I guess this gives us some insight into where the country will be headed when Obama gets elected. Change we can believe in.
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For once I am in agreement with Mister Mustard!
All Obama and his wife seem capable of doing is complaining about America.
Michelle was never proud of America until her husband ran for President (with only 173 days experience in the Senate)
Obama is embarrassed because Americans can only speak one language when the visit Europe.
Their foot-in-the-mouth disease speaks volumes about their true feelings.
#24
You’re a living example that learning another language won’t make you a better person with a broader mind/perspective.
No, English is THE American language. Go bi-lingual and you’ll have the Canadian bi-mess.
The illegals should at least learn, “Don’t shoot, gringo bastardos, I’m cooperatin’ here!”
You guys who hold up most of the rest of the world where “people speak two languages” as evidence that America is behind the ball crack me up. What is the second language in almost every non native English speaking country in the world? Yes, English. Why is that? Because English has developed as the “universal currency” of languages. As Americans, we are lucky. Our native tongue IS the universal currency. There is not anywhere near the imperative to learn another language that there is in almost any non-English speaking land.
Sure, it’s nice to be bi/tri-lingual. But as a native English speaker, you don’t really have to. That’s just the way it is, and I don’t think we need to legislate a second language to appease some sense of guilt over the fact that we were lucky enough to be born here.
#5: The obvious question is…can he speak Spanish, or any other European language?
Apparently he can speak at least one European language: English.
I’m reminded of the US Senator (whose name I forget) who stated, “If English was good enough for Jesus Christ, it’s good enough for me!”
#31 – Bobbo
>>Why know how to say the same thing in two
>>languages and not be able to say anything about
>>your universe?
Bobo, if you think your “knowledge” of physics allows you to communicate in any meaningful way with physicists, or to understand the basis of the universe (beyond the USA Today stories), you’re even more delusional than I thought.
I’m not suggesting that children not learn the basics of everything; I’m suggesting that the Ugly American might be well-served by learning a little about what goes on beyond East Bumfuck, like what kinda lingo they parlay-voo in other countries.
If you have a delusion that what you know about physics is anything more than a drop in the ocean, then I’m appalled. That’s simply pathetic.
>>If you stop using physics, you lose it.
Oh brother. You’re a laugh riot, Bobbolina.
#41 “A lot of the rest of the world is at least partially bi-lingual, most of them know “Yankee go home” anyway.”
If you ACTUALLY travel abroad you mostly hear, “Yankee, I wish I could live in the US rather than where I currently live.”
Fixed.
I honestly think everyone should speak at least two languages.
Spanish is one good option.
Reading Chinese might count but they don’t all speak the same language.
India has too many languages for me to suggest that and they use English as bridge with each other.
Russian?
Speaking two languages… that’s funny. Have you seen our public school system?
Like it or not, Obama is right – if you have children, you should hope they are learning Spanish.
Where I live (in the Southwest) in another dozen years or so the majority of the population will be Hispanic. Most of them will be bilingual and bi-cultural, but most of the gringo kids won’t be.
In this rapidly approaching future, employers will be looking for employees that are bilingual in English and Spanish, in addition to any other job specific qualifications. An employee who can’t talk to anyone that walks in the door, or calls on the phone (or works in the next cubicle) is going to be a pretty worthless employee…
To sum up:
“You kids, stay off my lawn!”
– J. Dvorak
so to majority of the people its bad or wrong to be bilingual????
knowlege is important and key.
so what if kids speak spanish?
is there something wrong with that?
no so why btch about kids learning other languages, at least that would avoid so many problems and people are able to understand each other more easily. Makes no scene why people bringing up immigration issues with this, even though everyone in the world has migrated so quit btching andbuild a bridge and get over it.
WHY CANT WE ALL JUST UNITE??!!!
we are all here in this country for the same reason a better life and little do these people from all over the world actually know whats going on.
I can see Mista Mustard has his blinders on when it comes to something holy as Obama. A fool doing the fools work only to be fooled foolishly.
Spanish…Russian…Pashto and on and on. In any society, if very young schoolchildren are required to pick a foreign language to learn as a standard requirement, they will definitely have an intellectual advantage over other cultures that snootily think it’s not necessary.
Isn’t that obvious?
“Why can’t these bloody wogs speak English??”
(I’ll bet that’s part of why the sun finally set on them)
Since I can’t see the video (I’m assuming it’s a video) from work, the only “problem” I see in that selectively chosen quote is that it subtly implies that Americans had better learn Spanish because they soon won’t be able to ask a question at the store down the street without knowing it. As if we don’t already have enough things fueling our xenophobia.
I can currently converse in two languages (English and Spanish) and trying to become conversant in Chinese. English because I am a native English speaker, Spanish because I lived in a Spanish speaking country for a number of years (and I expected myself to learn their language out of respect for their country and culture), and Chinese due to current business endeavors.
But… Bobbo is right. On my last trip to China I met a very amiable Italian man with whom I would converse along with our Chinese host. We all spoke English, not because of me but because it’s the universal language. On my trip back I helped some stranded French tourist, language? – English. Why? -Because it’s the universal language.
Obama is coming closer to pooping in the punchbowl with comments like this. By using the comparison of Europeans knowing more than one language with Americans only knowing one, he is both fundamentally wrong in his understanding of international business and reinforcing the “Ugly American” stereotype.
It’s one thing if an educator or some such says such things, and another thing ENTIRELY when the Presidential candidate gets on the pulpit and evangelizes about a stereotype that doesn’t actually exist.
“Modern English, sometimes described as the first global lingua franca, is the dominant international language in communications, science, business, aviation, entertainment, radio and diplomacy”
http://tinyurl.com/b99x7
His ugly stereotype is showing. It’s making me take a second look at Michelle’s “First time I’m proud of America” speech.
#50 – Ah_yeah
>>evangelizes about a stereotype that doesn’t
>>actually exist.
What? Americans know how to say things other than “merçi beaucoup” (and maybe “give-o me-o another-o taco”)??
That’s news to me.
Whenever I meet foreigners here, they almost universally speak very good English.
And when I go to France or Spain or Belgium and speak in their language, they’re just about bowled over that an American knows how to do anything besides repeat the same thing louder and Louder and LOUDER in the hopes that pumping up the volume will enhance the translation.
Sure, people around the world speak English. They also usually speak another tongue in addition to their native one.
Only in America is ignorance not only a badge of honor, but something the hillbillies would like to implement as a Constitutional Amendment.
Sheesh.
#50–Ah Yea==thanks for the compliment but what you say is most reflected by Post #38==Kwadguy. I could have said that, but tacked the other way.
Certain “ideas” get into a culture without much reason behind them. The benefit of bi-lingualism is one such issue. Theres nothing wrong with it, just ain’t as great as it gets touted, if you speak good American to begin with. (Yes, humor) In fact, the continentals laugh at Americans putting on airs trying to speak a foreign language, and Americans feeling second class as a result is classic.
I wonder who is better off. Fully steeped in English with 1000 books read, or a modest 500 books read while gaining the appendix of an unused and inadequate foreign illiteracy?
John C. Dvotak
After a few of your recent posts, and your smarmy remarks that accompany them, I have to reach one conclusion… you are not just an out of touch old coot, you are a racist out of touch old coot.
Out of self respect, I leave this forum. Personally I can’t see myself belonging to any club that would have you as a member.
“Tell me who you walk with, and I will tell you who you are.” I don’t want to walk with you, because it makes me a lesser person.
Goodbye.
Hey my wife is Russian, and I’m learning it. We’re going to raise our kids bilingually, and I look forward to the advantage they’ll have in just understanding other cultures.
I’m not too worried about this happening… Americans would have to learn proper English, first. Just axe me.
the answer said: “Wow. Typical republican assholes twisting things. He said kids should be Bi Lingual. Like in 99% of other countries…”
Hey Chucklehead, guess what OTHER language they’re speaking in those 99%? Get a grip.
Awake… I predict you’ll be back. This isn’t a forumn for political correctness, but for discussions about what were thinking and how we feel.
We need you, you add to the conversation.
wow mods, i thought you usually deleted the text of a comment and put in a note explaining why you deleted it, what’s with the clandestine approach?
[While moderating a ton of comments, I accidentally deleted a couple. Sorry. – ed.]
#53 – Bobbo
>>In fact, the continentals laugh at Americans
>>putting on airs trying to speak a foreign
>>language, and Americans feeling second class as
>>a result is classic.
What the fuck continent have you been to, Bobbo? I’ve never had anything but positive results “trying to speak a foreign language”. Even in Germany, where I can communicate at about the level of a second grader.
My experience has been that “the continentals” are shocked shitless that an American would even give a fuck how to speak their language, much less make some progress at doing so.
Mr. Mustard, if it was about multilingualism, then why Spanish? Why not Chinese? Or Japanese? Or Navaho? It’s not about multilingualism. It’s about welcoming illegal aliens. I never said being multilingual was bad, did I? Why do you imply it with your comment knowing full-well that is not what I said. Shame on you. Try to contribute insight rather than knee-jerk reaction.
And UNKN, he made no hints that he was for anythihng other than speaking Spanish. And why use one example rather than adding another? He’s a trained speaker who chooses carefully what he says.
That said, I do have an opinion on the matter:
Simple – the illegal Mexicans in the USA now should learn english. AND we should eliminate all spanish language hep at banks, on the phone, etc.
I’m sick and tired of having to “Press 1 for English!!!”
#60–Mustard==I think the Germans are much more forgiving than the French in that regard. My experience is the same as yours, the effort to speak the language is generally well recieved.
In truth, I was thinking about social criticism at the turn of the 20th Century (aka 1900’s a la Henry James who came a bit later but wrote about Innocence Abroad which I think was Mark Twain who wrote about the same thing earlier?) As you might say, WTF was I talking about?
#53 bobbo, I agree. What use is it to spend the time and money on learning a foreign language you may never use?
Much of the rest of the world can practice their English all the time, from technical books to the Internet, email, TV, and the movies, other countries are inundated with English, most of which originated in the United States.
With the possible exception of a few southern states, we do not have that same situation here.
So, unless there is a pressing need to learn a new language and keep it current, that time may be better spent doing something else.