I've seen this bumper sticker one too many times. This is possibly the most ignorant belief held by the most Americans. Wasn't our country founded as a haven for those looking for a better life? Didn't we once bill ourselves as The Melting Pot? Why are we so ignorant towards those that speak other languages? Not to mention, in how many countries is it the norm to be bilingual? Countries that people here would turn their nose at over and over again. Inevitably, this thread will probably turn into an immigration debate- that's not what this is about. It's about how stunningly close minded and ignorant the vast majority of Americans are these days.
It's not that they speak other languages. It's that they don't speak English and don't try to learn it. Frankly, it annoys me. There are a lot of Americans that speak this slang gibberish. I hate it. It's not my fault I can't understand you.
More of those bumper stickers in the south. Here in in the northeast, where the real United States of Education and Liberty is, you rarely see such blatant display of intolerance and ignorance.
I live in the Northeast... And for the poster saying it should apply to today's youths, I totally agree with with that. That's besides the point I'm trying to make as it's not the purpose, for the most part, that people display these stickers.
Yes, this is the great melting pot. All the major immigrant groups have learned English. Italians, German, Czech...they all learned English. Why? English is the language of commerce in this country. Part of getting that better life has been learning the language so they can compete for better opportunities.
Fun fact: People who speak multiple languages develop denser gray matter than people who only speak one. http://www.webmd.com/parenting/news...edguid={5FE84E90-BC77-4056-A91C-9531713CA348}
Who's "they"? How do you know "they" aren't trying to learn? In my experience, most immigrants are trying very hard, but it's not easy to learn a second language as an adult, especially if you're working full time. At any rate, the US has no official language, and that's how it should be.
I work with Central Americans all day. I have yet to meet any who do not want to learn English. The fact of the matter is that it is hard work. To learn a new language when you are forced to live, work, and interact with only those who speak your language is a very difficult task. The reason they are forced into this situation is that we don't want them around the rest of us and because they all take the worst jobs. Some adults will struggle their whole lives. However, from what I have seen the public school system does wonders to acculturate the kids including teaching them English and putting them around loads of English speakers. All the adults that struggle to learn English tell me they wish they could speak it because they know it would give them and their families better economic opportunities. I'm sure there are a handful of people in every disaffected immigrant group that feel excluded by American society and therefore want to turn inward and actively avoid being acculturated, but in my experience it isn't very common. Cometswin, have you ever attempted to learn a language that no one you interact with speaks?
I think what angers people is that some of those who come to this country make no attempt to learn the language. My great grandfather came over here from Greece and had no idea how to speak English when he got to New York City. But he made every effort to learn to speak English and carried around an english dictionary in his pocket. He also refused to speak Greek unless he was around other Greeks because he saw it as disrespectful.
So, this explains why many Europeans think Americans tourists are ignorant (because they almost never speak a second language).
What percentage of immigrant does this actually apply to though? I think most people get angry because they see someone (whom they've probably never met) speaking a different language and assume that they aren't making an attempt to learn the language.
I think it should be self-explanatory that if you immigrate to a country, you should make an effort to learn the language predominantly spoken in that country. Otherwise, you pretty much make it clear that you are not really planning to integrate yourself into and contribute to the society you are becoming a part of. When I was in Houston, I had a girlfriend whose parents were from Puerto Rico. The father worked, the mother stayed at home. Her mother had been in Houston for 20 years, and she could not have a conversation in English with me. Her father spoke perfect English. So whoever said that he works with a lot of Central Americans and they all speak English - don't forget the stay at home housewives. Not learning English really isolates them from being independent. That said, the sentence quoted in the OP comes across as unnecessarily hostile toward immigrants.
I have no idea, but not every immigrant makes a great attempt at learning the language of the country they've come to. I've seen it firsthand more than a few times not only in this country but in others as well.
Yeah Puerto Ricans are usually special since they actually have people on their island that speak English fluently. It's a slightly different situation and I always worry that people see Puerto Ricans who speak English as some sort of indictment against Central Americans who do not.
English is the lingua franca in this country and to a lesser extent, this world. Not as an ode to cultural superiority but it's a good idea for all people to at least be vaguely familiar with it.
