America and Documents in other Languages

[Jasman0717 9]

This whole process of having documents printed up in different languages has always been disturbing to me and I just don't get it. This is America and our national language is English so why do we have to have 19 different versions of documents (I work for a county government) in all these different languages?

I don't know, do other countries print up documents in English for those who only read English? We spend a fortune catering to foreign nationals, its a small wonder that we have such a bad immigration problem.

Now and stand back and watch

[Lansbury 19]

Same in the UK, catering for all the people who thought the British way of life was better than what they had but can't be bothered to learn the language once they got there.

Makes you wonder if an English test is part of the US citizenship process just what the need is here. (Before anyone answers that is a rhetorical question)

[Luilli 0]

I agree I am a native Spanish speaker and I fill the ds-230 in english and when she presented to the interview they told her NOT THAT ONE the other one in spanish is this ridiculus?

[Kajikit 65]

Short answer - NO... You can live in a country without being fluent in the language... you can speak and understand a language without being able to read it... and even if you can learn to read the language, you might not be able to read it at an adult level. There are plenty of people who were born and educated here who can't read and write, and English is supposedly their native language!

The government is there to serve and help the people, or at least it's meant to, and that means making sure that they can understand the important things they need to know...

[Jasman0717 9]

I think it is crazy for my agency to have to spend the money to print the same form in 19 different languages. Even the Registar of Voters has to have multiple language ballots. What is this world coming to, you can't find this in other countries

[Geist 0]

For other consideration, other countries I've lived in have been very accommodating when it comes to printing documents in other languages. Finland, for example, regularly prints everything in Finnish, Swedish (the two official languages), English and even French now (mostly because of the EU). When getting a visa in Germany, there was naturally the option of getting it in English.

I think it's mainly a big deal for anglophones...as Eddie Izzard said "TWO languages in one head? No one can live at that speed!"

[DeadPoolX 9]

I think the real problem (at least in the United States) is that there is no official language. You might think it's English (and it's the language that's most commonly used), but nowhere is it written that English is the official language of the United States. Why this is, exactly, I'm not quite sure, but that's how it is and as you can probably imagine, it's caused some problems.

Right now, the two most commonly used languages in the U.S. are English and Spanish. The reason many businesses will print documents up in both languages is because it benefits them to do so. It may cost more at the moment, but since there is no official language, there is no requirement that people learn and use English, therefore, immigrants can keep using their native tongue. The majority of immigrants happen to be from Mexico at this time, so naturally, Spanish will be utilized. If immigrants decide not to learn English and a particular business only works in English, those immigrants will move on to another business that does work bilingually. So it's all about appealing to as many people as possible.

Honestly, I wish English was the official language of the United States. I'm not saying this because I hate other languages or something silly like that. I know how to speak, read and write in German and I can "get by" in French, so I'm not "English-only" by any means. However, if English were the official language, that would mean all people living here would be required to use it -- at least for business and other work-related purposes. I don't care what people do or say in their own home (so long as it's not going to hurt others or me), but when involving work, I like to be able to communicate with the other party.

An example: My fiancee is Canadian. In Canada, there are two official languages (English and French) and everyone must be able to use one or both. I was literally amazed by the fact that the taxi drivers could speak English! I could actually converse with them! Look, I don't mean to knock taxi drivers, but the sad fact of the matter is that in the U.S., you're lucky if your driver understands what you're saying and you understand what he (or she) is saying most of the time. Once again, it's because they don't have to learn English, so they don't bother.

So while I think keeping a cultural identity and language is great, I think it should be reserved for the home and your family; on the outside, in public and in business-related situations, I think the dominant language should be used (which in this case is English).

[Chica Yeyé 41]

My take: providing services in multiple languages is excellent; and it's common not only in the US but in many, many other countries. Same goes for providing large print/braille materials, audiovisual enhancements for the hearing impaired, etc. It's about catering to your "client base" if you will, to make everyone's lives easier and allow for service access.

I am happy I am fluent enough to cross many language barriers, but if I was not, this would be a really big big help.

Peace, L.

[bszoom42 0]

This is America and our national language is English

Is our national language officially English? I don't believe this is correct; and this may be the reason why there are 19 different languages in your county.

[bszoom42 0]

According to this website:

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/J...ORD/langleg.htm

English is NOT our official language. They also have some details about the history of language legislation.

[Caladan 19]

As a point, though, a business is going to provide whatever its customers demand, because businesses often cater to tourists and recent immigrant communities. Canada has two official languages, English and French. Everyone *must* be able to use one or both, so they say, but it's not uncommon to see Chinese characters on the ATMs in Toronto. Airports often have some of the signs in Chinese or Japanese. I can't imagine that the Union League Cafe would be happy to get rid of its menu in French just as my laundromat is not going to eliminate signs saying 'No shoes in the machines please' in Spanish.

And I believe you can request materials from the Canadian government in many different languages, should you so require. Naming an official language in practice doesn't mean all that much because making something a national language doesn't outlaw other languages. Whether the services are provided or not are going to be dictated by other interests, viz., not wanting to have to redo thousands of forms for errors or wanting to be helpful to tourists or local communities.

(And everyone campaigning for English-only would have been happy if their foreign fiancee had to conduct her interview in English, right? Even if the officer was mean and confusing and you're sure she would have passed otherwise?)

[Chica Yeyé 41]

As a point, though, a business is going to provide whatever its customers demand, because businesses often cater to tourists and recent immigrant communities. Canada has two official languages, English and French. Everyone *must* be able to use one or both, so they say, but it's not uncommon to see Chinese characters on the ATMs in Toronto. Airports often have some of the signs in Chinese or Japanese. I can't imagine that the Union League Cafe would be happy to get rid of its menu in French just as my laundromat is not going to eliminate signs saying 'No shoes in the machines please' in Spanish.

And I believe you can request materials from the Canadian government in many different languages, should you so require. Naming an official language in practice doesn't mean all that much because making something a national language doesn't outlaw other languages. Whether the services are provided or not are going to be dictated by other interests, viz., not wanting to have to redo thousands of forms for errors or wanting to be helpful to tourists or local communities.

(And everyone campaigning for English-only would have been happy if their foreign fiancee had to conduct her interview in English, right? Even if the officer was mean and confusing and you're sure she would have passed otherwise?)

Ditto Caladan - we see here in VJ all the time: nervous fiancees and spouses who need and get a translator and that's fantastic!

Welcome everyone to the multilingual world.... catch up and learn another language.

[Sheriff Uling 3]

This whole process of having documents printed up in different languages has always been disturbing to me and I just don't get it. This is America and our national language is English so why do we have to have 19 different versions of documents (I work for a county government) in all these different languages?

I don't know, do other countries print up documents in English for those who only read English? We spend a fortune catering to foreign nationals, its a small wonder that we have such a bad immigration problem.

Now and stand back and watch

I'm glad that you touched upon that because I had been wanting too. It's freakin ridiculous. Here is another language thing that torques me right off the map. We live in California and there are tons of folks who speak various different languages here. However, when you go places, about 90% of the time you can expect to see something translated into Spanish. I think it’s economic and political favoritism and further alienates other cultures. Part of the problem is that English is the language of business but not thoroughly emphasized as our national language.

Whatever…

[Chica Yeyé 41]

I don't know, do other countries print up documents in English for those who only read English?

Absolutely jasman. Most countries print advertisements/brochures/documents/contracts in English to cater to tourists, international students/workers, and business partners from English speaking backgrounds.

Peace, L.

[Heracles 417]

I think the real problem (at least in the United States) is that there is no official language. You might think it's English (and it's the language that's most commonly used), but nowhere is it written that English is the official language of the United States. Why this is, exactly, I'm not quite sure, but that's how it is and as you can probably imagine, it's caused some problems.

Both the deceleration of independence, bill of rights and constitution where written in English. The majority of Americans also speak English. I think it is safe to say the official language is English.

Half the developing world is learning English. China, for example, in 20 years will be the largest English speaking nation. Yet I am sure that it wil only be a matetr of time before the kids here are forced to learn Spanish.