My wife and I were interviewing people to be our first son's nanny. One applicant was from Brazil and had been here for 12 years and still couldn't speak English.
Attitude towards Language...
- Thread starter BigBlueSean_rivals178247
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My wife and I were interviewing people to be our first son's nanny. One applicant was from Brazil and had been here for 12 years and still couldn't speak English.
Wait, they're making her take classes to speak Spanish? Or to teach English to Spanish speakers? There is a big difference.
I teach autistic kids in east la. We have 1,001 students. 999 of them are Hispanic. 2 are black. 70% speak Spanish at home, and a big part of our day is teaching English language development specifically for those who speak Spanish at home.
I know enough Spanish to get by, but I defintely don't use it in the classroom and they don't really want us to. explaining anything to an autistic kid is hard enough.
We are afforded the same courtesy, as evidenced by the plethora of bilingual 8-10 year old Hispanic kids running around our beautiful country. The point is, as a business owner, E.R. doctor, police officer, chemistry teacher, landlord, construction worker, farmer, sandwich artist, government employee, shoe salesman, etc., you would probably benefit from being able to speak a little Spanish.
But nah, let's make every one of them get their masters in English Lit., or else they can get their asses back across the border.
There is a pretty large Asian community in Louisville. Middle Eastern too. Do we have to learn everyone's language or would it be easier for all those different nationalities learn the language of the country they now live in?
And no one said they should get a masters in English lit. That's sort of an a-hole statement!
My favorite thing that people do when someone can't speak English...is speak LOUDER!
They will get it that way.
They will get it that way.
It's a two pronged attack. The roosters wake them up at dawn and then we entice them in with breakfast burritos.
That and when people think they can just add an "O" on to the end of any word and it automatically becomes Spanish
I spend my entire work day being 'multiculturally sensitive'. I'm very glad that this place is not.
Didn't mean to accuse you of having that sentiment, it was hyperbole.
Regarding the Asain an Middle Eastern populations, do a quick google search comparing their numbers with the Hispanic population in America and you'll see why I have the stance I do. However, if I lived or worked in an area that had a prominent population of any nationality, I'd think it would benefit me to learn as much as I could about them.
I do agree with your sentiment, I just think it makes more sense for people coming here to learn English rather than the average American trying to learn Spanish or any other language that they would seldom speak.
Do whaaaa? You mean that you don't go by the name "Jockstrap" at work?
Any actual population numbers, or just fastest growing according to the percentage of change?
That's just the thing, they are learning English. Even the older ones that haven't been here long are making an effort. I actually envy the 2nd generations. They're fluent in both and can pretty much write their own ticket if they choose.
Shame that it's not white girls with booty, who whooty as some kids are saying these days.
you beat me to it.
Worked with a BIG guy from Kansas and whenever we were going to pull into a Spanish speaking country he would walk down the passageway of the ship talking really loud saying "Make a Hole O"
You had to be there, but trust me it was funny as hell....... That added to the fact that he was 6'5", 270lbs and claustrophobic..... and was a sub sailor...WTH?????
I absolutely loved being a shipmate with Mike....
This is why I was always confused about what the **** were in spagettios.
It's a puzzle, supposed to figure out what the Spanish words are. I guess if we were bilingual it would make sense. Damn Chef Boyardee, I'm just trying to eat, I'm not trying to get learned here!
You missed the point actually. See someone else brought up all the poor widdle mexicans that are here, so I was speaking to that. I would bet that people from the countries you listed are more likely to learn English when living in the U.S.
I agree with speaking a foreign language if working or living abroad. I agree with speaking another language to better yourself and challenge yourself. Just don't tell me I need to learn fckin spanish because of all the damn fence jumpers in this country that are too damn lazy and stupid to learn the language of the country they live in.
Definitely more money to be made in speaking Mandarin than Spanish
Gwai los!
Oh snap, it's on now...
You effing mat sallehs in this thread.
Oh snap, it's on now...
You effing mat sallehs in this thread.
Can't forget those Germans and their dastardly attack on Pearl Harbor!
Seriously, I speak German and am familiar with many phrases in Arabic, Turkish and Spanish. Must agree with previous sentiments expressed here regarding foreign language value.
German is an awesome language. If my ex-wife and I had stayed together I would have learned more of it than I did. She is half German and it always amazed me watching her talk to her grandmother on the phone.
I guess if you live in Kentucky (where I grew up) your experience with people who speak Spanish may be limited to low wage, potentially illegal, workers. But I live and work (I practice law) in Miami. There are not many Mexicans here, but at least 60% of Dade county is made up of native Spanish speakers. That used to be predominantly Cuban, but Miami has in recent years become the de facto "capital" of Latin America, so there are many, many wealthy South American businesspeople here, along with the prosperous second generation Cubans who still speak Spanish in many situations. Business - law, banking, etc. is conducted in English, with some Spanish mixed in sometimes. Miami may be unique in this regard, but I think in 20 years you will see more cities (in CA and in TX) like this.
I took 6 years of Spanish in high school (public in Louisville) and one in college (Vandy). But in my experience just taking a language in school without really speaking it does not teach you the language very well. I kick myself every day for not really "learning" to speak Spanish because it would be very beneficial to my career. So, it is totally ignorant to think that learning Spanish in the U.S. will only help you communicate with gardeners and construction workers.
I took 6 years of Spanish in high school (public in Louisville) and one in college (Vandy). But in my experience just taking a language in school without really speaking it does not teach you the language very well. I kick myself every day for not really "learning" to speak Spanish because it would be very beneficial to my career. So, it is totally ignorant to think that learning Spanish in the U.S. will only help you communicate with gardeners and construction workers.
It is my dream that enough Mexicans will ILLEGALLY move to the United States so that a good number of us can move down there and clean that ******** up. Would be a beautiful country if they could take care of it and police themselves.
We're two geeks and a case of redbull away from eliminating the need to speak another language. It will all be translated soon enough, and which ever country is on top at the time (probably us) will be the dominant language of the world..
Yeah man, but you can't expect everyone to be able to... some people are either too lazy, don't have time or just too old or too plain embarrassed or whatever.
Anecdotally I sometimes play pickup soccer with Mexicans, all speak English well or well enough and often talk to their kids in English, which is what I mean be problem eventually fixing itself... Not teaching your kids the native language puts them at economic disadvantage. I presume you didint hire Brazilian lady who couldn't communicate effectively during a poential emergency or whatever.