Wacka Posted June 11, 2006 Posted June 11, 2006 Hope their business doubles. I get sick of having to repeat my order at McD's because the people behind the counter have a rudimentary understanding of English.
/dev/null Posted June 11, 2006 Posted June 11, 2006 because the people behind the counter have a rudimentary understanding of English. 706707[/snapback] sad thing is those aren't illegal immigrants, they're products of public school. so what if they can't speak proper english or caculate the total of your order without a computer, at least they have high self-esteem
Wacka Posted June 11, 2006 Posted June 11, 2006 Out here in California they ARE illegals. Everybody behind the counter is speaking Spanish except when waiting on customers.
SilverNRed Posted June 11, 2006 Posted June 11, 2006 sad thing is those aren't illegal immigrants, they're products of public school. so what if they can't speak proper english or caculate the total of your order without a computer, at least they have high self-esteem 706710[/snapback] Well done. Requiring students to actually learn or earn their grades could hurt their self esteem. And that high self esteem is going to come in handy when they can't find a job.
finknottle Posted June 11, 2006 Posted June 11, 2006 I travel extensively around the world, and find it ironic that the USA is the one place where the service workers do not speak English. Seriously, a cab driver in Europe? English. The guy cleaning your room in the middle east? English. The front desk at a Japanese hotel? English. Even the construction workers building skyscrapers - English. If you are born poor somewhere in the third world, English is your ticket to a better life as a guest worker elsewhere. But not the US, apparently - all you need to do is sneak in. English is the international language of Commerce and Science. If people don't want to learn it for whatever reason, they are only condemming themselves to irrelevancy.
erynthered Posted June 11, 2006 Posted June 11, 2006 English is the international language of Commerce and Science. If people don't want to learn it for whatever reason, they are only condemming themselves to irrelevancy. 706738[/snapback] Jessie Jackson, and Al Sharpton would disagree with you.
Cheeseburger_in_paradise Posted June 11, 2006 Posted June 11, 2006 I travel extensively around the world, and find it ironic that the USA is the one place where the service workers do not speak English. Seriously, a cab driver in Europe? English. The guy cleaning your room in the middle east? English. The front desk at a Japanese hotel? English. Even the construction workers building skyscrapers - English. If you are born poor somewhere in the third world, English is your ticket to a better life as a guest worker elsewhere. But not the US, apparently - all you need to do is sneak in. English is the international language of Commerce and Science. If people don't want to learn it for whatever reason, they are only condemming themselves to irrelevancy. 706738[/snapback] Well said. And it's my understanding that English is not an easy language to learn as an adult. So those that have learned it are really trying.
Taro T Posted June 11, 2006 Posted June 11, 2006 I travel extensively around the world, and find it ironic that the USA is the one place where the service workers do not speak English. Seriously, a cab driver in Europe? English. The guy cleaning your room in the middle east? English. The front desk at a Japanese hotel? English. Even the construction workers building skyscrapers - English. If you are born poor somewhere in the third world, English is your ticket to a better life as a guest worker elsewhere. But not the US, apparently - all you need to do is sneak in. English is the international language of Commerce and Science. If people don't want to learn it for whatever reason, they are only condemming themselves to irrelevancy. 706738[/snapback] Which is why the "debates" about making non-English speaking kids learn English or allow them to be taught in their native language or about making English the official language are so bizarre. The "racists" (such as myself) in this country that want everyone to be able to speak English do not wish this to destroy anyone's cultural heritage or any other silly reason such as that. We want Americans to be able to speak English because they will have significantly more opportunities open to them by being able to converse with and understand the majority of people in this country.
Chilly Posted June 11, 2006 Posted June 11, 2006 Which is why the "debates" about making non-English speaking kids learn English or allow them to be taught in their native language or about making English the official language are so bizarre. The "racists" (such as myself) in this country that want everyone to be able to speak English do not wish this to destroy anyone's cultural heritage or any other silly reason such as that. We want Americans to be able to speak English because they will have significantly more opportunities open to them by being able to converse with and understand the majority of people in this country. 706770[/snapback] No, there are people like you who believe that, and then there are idiots like Wacka who doesn't like someone for the sole sake that they are speaking Spanish at McDonalds.
meazza Posted June 12, 2006 Posted June 12, 2006 Well said. And it's my understanding that English is not an easy language to learn as an adult. So those that have learned it are really trying. 706755[/snapback] Any language learned in adulthood is difficult. Doesn't make it right for someone moving to another country to not learn that official language. My mom came from Italy and made the effort to learn french and english. Anyone who lives in another country and wants to be employed there should make the effort or go back home.
Wacka Posted June 12, 2006 Posted June 12, 2006 No, there are people like you who believe that, and then there are idiots like Wacka who doesn't like someone for the sole sake that they are speaking Spanish at McDonalds. 706790[/snapback] I agree with Dave B. Not learning English is hurting them. My grandfather came from Poland around 1910. He knew only a few words of English when he landed here. He said everyone should speak Engloish. He hadto teach humself. Radio wasn't even invented then, Movies were silent and there were no classes for immigrants. He learned by reading the paper and talking to people.
Chilly Posted June 12, 2006 Posted June 12, 2006 I agree with Dave B. Not learning English is hurting them. My grandfather came from Poland around 1910. He knew only a few words of English when he landed here. He said everyone should speak Engloish. He hadto teach humself. Radio wasn't even invented then, Movies were silent and there were no classes for immigrants. He learned by reading the paper and talking to people. 706859[/snapback] Yeah, it is. We weren't debating that. Do you still hate people at Fast Food Places that don't speak English?
Wacka Posted June 12, 2006 Posted June 12, 2006 I'm sick of them hiring illegals. Just so happens that >99.9 % of them speak Spanish.
Alaska Darin Posted June 12, 2006 Posted June 12, 2006 Yeah, it is. We weren't debating that. Do you still hate people at Fast Food Places that don't speak English? 706896[/snapback] I do. I also hate the people who hire them. And?
KD in CA Posted June 12, 2006 Posted June 12, 2006 No, there are people like you who believe that, and then there are idiots like Wacka who doesn't like someone for the sole sake that they are speaking Spanish at McDonalds. 706790[/snapback] I'm sure Wacka has no problem with the McDonalds employees speaking Spanish in Spain or Mexico. btw...I went to a McDonalds once in Sweden. They spoke English.
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted June 12, 2006 Posted June 12, 2006 I love that place. Best cheesesteaks on earth.
Wacka Posted June 12, 2006 Posted June 12, 2006 I'm sure Wacka has no problem with the McDonalds employees speaking Spanish in Spain or Mexico. btw...I went to a McDonalds once in Sweden. They spoke English. 706913[/snapback] They spoke English in Basel, Switzerland. I go in to a McD's there and wanted to order a #2 meal . I was saying "zwei" while holding up 3 fingers. The girl asked me in English; "What do you want? #2 Or #3?" Basel is where France, Germany and Switzerland meet. The ATMs there had the choice of French, German, and English. I only met one shopkeeper during my week there that didn't speak English.
Jon in Pasadena Posted June 12, 2006 Posted June 12, 2006 The struggling Berber taxi driver I hired in friggin' Ourzazate spoke five languages fluently. Including English. And he could hold his own in about 4-5 others. And he didn't learn 'em in any school, either. He learned by asking his customers to teach him, constant practice, getting people (including me) to donate dictionaries, phrase books, etc., and most importantly, by being motivated to learn to improve his situation. The reason illegal immigrants in the U.S. don't learn English is very simple: They don't give a damn. They know that enough Americans will be guilted/intimidated/browbeaten by the professional race-baiters into providing them with a nice big taxpayer-funded bilingual security blanket, so that they can just coast on through without putting out any effort whatsoever.
HopsGuy Posted June 12, 2006 Posted June 12, 2006 I think everyone is missing the entire point. Pat's is better than Geno's!
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