One nation, not just speaking English

[one...two...tree 2,762]

After a substantial speech decrying the current state of bankruptcy law in the United States, Barack Obama took a few questions from the audience in Powder Springs, Georgia on Tuesday morning. One young woman asked whether there was anything he could do to prevent teenagers from dropping out before they completed high school, and added, almost as an afterthought, that "there should be a push more for our citizens to become bilingual here in America."

Obama first loosened up the crowd with some well-worn jokes about the "brothers" in the audience who were "overrated" in their "own minds" as to their NBA or rap star potential.

"Maybe you are the next Lil Wayne, but probably not, in which case you need to stay in school."

(And people think there are no differences between the two major American parties! Lil Wayne jokes almost never make appearances during McCain town halls.)

Obama then made some routine comments about the importance of better educating young people so as to compete in the global economy. Then he turned to the issue of bilingualism.

You know, I don't understand when people are going around worrying about, "We need to have English- only." They want to pass a law, "We want English-only."

Now, I agree that immigrants should learn English. I agree with that. But understand this. Instead of worrying about whether immigrants can learn English -- they'll learn English -- you need to make sure your child can speak Spanish. You should be thinking about, how can your child become bilingual? We should have every child speaking more than one language.

You know, it's embarrassing when Europeans come over here, they all speak English, they speak French, they speak German. And then we go over to Europe, and all we can say [is], "Merci beaucoup." Right?

You know, no, I'm serious about this. We should understand that our young people, if you have a foreign language, that is a powerful tool to get ajob. You are so much more employable. You can be part of international business. So we should be emphasizing foreign languages in our schools from an early age, because children will actually learn a foreign language easier when they're 5, or 6, or 7 than when they're 46, like me.

There's nothing particularly exceptional about Obama's position, unless you are an English-only partisan cowering in fear of your cultural identity being swamped by funny-looking people from strange lands. Or one of the similarly insecure patriots who believe any criticism of the U.S. is a sign of "blame-America-first" treachery. And I suppose the whole comment about "going to Europe" opens Obama up to more charges of elitism, and disconnection from the lives of those who, right now, can't afford to even think about going to Europe.

But to most people who actually grasp the fact that we live in a complex, interconnected global economy, being able to speak more than one language just makes a lot of sense. Maybe those of us who do feel threatened by Spanish-language signs in government offices would sleep a little easier if we understood what they they were saying.

― Andrew Leonard

http://www.salon.com/tech/htww/2008/07/08/...bama/index.html

[pedroh 21]

oh noesss obama is an illegal cheerleader too!!! the outrage!!! America is gonna be destroyed by el español!

oth.. I agree, why is this nation has such a big phobia for foreign languages? I think this is the few countries that sees learning another language as something anti-patriotic and worthless, rather than expanding your mind and using the advantages of learning many other languages

Edited July 11, 2008 by pedroh

[alienlovechild 75]

One young woman asked whether there was anything he could do to prevent teenagers from dropping out before they completed high school, and added, almost as an afterthought, that "there should be a push more for our citizens to become bilingual here in America."

Obama first loosened up the crowd with some well-worn jokes about the "brothers" in the audience who were "overrated" in their "own minds" as to their NBA or rap star potential.

"Maybe you are the next Lil Wayne, but probably not, in which case you need to stay in school."

A former community organizer came up with that answer?

You know, it's embarrassing when Europeans come over here, they all speak English, they speak French, they speak German. And then we go over to Europe, and all we can say [is], "Merci beaucoup." Right?

Most Europeans speak another language because they have to in much smaller European countries. Americans with a second-language won't necessarily get a better job because their are plenty of native speakers of other languages who learned English out of necessity and because it is a marketable language. It's just easier to slam Americans than explain the differences.

There's nothing particularly exceptional about Obama's position, unless you are an English-only partisan cowering in fear of your cultural identity being swamped by funny-looking people from strange lands. Or one of the similarly insecure patriots who believe any criticism of the U.S. is a sign of "blame-America-first" treachery.

Yes, it's better to ignore the millions of folks who came here illegally and pretend they don't exist except as potential voters. Obama does the blame America first game but there's a lot people who grew up with that mindset so it's nothing new.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Most Europeans speak another language because they have to in much smaller European countries. Americans with a second-language won't necessarily get a better job because their are plenty of native speakers of other languages who learned English out of necessity and because it is a marketable language. It's just easier to slam Americans than explain the differences.

And Spanish isn't marketable in the U.S.?

The U.S. is home to more than 40 million Hispanics, making it the world's fifth-largest Spanish-speaking community after Mexico, Colombia, Spain, and Argentina.^[6][7] Roughly half of all U.S. Spanish speakers also speak English "very well", based on the self-assessment Census question respondents.^[8]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_in_the_United_States

[jundp 191]

Well, I don't know. I think it's unfortunate that American students don't learn a world language or three. What's wrong with educating our children? By the time a student reaches high school, his or her capacity to learn a foreign language has dropped. I say this as a language teacher. It has nothing to do with slamming Americans at all.

Regardless of whether or not our students will travel outside the US to speak this language, students should learn. It is embarrassing that our educational system is such ####### in the US. Sorry, but it's true.

[alienlovechild 75]

And Spanish isn't marketable in the U.S.?

The U.S. is home to more than 40 million Hispanics, making it the world's fifth-largest Spanish-speaking community after Mexico, Colombia, Spain, and Argentina.[6][7] Roughly half of all U.S. Spanish speakers also speak English "very well", based on the self-assessment Census question respondents.[8]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_in_the_United_States

Obama wasn't speaking to an Hispanic group to my knowledge. He wants more Americans to learn Spanish- great but they probably won't get a job. Your own stats show there are 40 million other people who speak Spanish better than most Anglos. I live in a town that's 38% Hispanic and I don't know any Anglos who speak Spanish. Hispanics look surprised when I speak my crappy version of Spanish that I learned over 20 years ago.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

And Spanish isn't marketable in the U.S.?

The U.S. is home to more than 40 million Hispanics, making it the world's fifth-largest Spanish-speaking community after Mexico, Colombia, Spain, and Argentina.[6][7] Roughly half of all U.S. Spanish speakers also speak English "very well", based on the self-assessment Census question respondents.[8]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_in_the_United_States

Obama wasn't speaking to an Hispanic group to my knowledge. He wants more Americans to learn Spanish- great but they probably won't get a job. Your own stats show there are 40 million other people who speak Spanish better than most Anglos. I live in a town that's 38% Hispanic and I don't know any Anglos who speak Spanish. Hispanics look surprised when I speak my crappy version of Spanish that I learned over 20 years ago.

Hold on...stay focused on your argument. You said that most Europeans learn to speak English because it's a marketable language. I'm asking a simple question - is the Spanish language marketable in the U.S. comparitive to English in Europe?

[Heracles 417]

So Americans should learn Spanish but Latinos should simply have everything catered for them in Spanish right.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Some people need to learn how to argue.

[Heracles 417]

Hold on...stay focused on your argument. You said that most Europeans learn to speak English because it's a marketable language. I'm asking a simple question - is the Spanish language marketable in the U.S. comparitive to English in Europe?

yes if I want someone to clean my toilet.. :rofl:

Edit. What is real funny is that the people I know who are actually from Spain think the Latino version of Spanish is quite ghettoized.

Edited July 11, 2008 by Boo-Yah!

[jundp 191]

So Americans should learn Spanish but Latinos should simply have everything catered for them in Spanish right.

I didn't get that as the point of the OP.

Americans most assuredly should learn to speak more than their native language (English).

I didn't read anything that said Latinos should have everything catered for them in Spanish...

ETA: I lived in Spain from aged 9 months to 5 and I learned Spanish with English. I have many Spanish friends as well as friends from Mexico and South America. My ex-husband's family was Nicaraguan. I've never heard any of them say that "latino Spanish" was ghettoized...Different dialects from the ones spoken in Spain, sure, but there are different dialects from Bolivia to Nicaragua and Mexico.

You sound quite racist, Boo Yah.

OMGZ0RZ I pulled the race card!

Edited July 11, 2008 by jundp

[alienlovechild 75]

Hold on...stay focused on your argument. You said that most Europeans learn to speak English because it's a marketable language. I'm asking a simple question - is the Spanish language marketable in the U.S. comparitive to English in Europe?

English is the international language, the lingua franca for Europe and a lot of other countries. If you read my response you'd realize learning Spanish isn't that marketable for Anglos when we have plenty of native Spanish speakers here. So no, if you're an Anglo (or even an Hispanic not raised speaking Spanish) unless you're fluent in Spanish you're not getting job ahead of native speakers. Same is true for Chinese. I lived in Taiwan and I most Americans who learned Chinese couldn't a job (other than as English teachers) unless they were fluent.

Edited July 11, 2008 by alienlovechild

[Heracles 417]

So Americans should learn Spanish but Latinos should simply have everything catered for them in Spanish right.

I didn't get that as the point of the OP.

Americans most assuredly should learn to speak more than their native language (English).

I didn't read anything that said Latinos should have everything catered for them in Spanish...

ETA: I lived in Spain from aged 9 months to 5 and I learned Spanish with English. I have many Spanish friends as well as friends from Mexico and South America. My ex-husband's family was Nicaraguan. I've never heard any of them say that "latino Spanish" was ghettoized...Different dialects from the ones spoken in Spain, sure, but there are different dialects from Bolivia to Nicaragua and Mexico.

You sound quite racist, Boo Yah.

OMGZ0RZ I pulled the race card!

or maybe the meant Latinos were....

I would not say racist but I certainly dislike a group of people who feel they can walk into another nation, as they please, with their MS13 and all then demand everyone else cater for them.

Can you imagine someone went to a German public school and the teachers were told that they cannot force them to learn Deutsch because that is forcing German culture on them. Even though this kid was born in Germany. I think not. Certainly not in Australia.

[Sheriff Uling 3]

Wow! Sen. Obama can I get you nachos with that sombrero... Gsss...

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Hold on...stay focused on your argument. You said that most Europeans learn to speak English because it's a marketable language. I'm asking a simple question - is the Spanish language marketable in the U.S. comparitive to English in Europe?

English the international language, the lingua franca for Europe and a lot of other countries. If you read my response you'd realize learning Spanish isn't that marketable for Anglos when we have plenty of native Spanish speakers here. So no, if you're an Anglo (or even an Hispanic not raised speaking Spanish) unless your fluent in Spanish you're not getting job ahead of native speakers. Same is true for Chinese. I lived in Taiwan and I most Americans who learned Chinese couldn't a job (other than as English teachers) unless they were fluent.

Actually, that's not true. Many companies do consider applicants who are bilingual an asset, particularly if they speak Spanish. It makes absolutely no sense not to foster a nation that is bilingual and it goes beyond commerce. My wife has a cousin from the Netherlands (she's half Filipino). She fluently speaks Dutch, German, French and English. I think that goes beyond just a conversational piece for her at dinner parties....it actually makes her much more marketable in terms of jobs.