits than having to continuously bone up on my accent, vocabulary, spelling, irregular verb forms, idioms, slang etc.

 

[wildcat09]

Why am I not surprised that TC is convinced all immigrants prior to those dity Mexicans immediately made every effort to assimilate after landing at Ellis island?

 

[zzzz]

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[Horn6721]

Longhornsurgeon
you posted, :I'm sorry have you ever been out in Dallas and spoken in spanish in public?"

That is really silly, Name one place you have been in Dallas where people looked at you in a strange way for speaking spanish.

 

[Wild Bill]

All I know is that when I was 14, my family moved to Germany and I was put in German school. I learned German very quickly because I WANTED to fit in. The younger you are, the easier it is to learn. In my 20's I got married to a Hispanic from the Rio Grande Valley, so I began learning Spanish. Now I am almost fluent in German, Spanish, and can get by in French. I agree that it is a valuable skill to speak another language. In Europe, kids are required to take at least 2 foriegn languages. It should be encouraged here as well.

However, it is not unreasonable to expect immigrants to learn English. It is in their best interest. Without English, their employment opportunities are limited. I welcome immigrants, but I want them to assimalate (most Hispanics do) rather than create islands of their own like we see in Europe with the Middle Easteners.

 

[crayon1973]

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[crayon1973]

Oh, and English wasn't my first Language either. I learned Hebrew first even though I lived in Dallas. My mother insisted I learn both languages growing up. My nieces are growing up speaking Hebrew, Russian, and English. Its not that hard if the parents are willing to make some effort.

 

[bozo_casanova]

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[zzzz]

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[softlynow]

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[bozo_casanova]

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[LonghornSurgeon]

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[zzzz]

Other people here have related similar experiences happening to them in Miami -- when they spoke English.

 

[LonghornSurgeon]

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[Macanudo]

The topics begs the question... Is bilingual to mean Spanish and English or should we regionalize it? Up here in the Pacific Northwest, it would make sense to speak Japanese or one of the main Chinese dialects. Along the Canadian border with Quebec, French would make more sense. Along the Mexican border and in south Florida, it would be Spanish. So which "bilingual" should it be?

 

[celis]

A friend of mine moved to Holland last year. She had to learn Dutch before she could get a job.

I don't understand why people argue on this subject.

Being bilingual is great. Speaking/Reading Spanish or Russian or French or ... should be encouraged if not made mandatory.
--AND--
People living in the US native or otherwise should speak and read English.

 

[crayon1973]

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[Praise of Folly]

zzzz,

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