Question Jobs & Careers

Should we be forced to be bilingual in our own country?

raves +6   by ACEDMagazine
Should we be forced to be bilingual in our own country?
So many job descriptions of late require applicants to speak Spanish and English. The last time I checked this was America, and America is an English-speaking country. Why is it we have to know Spanish to write for an English-speaking publication? To work at any local business that does not deal directly with Spanish-speaking countries? Even an office assistant in a doctor's office is required to speak both languages... They even tried to make Spanish the primary language in some South Florida schools. I am sure there are other similar circumstances in other parts of the country as well. It is my opinion, if people come here they need to learn to speak English. We did not go to their country they came to ours. And if we had moved to their country, then we should learn their language. I don't think it is right to "require" people to know Spanish or any other language for a job in the US that does not directly deal with other countries.
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raves +4   by willienye

Answered No! We speak English in the States thanks.

While it is nice to know more than one language, making it a requirement for employment in the USA is unacceptable. If people want to retain their own language when they immigrate to the USA, that's fine but they must learn English if they plan on staying here.

My wife and her family immigrated to the USA many years ago and she is not only fluent in English, but also Italian and Spanish as well. When people come up to her speaking Spanish, she ignores them and finds that most of them CAN actually speak English when they have to. This just reinforces my theory that these people just want us to convert to their language instead of them learning ours.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, if you immigrate to another country, you are declaring your desire to become a citizen of that country. As such, it is YOUR responsibility to learn the language of that country and to assimilate to the culture. If you don't feel that you want to, for what ever reason, then you can move right back to wherever you came from and retain your own culture and language. If a person moves to Canada, they are required to learn both English AND French since those are the official languages of Canada. If you want to immigrate to Italy, you learn Italian, France-French, Germany-German, so why has it become OPTIONAL to learn English when people immigrate, legally or illegally, to The United States of America? It's time we take our country back from the invaders that refuse to respect our cultu...
While it is nice to know more than one language, making it a requirement for employment in the USA is unacceptable. If people want to retain their own language when they immigrate to the USA, that's fine but they must learn English if they plan on staying here.

My wife and her family immigrated to the USA many years ago and she is not only fluent in English, but also Italian and Spanish as well. When people come up to her speaking Spanish, she ignores them and finds that most of them CAN actually speak English when they have to. This just reinforces my theory that these people just want us to convert to their language instead of them learning ours.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, if you immigrate to another country, you are declaring your desire to become a citizen of that country. As such, it is YOUR responsibility to learn the language of that country and to assimilate to the culture. If you don't feel that you want to, for what ever reason, then you can move right back to wherever you came from and retain your own culture and language. If a person moves to Canada, they are required to learn both English AND French since those are the official languages of Canada. If you want to immigrate to Italy, you learn Italian, France-French, Germany-German, so why has it become OPTIONAL to learn English when people immigrate, legally or illegally, to The United States of America? It's time we take our country back from the invaders that refuse to respect our culture, diversity and language. We didn't move to their country, they came to ours so, why then must we learn THEIR language to retain employment in OUR country?
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  • raves     [-] by teasenickel

    Answered No! We speak English in the States thanks.

    we are expected to no the language of other countries if we live there or even visit so it should be the same here
  • raves     [-] by JasMANIA

    Answered Yes! We should cater to people speaking other languages, even if it means not getting a job.

    Why not? You will definitely get far in life. Instead of being stubborn why not take a chance? Thats whats wrong with America now...if other countries can speak two languages why can't we?
  • raves     [-] by Nate

    Answered No! We speak English in the States thanks.

    its the same what there trying to do like there doing measurement by trying to put gay measurement into our country. like meters, kilimeters, instead of feet, yards, and miles
  • raves +1   [-] by shhsecret

    Answered No! We speak English in the States thanks.

    I live in Dalton GA and we have the same problem here, if you don't speak spanish you're not going to get the job. You walk into any employment office, doctors office, insurance company, or store in a mall and all that is working there are hispanics because they're the only ones fluent in Spanish and English. The reason they have to be bilingual is because of the illegals that have come here and don't know english. So NO, we should not cater to them; the majority who can't speak english are not legal anyways.
  • raves     [-] by BlackSails

    Answered Undecided

    Most countries residents speak much more than 1 language. Typically it's 3-4 languages.

    Germans generally speak German, Turkish, Serbo-Croatian, Italian, Kurdish.

    Tagalog, English is the official language of Philippines

    People in Romania speak Romanian, Hungarian, Romani, Turkish, and German

    German, French, Italian, Spanish, Serbo-Croatian is the official language of Switzerland

    so, asking for spanish is nothing.
  • raves     [-] by mr jiggs

    Answered No! We speak English in the States thanks.

    Today the threat to Americas language is very real. I just read an article about the Timberline Elementary school in Grapevine Tx. where more than half the students are Spanish. To make American children conform to the majority, Spanish is now mandatory. Some parents say that their children shouldn't be compelled to accomodate those who live in our country who refuse to learn the primary and current native tongue of English. The school won't budge. Spanish is for the students own good, it says. " The whole intent is to give students a foundation that we believe broadens their experiences and prepares them for success in our diverse World"
    If we don't wake up soon we are going to lose the USA as we have always known it. How sad.
  • raves     [-] by ROCKO

    Answered No! We speak English in the States thanks.

    fuck no there use to be a time where if someone couldn't read or write or speak American (not english they speak that in England) that person was shipped back to where ever the hell they came from. we should adobted that again because all these fucking illegals piss me off, how they got jobs when they only can say 2 mabey 3 words in American fucking illegals. if they want to become a citizen and pay taxes like the rest of us i could care less but they should learn the fucking language too
  • raves     [-] by josodf

    Answered No! We speak English in the States thanks.

    I believe learning another language should be for ones own benefit...perhaps if you were to travel to another country so you could communicate with the native speakers "there". Learning another language so you can communicate with others who can't or refuse to speak english in the US is wrong. Imigrants and illegal aliens should be working to learn english and how to fit in to our society. US makes too many consessions to "others" using various freedom acts as an excuse. It cost tax payers millions in the end.
  • raves +2   [-] by ibiza

    Answered No! We speak English in the States thanks.

    Learn it or go back home!
  • raves     [-] by Lies Won't Hide Your Flaws

    Answered No! We speak English in the States thanks.

    It ticks me off i agree with the comment that taxidrivr made. We do hve spansh and english on everything we have shoot if we go to sweden or even Mexico they are not going to have english under their language on their products!!
  • raves     [-] by Shane - oldschoolelf

    Answered Undecided

    Even though english is the main language in the states, learning and speaking a different language has its benifits. Should people wish to recieve these benifits. It should be learned upon choosing to, not being forced to. I speak some spanish but that's because I choose to learn it. When we were in middle school, we were forced to but now it an elective.
  • raves     [-] by Arel

    Answered No! We speak English in the States thanks.

    If you want to live in America you should learn to speak English.
  • raves +1   [-] by DamagedRoses

    Answered Undecided

    I do not think we should cater to the foreigners coming to America- but I do think that its sad that America is the only country that's not bilingual at all. I think we should learn how to speak the second most used language after english. I also believe if you move to America you should learn to speak english- my ancestors did. They knew in order to survive and strive, they needed to learn English- and did so. They didnt expect the rest of the country to change for them.
  • raves     [-] by MsK

    Answered Undecided

    well not enforce it... but this is a global society, the more langs you know the more opportunies in life you will have
  • raves +1   [-] by Matt

    Answered No! We speak English in the States thanks.

    I don't care what language any one else speaks...it's their perogative, but no one should be forced to learn theirs. English is our national language and if foriegn people want to communicate properly in this country, they need to learn our language, not the other way around. It would be nice to know spanish, just so I could know what's being said, but I don't think having it as a job qualification is right.
  • raves +4   [-] by willienye

    Answered No! We speak English in the States thanks.

    While it is nice to know more than one language, making it a requirement for employment in the USA is unacceptable. If people want to retain their own language when they immigrate to the USA, that's fine but they must learn English if they plan on staying here.

    My wife and her family immigrated to the USA many years ago and she is not only fluent in English, but also Italian and Spanish as well. When people come up to her speaking Spanish, she ignores them and finds that most of them CAN actually speak English when they have to. This just reinforces my theory that these people just want us to convert to their language instead of them learning ours.

    I've said it before and I'll say it again, if you immigrate to another country, you are declaring your desire to become a citizen of that country. As such, it is YOUR responsibility to learn the language of that country and to assimilate to the culture. If you don't feel that you want to, for what ever reason, then you can move right back to wherever you came from and retain your own culture and language. If a person moves to Canada, they are required to learn both English AND French since those are the official languages of Canada. If you want to immigrate to Italy, you learn Italian, France-French, Germany-German, so why has it become OPTIONAL to learn English when people immigrate, legally or illegally, to The United States of America? It's time we take our country back from the invaders that refuse to respect our cultu...
    While it is nice to know more than one language, making it a requirement for employment in the USA is unacceptable. If people want to retain their own language when they immigrate to the USA, that's fine but they must learn English if they plan on staying here.

    My wife and her family immigrated to the USA many years ago and she is not only fluent in English, but also Italian and Spanish as well. When people come up to her speaking Spanish, she ignores them and finds that most of them CAN actually speak English when they have to. This just reinforces my theory that these people just want us to convert to their language instead of them learning ours.

    I've said it before and I'll say it again, if you immigrate to another country, you are declaring your desire to become a citizen of that country. As such, it is YOUR responsibility to learn the language of that country and to assimilate to the culture. If you don't feel that you want to, for what ever reason, then you can move right back to wherever you came from and retain your own culture and language. If a person moves to Canada, they are required to learn both English AND French since those are the official languages of Canada. If you want to immigrate to Italy, you learn Italian, France-French, Germany-German, so why has it become OPTIONAL to learn English when people immigrate, legally or illegally, to The United States of America? It's time we take our country back from the invaders that refuse to respect our culture, diversity and language. We didn't move to their country, they came to ours so, why then must we learn THEIR language to retain employment in OUR country?
  • raves     [-] by ACEDMagazine
    *applauds*
  • raves     [-] by DamagedRoses
    TOTALLY agree w/ you- 100%! You said what I was trying to say- but better...LOL Well said!
  • raves     [-] by gorgeous.tragedy

    Answered No! We speak English in the States thanks.

    NOPE
    duh
  • raves   -1 [-] by Derek

    Answered Undecided

    If your employer wants you to speak Spanish, then speak it, or find another job. To say otherwise is to be a socialist. In America, we have a little thing called the free market, and free enterprise. And that includes protection against arbitrary policies like language.

    Simple.
  • raves +3   [-] by ACEDMagazine
    Yes - then it should include discrimination with regards to language as well. And frankly, being forced to speak Spanish in an English speaking country or not being hired is discrimination.

    Simple. PS - do you know what a socialist is?
  • raves     [-] by Derek
    In America, discrimination by private entities should be legal. The KKK is allowed to (peacefully) exist, is it not? I think that an employer should be able to hire whoever he wants. Needless to say, I'm against Affirmative Action.

    Socialism is defined as the democratic redistribution of money. Basically, it's mob rule, and drifting from our true form of government: a constitutional republic.
  • raves +2   [-] by ACEDMagazine
    I disagree. Discrimination to the point of many people not being able to get jobs anymore that are fully qualified is not constitutional in an English speaking nation. Forcing people to speak Spanish in their own country to get a job, however, is socialist behavior. To quote you, it would be mob rule. It is fine to say "Spanish is a plus", but not to require people to speak it fluently to get hired in the US. And the KKK is a completely and totally different topic, and they are despicable in my opinion, and not related to this at all. We are talking about language and jobs and inevitable increases in unemployment rates in the US because of these requirements. If you wanna be some place that requires Spanish for a job go to a Spanish speaking country. In America, unless you are working directly with a country that speaks Spanish or you are needed for translation, it should NOT be a requirement for a position that deals with English speaking Americans. Period.
  • raves     [-] by Derek
    If you live in a predominantly Spanish speaking region of America, then learn Spanish. Period.

    Furthermore, any employer with a brain in today's world will hire whoever will generate the most profit. Race has almost nothing to do with it. If a Spanish speaker will generate the most profit, then the employer should hire a Spanish speaker.

    Furthermore, English is not the official language of America. Nor should it be. We earned our sovereignty from the Brits almost two and a half centuries ago.
  • raves     [-] by shhsecret
    Employers have to hire people who are bilingual to speak to people who can't speak English. MOST hispanics who can not speak English are not here legally in the first place. Employers who hire these illegal aliens are doing so for a reason because it saves them money one way or another or they would hire the american who is here legally. Do you think that is right? These employers are using their brains by hiring illegals? Therefore by these employers getting their extra money the legal american is losing his job to a foreign man that is here illegally??? Oh yeah, real smart. Then this legal american who can't find a job because he's not bilingual goes to get food stamps for his family, drawing unemployment, getting on medicaid costing all of americans tax money. Agreeing with speaking bilingual is ignorant and supporting illegal aliens coming over here and therefore you're being anti-patriotic because you're supporting something that is ruining this country!!
  • raves +1   [-] by Kimmi L

    Answered No! We speak English in the States thanks.

    It shouldn't be a requirement, but I personally want to become fluent in spanish, portuguese and italian. But that's for traveling purposes.
  • raves     [-] by Mike1230

    Answered No! We speak English in the States thanks.

    Absolutely not.
  • raves +1   [-] by Thorninyourside

    Answered No! We speak English in the States thanks.

    i'm sick of seeing all these products on the shelves that now have english and spanish on them.If i go to mexico they are not gonna change their language for me.
  • raves +2   [-] by scrshaw

    Answered No! We speak English in the States thanks.

    NO!!! Officially or Unofficially, English is the language of the US. Anyone who would even suggest that people be forced to learn another language and thinks the public would just accept it, is