Should everyone in this country be forced to learn English?

1. 61

   nycgrlposted 13 years ago

   Should everyone in this country be forced to learn English?
   
   English is NOT the official language of this country and it is considered one the hardest languages to master. Many Americans who move to other countries never learn the native language there.

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2. 79

   rafkenposted 13 years ago

   The US should pick a language as their official one, then they should do like Australia and make it compulsory to know it before being granted permission to immigrate there. They could be like Wales and have two official languages making all their road signs and official documents be written in both languages. They could then make necessary to speak at least one.

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3. 84

   ii3rittlesposted 13 years ago

   I think the US is trying to make English and Spanish its two languages you must know. I know more and more jobs require you to know some Spanish. I personally want to learn Italian. I know some from my mother and grandma but its mostly swear words. LOL

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4. 70

   onegoodwomanposted 13 years ago

   When you refuse to draw the hard lines..........you invite dissent and rebellion..........
   
   
   If the "official language" of the USofA is not English, what is it?
   
   It is not German, Japanese, nor is it Crete, Spanish, or Italitian............It is not Arabaic
   
   
   So what if it is the hardest?  There is no point to made in the ease of things...........none.
   
   
   In the USofA, English is the common and  understood language.  It just is............come and learn.....do not come and demand.

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5. 61

   duffsmomposted 13 years ago

   I would think someone living among English speaking people would want to learn the language to make their life easier, but no, I don't think it should be legislated.

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6. 71

   mcrawford76posted 13 years ago

   Yes. And I shouldn't have to press 2 for English either.
   
   And how exactly is English not the official language? All the road signs are in English. Or doesn't that factor in?

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7. 80

   Wayne Brownposted 13 years ago

   Being a citizen of this country comes with some obligations and duties. One is to learn to speak and write the English language. This is not a punishment but more a giving of an ability to the person to better understand the society in which they are living and enteracting. Those who would perfer to be citizens without fulfilling the obligations or duties associated with that priviledge really have no interest in being a part of this country...their interest lies in reaping the milk and honey of the situation.  As Americans we can neither afford or desire such behavior in our country. WB

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8. 58

   WindMaestroposted 13 years ago

   Yes they should. Not forced, but encouraged. Even if the federal or state governments provided volunteer free classes it would be better than immigrants snubbing our ways of easy and accessible communication. I mean, for an entire century the immigrants coming to the United States learned the language out of courtesy. I think that everyone should do the same. At least an effort. It would just make things easier for everyone. And on a side note, we only have one currency, why shouldn't we have one language?

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9. 60

   KarenBorn2Writeposted 13 years ago

   Please see my new post on ENGLISH: E pluribus unum.
   
   http://hubpages.com/hub/ENGLISH-E-Pluribus-Unum

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10. 63

    whoisbidposted 13 years ago

    There was an ice cream man who shouted every day "Ice Cleam, Ice Cleam!"
    
    A girl came to correct him and taught him that he should be saying "Ice Cream"
    The man was so happy that the girl was willing to help him improve his english and he made an effort to say "Ice Cream, Ice Cream!" .. to which the girl  replied "Velly Velly Good!"

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11. 81

    Rock_njposted 13 years ago

    I don't think there should be any force applied by fear of arrest or anything like that to make people who live in the United States to learn English (you addressed this question to "this country", which is a bad way of saying it since HubPages has users from around the world and the U.S. is not their country).  The force to learn English is an economic one.  If people want to do well in the United States, they are better off learning the main language that people speak.  Where I live in the U.S., it is not all that uncommon to come across Spanish speaking people, many of which know some English, but some of which know no English, which is suprising, but is their loss for not benefiting from knowing the language that most people use.

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12. 68

    KateWestposted 13 years ago

    If I moved to France you better believe I would do everything in my power to learn to communicate with the people there. Even if so many of them speak English, it doesn't matter. I am living in their country and need to find a way to acclimate. Why wouldn't you? I don't think you can force people to take another language, of course, but it doesn't make sense to live somewhere and stay frustrated with your level of communication.

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13. 60

    i_am_monkposted 13 years ago

    Since english is not the official language of your country then no, it should be a personal choice weather or not you would want to expand your dialect; yes it might make your life simpler in the long run but since english is a very hard language to master it would be very time consuming and since your not even guaranteed people will be able to understand your accent.

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14. 61

    byhearonposted 13 years ago

    No way. But they shouldn't expect anyone in this country to learn their language to make it convenient for them to live here. "Official" doesn't matter much, English is overwhelmingly the most spoken language in the U.S. and I don't see that changing in our lifetimes.

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15. 57

    Trevor Davisposted 13 years ago

    Yes i do believe it should be forced because its sad enough that other countries in europe and even Japan itself put it in their regular curriculum and teach it as an official second language. With not even an official language to speak of, doesn't that make us hypocrites?

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16. 60

    Jennie79posted 13 years ago

    When the past generations of my family, German and Swedish, moved to America they learned English. No one told them, "No, it is ok. We will learn German/Swedish so you can live here and communicate. There is no need for you to learn English." My daughter's father is not from this country. But he learned some english before ever coming here. He perfected it while living in this country.
    
    I believe in what ever country you move to. You should make a concious effort to learn their language and culture. It is difficult to learn any language that is not your native tongue. For some it is easier than others, to learn another language. But, just because it is difficult for us, why do we expect other's to learn our language to communicate with us.
    
    I know enough Japanese to get by and not totally socially embarress myself all the time. With that being said, I flat out refuse to learn Spanish because people cannot communicate in English. I know some words and I pick up on it more and more each day, just from being exposed to it. But, I do not feel that I should not be forced to learn another language just so I can communicate with people living within my country, where the official language happens to be English, at least for the moment.
    
    Does this make me a bad person? Some will say yes, but I say it makes me no better or worse than the people who will not attempt to learn English. This is my opinion.

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17. 60

    ackman1465posted 13 years ago

    I think that the USofA should declare one language to be "official." (English, as it happens)...
    
    This would NOT mean that other languages were "outlawed", or "couldn't/shouldn't be spoken"..... the ONLY reason for having an "official" language is to determine that ALL items of State... and Commerce.... and the Judiciary are and will be transacted in ENGLISH..... and IF YOU DON'T or CAN'T understand that language, then it is incumbent upon the NON-ENGLISH SPEAKER to arrange for interpretation of proceedings and/or documents (and NOT the other way around)!!!!!!
    
    This country (and states and cities) currently pay a FORTUNE in translating for people who do not understand English (Consider, for example, the cost of printing tax forms in MANY languages).... AND, our Court system has taken it upon itself to AGREE (or, at least) to ACQUIESCE that people who face Court proceedings MUST have interpretation made available to them AT THE EXPENSE OF THE COURT (read:  by TAXPAYERS!!!!).   That's so much Bull-s*it!!!!
    
    AND, if/when we finally DO choose to have that official language, then we will NO LONGER pay for those who can't/don't/won't learn to read, write and/or speak English for themselves....
    
    If you feel that my position is indefensible... then I suggest that you do a Web search of the name Mahamu Kanneh.  That creep molested two young girls... AND had his case DISMISSED in a Circuit Court in Maryland on the grounds that THE COURT HAD FAILED TO PROVIDE AN INTERPRETER FOR HIM!!!

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18. 65

    Roy Woodhouseposted 12 years ago

    Not everyone should be 'forced' to learn a language, but English appears to have taken over as the lingua franca. The English that now exists in the world is vastly different to the one that left England many years ago and has, in many ways, achieved was espiranto set out to do.
    
    I try to help those who wish to learn by being a teacher and also writing idioms on here. I hope they help everyone who reads them.

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