Languages, languages...

[karadekoolaid]

[Mod Edit: This post and following few posts moved to form a new topic (MG)]

The US is a melting pot of immigrants.

In my (former) town, we've got Spanish, Argentinians, Nepalese, Pakistanis, Greeks, Lithuanians, Bulgarians, Turks, French, Italians, Sudanese, Ukranians, Romanians, Albanians, Hungarians, Chinese, Thai, French, Germans, Russians, Czechs...oh, and Americans. Met them all. the UK is also a melting pot.

 

[PabloLerntKochen]

US might be more open to new immigrants cultures, than other countries.

Here in Germany we got people who would like to save the German language against all the influence of other cultures. It's not working like that in the big cities

 

[blades]

US might be more open to new immigrants cultures, than other countries.

Here in Germany we got people who would like to save the German language against all the influence of other cultures. It's not working like that in the big cities

When I go into some chain stores I notice that the signs are bi-lingual with English and Spanish. That didn't exist 25 years ago. Even though Spanish is my native language I don't care for the bi-lingual signs. I think people who emigrate to the U.S. should learn and use English and society should motivate that. When in Rome......as they say. It makes sense for people who emigrate to Germany to learn German. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[karadekoolaid]

I think people who emigrate to the U.S. should learn and use English and society should motivate that. When in Rome......as they say.

I absolutely agree with that, and that should apply to EVERY country. Not only does it mean that you can communicate with others, it also means you can absorb the culture. Not learning the language is, IMHO, disrespectful.

 

[caseydog]

When I go into some chain stores I notice that the signs are bi-lingual with English and Spanish. That didn't exist 25 years ago. Even though Spanish is my native language I don't care for the bi-lingual signs. I think people who emigrate to the U.S. should learn and use English and society should motivate that. When in Rome......as they say. It makes sense for people who emigrate to Germany to learn German. Nothing wrong with that.

My parents lived in Puerto Rico for over three years. They never learned Spanish. Almost everyone there was bi-lingual, taught Spanish and English in school. So my parents never made any effort to learn Spanish, other than a handful of useful words.

I myself had four semesters of Spanish in College. I've forgotten most of it, because I didn't use it after graduation.

Those bi-lingual signs are fine by me. It takes time to learn a new language, and it is much harder for older people than for children. Most Mexican immigrants I encounter here in Texas want to learn English, and slowly do learn it. It just takes time.

CD

 

[blades]

My parents lived in Puerto Rico for over three years. They never learned Spanish. Almost everyone there was bi-lingual, taught Spanish and English in school. So my parents never made any effort to learn Spanish, other than a handful of useful words.

I myself had four semesters of Spanish in College. I've forgotten most of it, because I didn't use it after graduation.

Those bi-lingual signs are fine by me. It takes time to learn a new language, and it is much harder for older people than for children. Most Mexican immigrants I encounter here in Texas want to learn English, and slowly do learn it. It just takes time.

CD

I spent a little less than year in Italy. It wasn't enough time really to learn the language. I used as much Italian as I could and supplemented it with Spanish and English. Fortunately the Italians are friendly and tolerant. I understand the difficulties and have been there myself. In the Army I was stationed in South Korea for 15 months. Since I rarely interfaced with Koreans other than the Korean troops in our compound I only learned enough words to order a meal at a restaurant. I was mostly shielded from the public though so I viewed that as an excuse. Nevertheless, I think immigrants to a new country have a responsibility to at least try to learn the local language.

I didn't start learning English until I was six years old. But my Spanish is rusty after so many decades of lack of use. Been there too.

 

[PabloLerntKochen]

I don't think so. If you're grown up and come to Germany the only language you should know is English IMO. in the restaurant it makes everything easier when everybody is good at English, nobody has to learn a third language even though it's respectful. But maybe we could be more productive, if there’s a language anybody can communicate with.
I've met educated people from Africa or India, who'd to do the dishes, just because they couldn't find a job at their profession due to their bad German. They were engineers or working with computers... even computer developer have to speak another language than English?