You know what irritates me?
By AmberLynn
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
United States
February 3, 2017 7:40pm CST
Well truthfully, a lot irritates me.
I'm quite an irritable person, or so my family would have you believe.
Stuck in my ways is what I like to call it.
I digress...
I've seen an influx of posts across social media, spewing such things as "English should be America's language, share if you agree."
Well I don't agree, but I will share why here.
Our ancestors (who came to America) may have had some grasp of English, or they might not have. Chances are their native language wasn't English, and they may not have spoken a bit of it until they came here.
German, French, Gaeilge, Gaelic (let it be noted these are two separate celtic languages), English (as spoken in England). These are some of the languages (if not all) that our ancestors (early settlers) spoke.
My own family has German, English and Irish roots. Maybe even Dutch thrown in there, though we aren't quite sure. In any case, it really irritates me that people can post things like "make English the national language."
We never had an original language. Each one of us can attest to ancestors who came from other places than America. My own cousin, who posted a picture with the words "Make English America's Language" has ancestors who came from Germany and England. Just as I do. Just as anyone in my family can attest to.
We shouldn't condemn one race because they speak a different language than us. We should, however, meet in the middle. What is so wrong with us expanding our knowledge base and learning languages other than the standard English?
With this same note, we can expand and offer English Language (English, Second Language) as a course at an affordable price. We can't condemn any race for their lack of knowledge over english if we aren't offering more ways for them to learn within each community here.
So yeah, I can definitely understand being irritated if you go out somewhere and can't understand someone who is speaking another language. That isn't their fault, and it isn't yours. You could just as easily pick up a language book and learn if you so wished.
It isn't as easy for immigrants to do the same. We don't actually offer very much affordable opportunities within each community. We aren't advertising these opportunities as well as we could be either.
With all of this being said, I will never disparage a person's right to speak the language they were born with. Nor will I do the same for anyone who wishes to learn another language.
Language is beautiful, and it should not be dis-allowed or looked down upon simply because one group does not understand another.
9 people like this
9 responses
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
4 Feb 17
When my youngest was starting school, there was a child in his class, and the child's parents spoke no English. Imagine the complications? I overheard a couple of teachers discussing it, the difficulties of getting the child enrolled in school when the parents didn't understand the forms and the teachers couldn't understand the parents.
A couple years later I saw the same parents trying to drop their child off at a fundraiser. They had to fill out a form for emergency contacts, etc.. and of course had to be told the rules and what time to return for their child.. but they didn't understand English.
In our little neck of the woods we don't get many families that don't speak English. I can probably count on one hand how many families live in this school district that aren't white. So our schools don't have interpreters on hand at all times.. it's not something we're accustomed to.
Yes, I do think we need to have an official language, and I think it should be English as that's what we speak in America primarily. I think anyone entering America, planning to live here, should learn to speak, read, and write English. There should be classes for these people to take.. because it's not just for their own benefit, but the benefit of those who have to help these people in some capacity such as at school or work or anywhere..
That doesn't mean I have a problem with other languages.. Yes, continue to speak it in your home and teach it to your children.. but learn English too!
2 people like this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
5 Feb 17
@ScribbledAdNauseum Yeah I agree.. we should help people to learn English. There should be an easy, inexpensive way for anyone to learn any language. I want to travel the world, if I go to a country like Italy or France, I'll need to learn Italian or French. I can't just expect them to have enough English to help me out.. but I can't spend a ton of money on a class to learn the basics of those languages.
I also think sign language should be offered to anyone who feels like taking it.
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
5 Feb 17
I just don't want anyone to be shunned or looked down upon because of their language. I can completely agree with what you are saying here.
I know that not every school system in the country is equipped to handle situations like you described above. I also know that in my own area the children translate for the parents.
Here's another situation. And old friend (turned acquaintance)'s father tried to learn english at our local community college. It proved to be too hard for him so he gave up. He understand more now than he did before, but he still doesn't fully grasp the language.
Perhaps he didn't try hard enough. Perhaps it was the program itself. However, I feel as if there isn't enough resources sometimes for these people to learn the language. We also have to look at the illegal aspect of it.
This man was illegal. He was trying to draw up the legal papers so he and his family could become a citizen of the states, but well I don't remember all of the details.
I know we all have our own viewpoints on that. Illegal immigrants, that is. I won't go into it here.
Should we have a common language? Yes. I went off on a tangent with this discussion, and letting my temper rule my fingers didn't help me much. Yes, I do believe we should have an official language but more needs to be done on both sides of the issue. Better resources for those learning English, and better resources for other languages for us to learn.
Should Americans learning other languages be a requirement? I don't want to push that issue. I think it would be nice. It would help us grow as a nation, help us become more culturally diverse, and help us to appreciate and not hate what we don't understand.
@lokisdad (4226)
• United States
8 Feb 17
We need to close the language gap. English not Old English from England. The world has basically accepted their English theirs lol. I think English should be our one unified primary language here in the states at least and everyone should speak their native tongue so that it is not lost.
However I don't think that it should be just because we are Americans but it is a language spoken almost everywhere in the world of course with its variations and accent changes from one person from one place to another. My spouse is from a different ethnicity and she speaks English and her native tongue and a few others.
Communication is a tricky thing. I don't get mad when people don't speak English I simply call my wife and have her translate for me. I am making an effort to learn Spanish. If I am going to do business and a considerable amount with people who don't speak my language I might want to make it my business to at least understand it enough to be able to do business right.
1 person likes this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
8 Feb 17
Of course, I realize that English is a vastly reaching language. However, I refer to here in the US as that is what I have seen a lot of the last few days... Talk of "Make English the Native Language." There is no other talk of acceptance of other languages and cultures... That is my greatest fear, that we lose the concept along the way. That we are Americans, and that while English is a good enough common language, it should not be where ends all... If that makes sense?
@GardenGerty (169585)
• United States
4 Feb 17
You have quite a collection of ideas. . . some I agree with, some, I may not. I think we need a common language and American English seems to be the one for many aspects of business and social exchange. On the other hand, we are very snobbish. In "the olden days" most places you did not graduate high school unless you studied another language. Some colleges required you to have language credits to be accepted. I think both of those ideas are great. Everyone should be multilingual. It improves your understanding of other cultures and of the nuances of language.
1 person likes this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
4 Feb 17
Yes, I didn't mean to come across as extremely for or against one aspect of this argument. I agree with you that there needs to be a common language. However, I do think that there is so little understanding of other cultures and languages now. This lack of understanding is the same thing that breeds hate, and I just can't stand for that.
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
4 Feb 17
I'm appreciative. I just feel like this current "English as the native language" argument is leaving a whole group of Americans out.
The term "American" has never meant one race, nor should it ever.
@allknowing (153529)
• India
4 Feb 17
It's time then we introduce it here as well. We always get to read here that Americans have English as their native language. 
1 person likes this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
5 Feb 17
Yes it is our native language. I just don't think enough is being done here for other languages. We grow up thinking that other cultures should learn our language. This is true, but we should be more open to learning other languages as well.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (502886)
• Italy
4 Feb 17
We must keep our original language, but we need a common language so we can communicate and understand each other, now why English? May be because Americans are the ones who usually only know one language, most of the other populations study English as a second language.
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
5 Feb 17
I think I may have let my temper do the typing for me before. English is a perfectly good language to have as a common language. My biggest worry is that this will distance us from other cultures in America. That they won't feel they belong, or that hate will be bred from it.
I also believe that more should be done in America for languages. Other languages should be taught, and encouragement for people to learn.
Here, atleast when I was in school, language was a requirement but it wasn't harnessed in a good way. We came to begrudge it because we knew we had to take it or we wouldn't graduate. (That was an empty threat though, I didn't take a second language and I graduated. this was 12 years ago though)
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (502886)
• Italy
5 Feb 17
@ScribbledAdNauseum In Europe now you start to learn a second language as you start to go to school. Most people choose English, because it's the most commonly used in the business world. When you go to the college you must choose a second language, in addition to your national language and the one you already studied.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
4 Feb 17
I am envious of anyone that can speak more than one language. Why force someone to learn another language? I know that I would probably not be able to do this myself.
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
5 Feb 17
"Why Force someone to learn another language."
Isn't that what we do when immigrants come? They MUST learn our language. Now I'm not saying that it's not a good idea they do...
How exactly do I explain this?
I get what you are saying. I understand language learning doesn't come naturally or easy. I don't mean to "force" anyone to learn a specific language... but I feel like by making English the Native Language we are shutting out other cultures. We are shunning them because they dont' speak our language.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
5 Feb 17
@ScribbledAdNauseum some people can learn a new language or at least enough of it to get by. It would be extremely difficult for me to be have to learn a new language. I don't shun anyone for not being able to speak English. I try another way to communicate with them.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (74987)
• United States
4 Feb 17
I have no problem at all hearing others not speak English. Most countries do teach their students at least basic English and by the time students in the United States are in high school they are usually able to start learning a second language as well. I think we all need to just be considerate of each other's differences in life.
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
4 Feb 17
That is my biggest and main concern. I suppose I "jumped the boat" with my post. I'm also under the impression that a lot of people thing I'm totally against English being spoken at all. That isn't the case. I'm just afraid that this whole "Make America the Native Language" is taking away from what truly made America.
@jstory07 (148777)
• Roseburg, Oregon
4 Feb 17
I think if you live in a country and plan on staying there than learn the language that that country speaks.
