I completely agree with your stance on this and it doesn't make you culturally insensitive. When working in a society that has a predominant language, to stand any real chance of enhancing and maximizing one's talents and potential, they must learn the basics of that language. It doesn't mean they can't speak their native tongue anymore, just that you can't muddle by enough and expect to be able to complain that your life sucks because society is being harsh to the non-native English speaker. In Canada we have the exact same issue; it's worse when they're using public transit. They play the stupid card to have exceptions made for them if they get on the wrong bus or just pile onto a popular bus route because they think it'll help them. English is the common language so they better learn it otherwise shut up and/or go home.
if anything it's a rapidly growing issue more than the US since we have a high immigration rate still these days. It's not just Spanish we have to worry about, it's Spanish, Chinese, all varieties of South Asian and Middle Eastern languages as well. Honestly, how the fuck can they say/argue about life here if they don't bother to try and speak even a modicum of "business" English even?
I like to think i'm a very open-minded person, but what you say about someone speaking only spanish here in the US - i'll admit, that burns me. If you're going to live here, speak some of the language will ya!? If I went to another country, I wouldn't expect everyone to speak english. I'd have at the very least a travel type dictionary!
I agree!! We have a huge Mexican population where I live because of Tysons and so many of them seem content to not learn English. In fact, they have complained about buisnesses not having signs in spanish and teachers in school not knowing spanish. WHAT THE HELL!! So, now our newspaper has a section in spanish and many places here have some sign in spanish(especially the temp agencies and laundrymats and such). Its ridiculous! When I went to Spain, they didnt go out of their way to talk to me in English. But yeah, so many times I have been in places where I live where Mexicans say things like "no comprende" and such yet you know they have been here long enough to apply for a ebt card. *sighs* I try and be nice and help sometimes since I know spanish but it still gets frustrating.
I think they have gotten away with it too long and companies rushing to cash in accomodate them. I'm not asking for Shakespeare - just try once in a while.
My grandparents came here after WW2 knowing NO english, only ukrainian. They struggled to learn, but they put effort into learning english and they picked up enough to get by in no time. They still worked to learn more and in a few years were able to write/speak/understand english.
Some of my ancestors came over on the Mayflower. Then they killed off the native Indians after Thanksgiving dinner, but the point is we won. English won.
There are a lot of Eastern Europeans fresh off the boat around here who do try to learn.
Comments 21
Reply
I did not know it was becoming such a Canadian problem to.
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
My grandparents came here after WW2 knowing NO english, only ukrainian. They struggled to learn, but they put effort into learning english and they picked up enough to get by in no time. They still worked to learn more and in a few years were able to write/speak/understand english.
Reply
There are a lot of Eastern Europeans fresh off the boat around here who do try to learn.
Reply
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment