English! English! When did America stop speaking English?

[Joseph]

Originally posted by Adagio
I've got the same problem here

ALL pizzarias in town are owned by these people from some middle east country, and it's very tough to get an order correct...

Usually we (me and my friends) orders 3 pizzas, so the call goes like this:

We'd like to order 3 pizzas... on the first pizza the following ingridients should be on blah blah bla... on the second pizza blah blah blah... and the last pizza blah blah blah
The response: Ok, and what would you like on the second pizza, thereby indicating that everything should be put on the first pizza (not even wondering why we would have 3 times pepperoni on the first pizza )I want to know if you got the 3 pizzas?


If I was in control of the laws, I would defently require all immigrants to take a test after a few years (once after x years, again after x+2 years, and at last after x+4 years)... the first test is just to see if they can communicate on basic level (in danish of course), and then it gets more advanced later... of course it should be possible to take a test earlier than usual...
If you fail any of these tests, you should be kicked out of this country (unless you have a REALLY good reason why not)
You need to have passed the 3rd test to be able to have a service job (as taking orders etc)


And this rule should be applied to ALL immigrants... I've seen too many families where the man can communicate on basis level, while the wife don't know any danish words

[Verto]

Originally posted by Dissident
I support mexicans speaking Spanish in the U.S.

You forget Tia, we are living in Mexican territories. We stole their land from them. I live in Las Vegas- formerly Mexican territory. You live in Texas, also mexican territory.

And the Mexicans stole it from Spain, who stole it from the American Indians. Boohoo.

[Joseph]

Originally posted by PLATO
I live in Tennessee and I never learned to speak Cherokee...

That is because the Cherokee were from SC and N.E. Georgia.
My G.G. Grandmother was Cherokee w/ some Creek.

[Ted Striker]

Originally posted by Verto


And the Mexicans stole it from Spain, who stole it from the American Indians. Boohoo.

And the Aztecs mostly stold it from someone else.

[Verto]

Yes. Point being, no one cares about the losers.

[Boris Godunov]

The Cherokee also initially inhabited the Cumberland basin of Tennessee. Chattanooga was originally a Cherokee village.

[Dis]

Originally posted by Boris Godunov


Sadly, many Americans seem to think it's perfectly okay that, when abroad, they walk up to people and start speaking in English. If we expect people to speak English here, then why shouldn't we be expected to speak the vernacular of a country when traveling there?

this isn't just americans.

The other day I had to try to explain to french people where the ice machine was. I took spanish in school. But not French. I had no idea how to communicate where the ice machine was. Many tourist do not know how to speak English.

[Dis]

Originally posted by Boris Godunov
The Cherokee also initially inhabited the Cumberland basin of Tennessee. Chattanooga was originally a Cherokee village.

good point. perhaps I should learn how to speak southern paiute where I live.

They definately have rights to this land. Sure the anasazi were here a long time ago. But they went extinct or something. Perhaps drought caused them to break apart. They cannot lay claim to this land.

[Joseph]

Re: Re: Re: Re: English! English! When did America stop speaking English?

Originally posted by chegitz guevara


Are you advocating a law requiring the ability to speak English as a term of employment?

Anyway, Texas has always had large areas of Spanish speaking people. There are many villages there that are Spanish only, from before the time the Texans stole the land from Mexico. I don't think it's unreasonable to think that the Texan natives be allowed to speak their own lanugage, just because they're overwhelmed by Anglo-immigrants.

We did not steal it, we just shot the shlt out of them and took it.
In the real world, when Mexico free it self from Spain, they took for granite that all of the formal Spanish terr. now belong to Mexico, boy were they wrong. The white man was here and he wanted everything north of the Rio Grande. Plus Mexico did not come up here and settle the entire area that did belong to Spain.

[Pekka]

Diss, I don't think that was the point Boris made.. I think he made the opposite point with that example. Saying 'Americans don't speak the languages they travel to' is absurd argument. Of course they don't speak all the languages they go to. And I think that was the point, no one even expects that. So, expecting every person in the US would speak english is kind of also not very realistic.

[Ted Striker]

Originally posted by Verto
Yes. Point being, no one cares about the losers.

Yeah.

The Last of the Mohicans (the newer version) shows this happening.


They talk about it at the Indian camp. The elder chief tells about how the coming of the white man has been an issue for some time now, and how they should deal with it.


Later, at the end of the movie, the Last Mohican has the discussion about how his time is over. That's they way it has been and that's how it will be.

This scene is cut out of most versions of the movie, but it's in a special edition. I suspect it wasn't a polictally correct line or maybe they just didn't have time for it.

[Pekka]

yeah but they have them casinos. I mean, if you're an indian, you can have a casino. What do I get? What's in it for me? I don't get **** because I'm a Finn. So how come you are so racist against me? My mom pays federal AND state taxes to your country, so why don't I get like a free happy meal at least? Where's my benefits?

If you have things bad, you can come here as a refugee, and you get some money to set you up. You get therapy. And then, you can get a permit to stay here, or then you gotta move to another place to try again. I come to the US, what do I get? I'm poor too. I get a good frisk and special check up with the security guys. Why? I'm white, but.. right.. I'm a Finn. So what's the special treatment for me about? Looking at me like I was a criminal, asking me questions about my trip.. what's it to you, you paranoid custom man? 'Look into my eyes when you answer'.. fat puerto rican orders giving hoe.. where's my rights? Where's my freedom and where is my benefits? Why my people are hunted like this? What did they ever do to you. At least indians scalped white women of yours. Mexicans? Remember Alamo. What did we do to you, I ask you this much? That's right, we never did anything bad to you.

We drink your sodas, we watch your sitcoms. We go to movie theaters and see your hollywood movies, contributing to the film industry that pays taxes that gives you, american people benefits. We wear your clothes, and we listen to your music. And you don't even know anything about us, who we are, what we do and what we're about! Where's my freedom, where's my benefits? Where's the thanks for me and my countrymen? Instead, you treat me like a criminal when I come there.. 'show me your ID' all the time.. 'sir you're too drunk to come in'.. my money is not good in your eyes.. it's like it's dirty because it's from my hands. Why you treat me like this?

You got all kinds of funds, and especially college funds for minorities.. you got funds for black people, indian people, hell you I've even seen a fund for Ethiopian people. Where's my fund? There IS NO fund for me! I can't come in there, and share the joy of my culture with you. I can't teach you, because you don't want to listen. Because you think I'm a criminal. Evil white man from north europe, must be a criminal. Why would he come in our lands, if he didn't have something evil in his mind..why didn't he stay there, in his own little crappy land we never heard of.. that bastard.. walking in our passport checking lines.. wasting our times..

You come to our country, we don't treat you like a criminal. We treat you like a hero. So you want to see our country? 'Let me show you around'.. 'ohh I want to speak english with you'.. 'Eddie Murphy HAHAHA funny man from America!'. We try to make you feel you had a good time. And the first thing you notice 'there's no starbucks in here. Mom I hate this freaking country, they're so backwards'. Like a real hater from age 6.

And when I come to your country, I'm a criminal? You know, I think your government OWES me a free trip to your country, a fine dinner at the white house, because damn it I'm here, fighting communism and commies, keeping it real and in the front lines of all evil. I'm the guy who wears the shirt with the US flag on it, AND the eagel. I'm the one who gives evil eyes to hippie looking dads money spending wine alcoholic pot smoking youth, protecting capitalism, protecting democracy, fighting against socialism and commies. You gave Osama money to fight the commies. You gave Saddam weapons to fight Iran. What did you ever give to me? I give you all the time, what did you do for me lately?

[Ted Striker]

Evil white man!

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by Pekka
Diss, I don't think that was the point Boris made...

Yes it was. But you're exaggerating it...it's not about Americans speaking the language, it's about them learning some basics and attempting to speak it when abroad. It's simply incredibly rude to be in a foreign country and walk up to its citizens and jabber away in your own tongue, expecting them to know what you're saying. It's presumptuous to say the least. If you had been in NY and started talking to shop keepers in Finnish, they would probably have treated you pretty poorly. Well, more poorly than usual.

The bottom line is that if you're going to be traveling to a foreign country, pick up a phrase book and learn some stuff before traveling. At the very least, learn how to say "Please," "thank you," "Sorry," and "Do you speak English?" in the native tongue.

[Pekka]

Boris, aah ok. I thought you meant that Americans don't handle the whole language properly. That would be absurd. I think that I made a better point out of your point though . Anyway of course.. I mean, you learn the few words and few phrases naturally.. You don't walk up to a guy and say 'Hi dude!' but try to find what that would be in their language. Yeah I agree.