Strict language rules for immigrants proposed
- Thread starter dumpthemonarchy
- Start date
It's silly to suggest that visitors to any country have to know the language. Residents on the other hand need to learn the language and while we cannot make them use it, they need to know it. It's also just as silly to suggest they don't need to know it if they are a resident of this country. I am fed up with listening to people around me speaking to each other in a foreign language and speaking so loud that no one else can talk and we are all too polite to tell them to either speak english or quiet down. For some reason, residents of this country seem to think that they need to yell into their cell phones which is also a major irritant. Generally speaking we are a more soft spoken society. There are some foreign languages where people sound like they are in a major argument rather than a conversation and then they break out in a big laugh. Seems totally rude to me when two people are deep in a conversation in a foreign language and then you have to interrupt them to ask a question and both people will answer in perfect english. This is a mostly english speaking country so why not use the language spoken by most? One generation of non english speaking people can take a long time to end. Lots of older folks simply refuse to learn the language but they sure can learn how to count money fast enough. Why not take it a step further. Believe what you will but - I still believe we have a right to expect new comers to this country to learn to speak english and they should have a basic understanding of it before arrival.
Our son has a student from Mexico. His school (in Mexico) teaches English as a second language so even though he is only 14, he already speaks the language quite well. There are words that he doesn't understand and he says words we don't understand but we get around it and we do so because he has more than a basic understanding of the main language of this country. They have had students from Germany, Brazil, and Mexico. None have arrived without knowing some english and the whole reason for being here is to learn the language. Along the way we get to learn a few words from their country and we learn about their culture. It's fun for everyone.
Our son has a student from Mexico. His school (in Mexico) teaches English as a second language so even though he is only 14, he already speaks the language quite well. There are words that he doesn't understand and he says words we don't understand but we get around it and we do so because he has more than a basic understanding of the main language of this country. They have had students from Germany, Brazil, and Mexico. None have arrived without knowing some english and the whole reason for being here is to learn the language. Along the way we get to learn a few words from their country and we learn about their culture. It's fun for everyone.
So, are you arguing that people in this country shouldn't be allowed to speak a foreign language at all?
Kinda like beating the natives for speaking their own language.
yeah, we spend a small portion of tax money to create another tax payer... big whoop. It pays itself back when we crank them out into the job market.
I was just pointing out that when you said we don't spend any money on it, we actually do.
I never said we don't spend money on it. I said it hurts no one but the immigrant to not know English.
And no, incase anyone's wondering, having our noses out of joint because we can't eavesrop on a conversation doesn't count as hurting anyone.
Years ago, when working on the pipeline in Petrolia On., I met a guy from Quebec who after being in Ontario only a few months was pretty good in english....when I asked him how he learned so fast, he said....when I first came to ontario the only words I knew was bacon and eggs....After two weeks of that...I learned to read the menu......
Of course not. That in itself is just plain silly. I'm saying that it is MY belief that new comers to this country should be required to learn the language and should speak it in the applicable places. To me those places would be in public where most of the people surrounding them are speaking english. I was out at a private house party years ago. Two of the women in the room could speak english but chose to speak french. It made many of us quite uncomfortable. Because all of our spouses had the same job in common, we were all invited to the same party. I'm sure they would have found it uncomfortable if everyone around was speaking french and two people who could speak french chose to speak only in english and they could not understand english. In those circumstances, many of us felt that the only reason they would talk to each other in french was to say things they knew most of us did not understand. Their husbands understood of course because they were all from Quebec. I'm sure there is a comfort level in speaking the language of one's origin but they will not feel a comfort level in their new country if they do not learn the language. All through this I've said they need to learn it. I never said they should not speak it. I think good manners dictates that they speak it when in a public place - particularly where the sound of their language kind of takes over the room. Some asian people really talk loud. I had an asian man yell at me one night for not knowing the name of some produce in HIS language. He was yelling at me "You no learn". I was born and raised in this country and I don't need to know what it's called in his language. It was my opinion that he should be glad it was there for him to buy (unless he preferred to grow his own which probably doesn't grow in this country or he probably would grow his own). The inference that it was my duty to learn his language to talk to him in my country was beyond ludicrous.
Eavesdropping on a conversation has absolutely nothing to do with it. When people are talking really loud in any language, it's just darned annoying. I don't want to hear their conversation period.
I would think if a large number of people call cob of corn bladon (?), you might not have great sales in corn if you don't know what they're talking about
I don't know why it bothers some people when two people are having a conversation with each other, in the language of their choice...:roll:
They can talk to each other in whatever language they want,but to be a citizen they should know at least one offical language.
The same goes if only one person calls it - whatever- and no one but them knows the name. Are we supposed to know the asian name of every different product imported for asian people?
I went shopping in a different grocery store one day. Cashier was a young woman - maybe 20 yrs. I bought a turnip. I know that they are listed as rutabagas and I know the code. She was not from another country and since I am white and blonde, I probably don't look or sound like I am from another country anymore than her. She held up the turnip and asked me if I happened to notice what it was called when I picked it up from the produce aisle. I told her that she should put in the code 4747 and that she would see the name rutabaga on her screen but they are more commonly known as turnips. End of story. She could have cared less. I was kind of surprized that a girl/woman of her age had no idea what a turnip was. What do you think would have been said to her by such a person as I encountered? I recognize a lot of unusual items but I certainly don't know them all. Why would I be expected to know the name of it in his country when it is not sold under that name in ours? I think most of us would know or at least heard of a turnip or rutabaga. I was surprized that a turnip came up as a rutabaga but it is listed as such in all stores as a common name and common code. I don't have to know any of them anymore.
Jet travel, the internet, multiculturalism, and large scale Asian/African immigration over the past 20 years has given immigrants more options to assimilate/integrate or not, and most of don't agree with this. We can't do much about the first two, but we can regulate the last two in Canada. To once in a while hear immigants speaking loudly in a foreign language is okay, but when it happens too much, then something is wrong here. It is a sign of enclaves, of people not wishing to join the majority.
There's no "forcing" people to become Canadian, but the direction ought to be clear, and it's not these days. Putting social pressure on people to conform, like we do, isn't intolerance. Canadians have been lazy and contracted out Canadianisation to the govt, and making Canadians is not just the govt's responsiblity because we pay for it and it's our govt. Disinterest doesn't always mean polite. Canadians have to politely nudge immigrants to make them feel like they want to be Canadian. Otherwise you have drift, anger, confusion.
There's no "forcing" people to become Canadian, but the direction ought to be clear, and it's not these days. Putting social pressure on people to conform, like we do, isn't intolerance. Canadians have been lazy and contracted out Canadianisation to the govt, and making Canadians is not just the govt's responsiblity because we pay for it and it's our govt. Disinterest doesn't always mean polite. Canadians have to politely nudge immigrants to make them feel like they want to be Canadian. Otherwise you have drift, anger, confusion.
Immigrants integrate pretty damn good. When I look out the window at the scoolyard across the street, I can't tell the difference from the Indians and the East Indians and by East Indian I don't mean a Cree from PQ.
I know, you don't like to overhear people speaking their own language.
What a sorry scared person you must be. What a way to live - terrified and offended when a conversation that does not involve you goes on in a language you don't understand.
Good post. You and I agree and I can tell you understand what I am trying to say.