You should speak the language of a country if you live there.

[SlowwHand]

I agree totally, Sava. But be advised, you've opened the gates to Hell.

[Dr. Stiby]

That situation is entirely different from this one.

I didn't say the situation is the same. I was just asking whether whites in Zimbabwe should learn the local language. And if not, why not. this is reardless of any other group of people anywhere.

[Kropotkin]

The whites have created their own society within Zimbabwe. That situation is entirely different from this one.

And it's different from latin americans in what way?

If the second generation doesn't learn english then you do have a problem that could bring grave political problems in the future.

[Sava]

Originally posted by SlowwHand
I agree totally, Sava. But be advised, you've opened the gates to Hell.

beware the 7th sign....

[SlowwHand]

Beware of Ramo. He of the foaming at the mouth fame.

[MrBaggins]

I have come to detest Flushing, NY. It feels as if a cancer is creeping up Northern Blvd.

[Lefty Scaevola]

I have no problem with multiligualism. I am not at all offened or made insecure by someone using any language is convinient to them. But is is only common sense to learn the language used by the economicly and politically powerful where you live, if you want to advance more easily in economics and politics. If you can get along without doing so, that is just fine also. Just do not expect the more powerful to adjust to the less powerful's language, except when expedient to them, exception: accomadation should be provided for the most common laguages in elections, madatory government processes, public notices, and the like, as a matter of serving the population.
I am pretty much independent and autonomous in my business and do not seek "customers" from the general public. Anyone who deals with me will have to do it my language, because I am not dependent on anyone who can not do so.

[OldWarrior_42]

Flushing, NY. .... Northern Blvd.

Memories.

[Rogan Josh]

Why shouldn't they speak whatever language they want to speak? Why should you care?

I live in France but my French is very bad. I certainly shouldn't be forced to speak it! I speak English at work and at home, and I get by fine. The amount of French I need for administrative things like fixing insurance etc is very small, and even within my dismal French capabilities. The bank automachines all talk to me in english (after fixing the settings) and all the letters I get from the bank etc are also in English.

I went to a meeting yesterday were I noticed that I was the only native English speaker, but the meeting was conducted in English, and would have been even if I were not present.

Why should I bother learning French?

[our_man]

Like I stated above Rogan, there's no need for you to learn French if you just plan to live there while you work except for your own convenience, but if you decide to stay there and become a citizen, I would expect you to make an effort to learn the langauge.

Imagine people that turn up in your country, looking to become a citizen and all the benefits that go with it, and then deciding that no, they really couldn't be bothered to learn the native language. They decide that it is perfectly acceptable to continue speaking their own language and that it is our responsibility to make the effort to learn theirs in order to communicate. They then instruct their children that there is no need to learn the local language either. I honestly can't see why they would do this except out of a sense of their own superiority over the rest of us. They are not making an effort to integrate themselves into the land that they have chosen as a new home.

Luckily, most of the foreigners I know have gone to a great deal of trouble to speak English properly (and no doubt have better grammar than some of the native speakers).

[orange]

it's most likely beneficial to learn, but it shouldn't be required by law

[Zopperoni]

I agree with your point of view, Sava.
However, how quickly immigrants will be willing to learn the language of the country depends on how they are treated. If you were an immigrant in Germany for example, and you would approach a German in English and (s)he would only reply in German, even if (s)he did understand what you're saying, then you're more or less forced to learn German, just to go through daily life.
Furthermore, as Kropotkin pointed out, there are also the "immigrant neighborhoods" where the immigrants have everything they need, their own grocers, cafes et cetera, making them less dependent on having to learn the local language.

[Alex]

Yeah, it is just a matter of common sense. If I would live in a foreign country, I would like to learn the local language not only to make things easy for me during the daily activities and interactions, but also to learn their culture, habits and way of thinking, things that are many times apparent through their language.

It is a matter of learning new cultures. Being as much cosmopolitan as possible.

When I first started to post here, I was very ashamed of my English knowledge. Now I still am , but I'm trying to improve it instead of thinking "oh, what will the others think about my English"?

Alex

[SlowwHand]

Hell, Alex. You do better than most of the Canadians here.

[FrustratedPoet]

Originally posted by Alexnm
"oh, what will the others think about my English"?

Alex

They'll probably think that you are English, mate ... you seem pretty fluent to me.
Well done on that, by the way, I'm SO glad that I haven't had to learn English ... seems like it would be as hard as trying to put toothpaste back in the tube.