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why is it we as americans are starting to have to learn spanish when they are the ones who immigrated?
When they immigrate shouldn't they have to learn the native language of where they are immigrating too? If they do it legally, why is this not part of the requirements of being american? If they truley wanted to be in america, then they should be as we are, not as they were before they arrived. Believe me I'm not racist I am just curious as to what people really think about this. It seems everyday as I walk through malls, supermarkets, even schools, I hear more and more spanish. Are we as americans losing our country because we WILL NOT control our borders more carefully? I am almost starting to feel like an outsider in my own country, anyone else?
19 Answers
- RedPower WomanLv 61 decade agoFavorite Answer
Ok. The Native language of the U.S. is not English. It is hundreds of Native American languages. So I guess, according to your theory, everyone needs to learn a Native tribal language?
Just becaue English is predominant doens't make it official and doesn't make it original. It is the language of the oppressor.
Why can we not respect a person's right to speak their own language. Since when have Americans felt so entilted to this country that they can now impose English as the language of all people. Americans are colonizers. America was subject to colonization. By supporting English only or mandatory English you are supporting colonization. The only reason it is dominant in America is by brutal force. And now America goes to other countries and takes over. Should they too be forced to speak English?
And what happened to America being the land of immigration? The land of diversity? You can't have diversity if you expect everyone to conform to one standard. That is assimilation and that is oppression.
Just because you hear people speaking a lot of Spanish does not mean they don't speak English. Should it now be a requirement that in public places everyone must speak English? What kind of facist government is that?
If you feel like an outsider then get educated. Get involved in your community. Learn other's cultures and participate in their events. Then you feel welcome, you won't feel confused, you will be accepted in many diverse communities.
What makes you think your way is the right way? I think all the nationalities that have suffered under oppression would disagree with you. We all need to be more culturally accepting instead of expecting others to convert to our standards.
- malotteLv 45 years ago
Perhaps they do not have the time or possibility to gain knowledge of. Also, Spanish is way simpler to gain knowledge of than english, and humans must be happy they get the possibility to gain knowledge of a overseas language within the first location. Spanish is already the moment such a lot spoken language within the United states so really frankly it's not that problematic for a spanish speaker to make their method within the US. I'm no longer say that unlawful immigrants must all come speeding over and that immigrants traditionally don't have any have got to gain knowledge of english, however it is not so totally absurd for them to get via in a nation in which spanish is in every single place.
- 1 decade ago
The ACTUAL answer to this question is quite simple: the reason that learning English in America is not a requisite (unlike England where you must learn English, or India where you must speak Hindi) is because, believe it or not, AMERICA HAS NO OFFICIAL LANGUAGE. I didn't believe it myself until I looked it up. Now it IS our major choice of language, but think of Louisiana where many people only speak French and some TV is in French. Think of Minnesota where many people speak only Norweigen (my family for example). Think of NYC with almost 150 different languages and/or dialects! Plus English is the hardest Latin language to learn. So it's virtually impossible to require it. Not only that but the forefathers believed if you establish a language, you next a establish a religion, and since that was the whole purpose of leaving, naturally they'd leave it off. My advice: learn Spanish. It's VERY easy and it WILL help in your life. I've been given jobs for it alone. And I know easy languages because I speak (excluding English and Spanish) five languages (German, Itallian, Russian, Czech, Norweigen).
I hope you have a better understanding now.
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- 1 decade ago
The reason why you should learn Spanish is not for the benefit of immigrants, its for you. Spanish like it or not, is the second spoken language today in the United States.
I'm a Spanish native speaker, and English was also taught to me in school not because of any immigrants, its a question of education and to better communicate throughout the world. You get better jobs also.
However, I want to point out that I note a certain resistance by Americans to learn Spanish. Do Americans remember how they forced their language to all their colonies throughout the centuries???
Why don't you ask a Puerto Rican your question?
No, I'm not from Puerto Rico, but I know their history.
- Anonymous1 decade ago
You have to realize that americans are some of the only people in the world that only learn one language and expect the rest of the world to know it as well. My fiance lives in Denmark and he knows 7 languages, and that's normal. The fact is, the more languages you know, the better your job opportunities. Just think, you'd be able to travel the world and know exactly what people were saying. People would treat you better cause you'd be able to speak to them in their own language. Everyone should learn the languages spoken most in their country, both spanish AND english (when it comes to the USA)
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- invictusLv 41 decade ago
No. I don't feel they should have to change their language. It is a good idea for them to speak English in order to talk with other people outside their family but they shouldn't have to speak like us just to be a citizen. When our country was founded where do you think all the people originated from? We are a country of diverse culture's and should accept each other the way we are. Live and let live. You will have a much happier life.
- 1 decade ago
I have no problems with it. I would love to learn Spanish. And why should they give up their culture to adopt to an American one? I agree, they do need to be able to understand English, but we also need to able to understand Spanish. Just leave the poor people alone. And English is not the native language. So, if we live by your logic, then everyone needs to learn to speak all of the Native American languages.
- ZarathustraLv 51 decade ago
You do need to speak english for citizenship ( there is an exception if you are really old). As to why we are learning it. Because not doing so would be stupid. We are a capitalist economy and if a huge number of potential customers only speak spanish, I'd better learn it or give up my bussiness to those who will.