Bi-lingual?

[SaDeR]

Question: Do you agree that the government should pass a bill to ban forcing students to learn a second language? (Please post info why you picked your choice.)

My Ideas: I agree, the reason is, is back then in early to middle, to late-early 1900s students were not forced to take a language they could choose to. Now why should I have to be forced to take a language when I have no say if I really want to. Every origin that has come to this nation has had to learn to speak our language or life would be pretty hard. And now what we have to give in to them, of course thats what America does. If I went to Spain, Mexico, South American countries and some other Spanish speaking nations they wouldn't learn my language. You should have a choice to take a language, its just not right.

Examples: Lets say you walk into anybodys house you can't force them to go by your rules, speak your language, do what you do, you follow the basics of what they do. Exactly like it should be here.

Remember no translation without representation.

[Strattios]

There is a problem here. While I agree about it being forced, that's only because English is a world wide language. What I do believe is that the US needs to make English it's official language once and for all. It should go hand in hand with citizenship for adults or at least family providers.

[Hunter Makoy]

absolutely banned. if anything, they should be forcing the immigrants to learn English. people will try to tiptoe around it all they want, but its very simple. No natural citizen of any country should be forced to learn someone else's language simply because other people moved there.

If u move to America, u move there because u want to be an American, because u want to adapt the culture. that includes learning the language.

[SaDeR]

First Strattios do you want it banned or not, I couldn't depict based on what you said. Second good example mango, that its meaningless to learn it because it will only be worth basic stuff, nothing advanced. I mean right now I know enough to tell someone the time and date, my name and very basic stuff. And if you ask anyone who has taken Spanish, French etc they remeber like a few words and thats it.

Also this nation was built by mostly English people and if they weren't English they were mostly English speaking people. Its irrelevant to learn it and I waste my time studying and doing homework for something thats meaningless, I would rather have an extra 40 min of history and I enjoy history anyway. Hell I would rather have an extra period of Lit or even ELA.

Edit: Sorry i missed your post Mythos, I have one question for you what is it valuable for?

[Panzerbear]

Edit: Sorry i missed your post Mythos, I have one question for you what is it valuable for?

is that a serious question? how about education for education's sake? jesus...

its like asking why shouldnt you learn algebra. you dont have to be a professor, but you definitely owe it to yourself and to the society to be somewhat educated. a most basic knowledge of a foreign language will not kill you.

I am fluent in Russian, German and English. know some basic French and Spanish. also tried to learn Dutch a little bit. at the very least, it develops your brain, you know...

[Каие]

absolutely banned. if anything, they should be forcing the immigrants to learn English.

That would be forcing people to learn a language, so you don't really want it banned do you?

besides I think he means in countries with a justified reason for a bi-lingual nature I.e. Government or constitution documents in another language. E.g. Canada or Wales.

Also in Britain you have to choose a language in High school normally French, German or Spanish but you can choose modern languages too now.

[the_mango55]

People don't have to "Learn" a second language, they just have to take a second language.

I took two classes of Spanish in High School and one in college, and I sure as hell don't "know" Spanish.

I know enough to give someone directions or ask basic questions, and sometimes understand what people are talking about. but that's about it.

[Hunter Makoy]

People don't have to "Learn" a second language, they just have to take a second language.

I took two classes of Spanish in High School and one in college, and I sure as hell don't "know" Spanish.

I know enough to give someone directions or ask basic questions, and sometimes understand what people are talking about. but that's about it.

certainly we learn some in school, i took French tho. and i took it so i could go to France and understand people there.

i just have something against the idea that i have to learn a foreign language to understand people in a country i'm not foreign to.

[jankren]

i just have something against the idea that i have to learn a foreign language to understand people in a country i'm not foreign to.

Yeah, you just prefer to learn a language which is spoken by people whom you probably will never meet in your whole life ...

What a wasteful way of thinking.

[Dunecat]

Der takin er JUHBZ!

...I don't want to change the topic but I definitely don't think english as an official language should be brought in. It creates a nightmare of legal and bureaucratic (not to mention practical) problems which don't really "solve" anything, such as motivating immigrants to learn english faster.

Of countries that should have official languages, the USA is not one of them.

Anyway.

You don't "learn" a second language in high school. You sit through 2 years of memorizing lists, which you piece together in nonsensical sentences said in silly ways. Even in college, unless you are majoring in the language the instruction is absolutely atrocious. Hardly an infringement of student rights or a horrible burden.

To learn a language you need to experience it, not to mention the fact that much of understanding the meaning in the conversations needs a base knowledge of the culture. The classes most take are easy. "It's so hard though." That's because for 4 years you and moan about it and the teachers whenever the topic's brought up. It sometimes gets more grief than math.

Of classes you take in high school though, Spanish (or French, what have you) is one of the more practical ones. It has many applications across many job and career fields, not to mention personal interests.

Perhaps, depending on whatever the stated goals of compulsory language education are, they could focus more on culture. If the intent is to create well-rounded workers and citizens, maybe they could succeed if they emphasized that part more. But honestly I see this in the same light as "required electives"- it's part of the well-rounded educational system that already exists.

[SaDeR]

I hate how people just say this is the way it works, this is hows its always worked. Doesn't anyone want to make a change in the educational system. Think about it even College is pretty pointless (not to go off topic) I mean for God's sake you get trained as an intern when you join any company or anything else you get trained for that job. You get trained for it so what was the point of learning all that pointless knowledge in College just to end up getting trained for it.

I mean yes College can be helpful in ways and is needed but not to the degree its at I mean there is so much pointless stuff in general that you learn through out your years in school. Ask any adult they forget a ton of stuff they learned in school not just the language.

Back to the language thing to really know a language to have to live in the country for a few months or so to consume how its used. The best way to learn it is by learning it off the streets but also taking some courses just so you have a knowledge of what they are saying.

Edit: Czar, ok so it develops my brain, while I am at it why don't I take advanced Chem, bio, and Physics. Know my times tables up to 1,567. Read every Shakespeare playwright, all Hemingway books, and know all of Emily Dickinson's poems by heart. Then know every event from the birth of Babylon to the Renassancie. It all develops your brain, just how pointless or to what degree it does it can make a difference to why even bother.

[Dunecat]

Speaking as a person whose girlfriend was bilingual, I can definitely say it is relevant to your interests (she was more fluent in French than she was in english ).

[Admiral Piett]

Der takin er JUHBZ!

...I don't want to change the topic but I definitely don't think english as an official language should be brought in. It creates a nightmare of legal and bureaucratic (not to mention practical) problems which don't really "solve" anything, such as motivating immigrants to learn english faster.

Of countries that should have official languages, the USA is not one of them.

You say that, but you have never worked in Texas, where you could end up working with a guy who doesn't speak a lick of English nor does he even care to.

[wilting]

This thread is bizarre.

Why would you want to learn more languages? To communicate with people maybe? To learn a bit about other cultures maybe?

Why would one want third level education? Seriously? To think about how little I knew before I went to college ... not to mention that people who go to college earn more.

Seriously, I wish I was forced to learn more languages in school. I know a guy who teaches arabic classes, might join up next semester.

[Dunecat]

You say that, but you have never worked in Texas, where you could end up working with a guy who doesn't speak a lick of English nor does he even care to.

Does not matter, an "official language" is not an option.

There are immigrant workers here too, tho not nearly as much.

[Mythos]

Why would you not want to learn another language? It gives you an insight into other people's culture, it is something valuable and in todays globalised society it is essential.

[eddy_purpus]

Why would you not want to learn another language? It gives you an insight into other people's culture, it is something valuable and in todays globalised society it is essential.

agreed , it gives you a boost on intellectual appearence too .

[Captain Jin]

I think foreign languages should be taught in school. In fact I think they should start earlier. Where I am from we didn't get to pick a language until middle school. I think that's too late and the opportunity should be provided earlier. Just for the sake that being bi-lingual is neat, even though it's not necessary for an American like it is for a European.

At my middle school we had German, French and Spanish. Then into High school we had those three which seem to be the most common, and they added Japanese and Italian.

I'd love to be bi-lingual but learning languages when you're older and busy with work and life can prove difficult. I spoke decent broken Arabic when I was living with Iraqi troops, but I've forgotten most. German seemed to be the easiest from what I learned of that and currently I'm taking Russian which is bloody difficult. Seems to be the hardest of all I've tried to learn so far.

[Scar Face]

Learn and adapt to the majority, not the other way around.

[Hunter Makoy]

Learn and adapt to the majority, not the other way around.

well thats the way it should be. of course in about another 15 years Spanish will be the majority here.