News English made the offical language in MD.

English made the offical language in MD.

Actually in a small town in MD.

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http://www.thewbalchannel.com/news/10314812/detail.html


I know how some feel that you should know english if you are a citizen or are here in the states. Scratch that thought for a minute. Do you feel its violating any rights? Its one thing to suggest someone speak english but to make it official? your thoughts please...


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Lets say they make a law stating that you must learn english. Do you feel that would violate a person's right? we can all say they should all learn english..thats fine. but that doesn't answer the question about violating peoples rights, if that.

so you feel its not violating any rights?

which one...freedom of speech?...i dont think its against the law to say their official language is english....it prolly just means that they encourage english while respecting other languages as well...im in full suport of it...

personally, if i moved to somewhere like france, i wouldnt expect to go anywhere and be greeted in english...when I have to run the register at work, it pisses me off when people cant understand what im trying to say cuz they dont know english...

I meant any rights in general. I take freedom of speech as "i can say whatever I want and when I want to". I don't think that would apply to languages.

And I agree...people should know english. even if it means just enough english to get around in life. Like you said, when someone comes to you and cannot speak english, it makes things difficult at times.

I went to the post office this year to get my passport for my honeymoon. There was a couple with their kids there and they didn't know one bit of english. as the guy was asking them questions, they just sat there looking lost. Their niece (only about 11 or 12) had to come in and translate for them. I think with a little bit of english, they would of gotten thru the process okay. No one is asking to learn english to have a full conversation with someone, but damn, at least know some of it so you can get around in life.

^thats a suprising comment, lol....i thought youd be on the defensive from the beginning....

why? is it cause I'm spanish? wtf? lol..nah..just kidding.

I've always felt that they should know some english at least. I can understand if the more elderly crowd can't speak english because its harder for the old folks to learn things and it stick with them. Or people with certain disabilities. For instance, people who use sign lanugage. It takes time to learn it, but to learn it again in a different language would be hard for someone. Its not like they can just pick up a book and learn it.

I thought ud be on the other side of the arguement cuz of ur first post.....and cuz ur spanish, lol, jp man...

when i came to america, i was 4...according to my parents, i learned english in 3 months...and even now, my parents dont have an accent anymore...on the contrary, my dad sounds like a hick now, lol..

Yeah but adults do not learn langauges as quickly as children do. I cannot remember why. But I remember reading that if you learn multiple languages as a child, your mind doesn't translate between them, You just know em.

I was in Montreal a couple of times and I felt out of place becasue I didn't know French. Granted some people there knew english so they spoke it but you could tell they were annoyed...

A couple of posts back I read something to the effect of not being greeted in English in France.

I totally agree. The people who founded the United States of America, spoke English. That's what 90% of the people in this nation speak. ...why do people come here and expect us to learn their language?

You know what happens when a Russian goes into Germany? ...they learn German, and pick it up and quick.

FYI, this is going to turn into an illegal immigration debate rather quickly.

well hopefully people can keep it civilized and keep it on topic. this has nothing to do with illegal immigrants.

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But like I said, we all agree to a point about speaking english. But set that aside. Do you think it would violate someone's right to tell them they have to speak english? This town in MD is not making them learn english but they are suggesting that people do learn it to better themselves with everyday living and what not. Now they're saying that this whole "english is the offical language" is going against some state laws.

Thats mainly what I'm asking here though. actually let me rephrase my original post...

ya know what..thats just wrong. that isn't discrimination at all (to me at least). like you said, no one is telling them not to speak their language but when it comes to business they should be able to conduct it in english without a problem. I can't see that lawsuit going anywhere, IMO.

They just made it their official languages....like u said, theyre not making others learn english as a result...its just that if u dont know english, ur screwed, lol....i dont think it violates the law...its just a prime example of a way to get around the law..

i rephrased my original post. I was curious to know what people felt if they made it a MUST to learn english. I guess I didnt' word it correctly cause it confused me as well.

I'm just using this article as an example that they did it to a town where they made English the offical language, however, not making people learn it. which is fine. but what if they turned around and said you MUST learn it.

would your opinion or anyone elses opinon change if they said you MUST instead of we SUGGEST that you learn English?

I was trying to add a twist to it, but I have failed to do that..lol. hopefully now it makes sense about what I'm trying to say.

I personally think thats virtually impossible to tell the current non-english speaking residents here that they must learn english. If anything, they could only say from this point on that they need to learn english to be eligible for citizenship.

But like I said, it would not only be impossible but improbable in the long-run. If you look at the census bureau's statistics in the years to come about the composition of races within the USA, whites will become a minority and could be a minority far below hispanics, blacks, and possibly even asians and that hispanics will become the primary ethnicity in the USA....i remember seeing that on the news...

So if there are any other places that follow this city in their footsteps, there probably wont be many more of them...I would never expect to see something like this become a widespread or nationwide type of event...

The state of Arizona made english their official language just last week and, well I'm not from AZ so I don't know first hand, but it seems as if (nationally at least) there hasn't been to much of an uproar about it. I'm sure there is some at a small local level I suppose.

I personally am all for an official language. I live in an are HEAVILY populated by hispanics. Not to sound racist or anything, because this is absolutely not, but getting anything accomplished is impossible sometime. Things as simple as getting a pack of cigerettes at the gas station is impossible sometimes because they don't understand what I'm asking for. Having an official language only means to have a job you must be able to speak english. Its not repressing any one in the fact that no one is being prevented from speaking their native tongue at home amongst their families.

Another thing that strikes me odd is that, here at least, its really only the hispanics (yet again not racism or name-calling just an observation) that struggle to speak english. I work in retail and constantly have individuals from Germany, France, and even Spain that speak only english to me (sometimes its not the best, but an effort is made). I guess I just think its a common courtesy. I would never go to Mexico and assume everyone there would speak english to me...and the same is applied to any nation. I'd speak French if I was in France (well, it would be destroyed french, but I think I got my point across).

Politics!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! sometimes they don't realize the impact its going to have in the future. i don't care really i still speak spanish with fellow Marines and civilians in and out of uniform. let them make it official regardless of origin its going to backfire.

BTW i tried to avoid this section but i finally decided to read it.

bro, you know what..it would be a good idea to have one of the requirments to become a citizen is to know some type of english. but then that poses an issue with certain individuals who have disabilities, unless they make some type of exceptions. But like you said, we may think its a good idea but it may be impossible to do.

In all honesty, I don't think race has anything to do with being able or not able to speak english. Maybe in your area hispanics struggle more. But in the area I'm in, I see more then hispanics struggling. Back home in NJ, it was the same thing. But the one common thing I did see, was no matter where a person was from, the older crowd struggled more.

Now this is not an excuse, BUT in alot of countries, education is not that great. With that I mean, they're not that advanced as we are. You can't compare a school in Brazil to a school in the US or a school in Turkey. All have different levels of education and in the more poorer a country is, I can gurantee that the school system will be even poorer. Also, alot of people get taken out of schools to work to make money for familes (even as young as 8 or 9). Some just have a hard time learning things. I mean, there could be different reasons as to why people struggle now a days. I know it may be hard for them to learn a new language, but I think with some time and patience, they can easily learn some basic english to get them around in life, which some of the people you encountered are actually doing. its just a matter of having someone help them learn. A book or video tape doesn't do much justice. They actually need a class to help. And even then, sometimes classes are way too expensive for people to afford.

^ this caught my attention!

this is america. we speak english. if you want to live here then you learn it and assimilate with the rest of us.

any other country is the same way. when i went to france i didn't expect people to cater to me and speak english. i bought a translation book and did the best i could.

we shouldn't be any different.

Ah the wonderful effects of globalization and cultural diversity.

I can see how making every one have an understanding of the english language is more practical that an official language in the sense that all citizens employed or not will understand english. On the other hand though I see an official language more practical in the sense that in order to have a job you must be able to speak and understand english. This means that english will be put into practice rather than just in philosophy. Just because some one knows english doesn't mean that they will apply it to their everyday life in thesame way that an official language would apply an understanding of english to every day life. I'm not trying to call you out on your beliefs E, I'm just trying to get a clarification because perhaps I'm not seeing what you said the same way you did.