How many think that foreigners should learn English?

mostly of whom I have to deal with the most is Spanish speaking immigrants who are in this country probably illegally.In such jobs as construction,and general labor not test or correct use of language is required and they will generally work for less pay than most Americans therefore business owners will go with a cheaper alternative.

I agree with you,but it isnt just the cell phone company it is almost everywhere you call.I understand that this country was formed for the freedom of everyone but I think there should be some more resources put into effect that would require an audible level of english to be used and understood before gaining employment in this country were you would have to deal directly with the public,and at the current rate of Spanish speaking immigrants in our country that Spanish should be taught in our public schools starting in Kindergarten.

AMEN BamaBug!!! that's what I AM SHOUTING girlfriend!! If they stay over a week here; they need to FLUENTLY properly speak OUR language. I have no problem with anyone working; but not the way illegals do. It is a direct affront to my familys' living.I know first hand what its like to see a foreigner doing a job that should have been given to ENGLISH speaking people.I just about guarantee you that they feel the same way when english ONLY speaking AMERICANS go to their country.
And if I should ever choose to go to another country(but why should I huh?LOL)I will not go without a working knowledge of THEIR language!!!

Just because there is no "Offical Language" that is not an excuse for not learning it if you are going to life/work in another country. That kind of symantecs is what I lovingly calling pulling the fly Sh-t out of the pepper.

Mrstigs, I agree with you. The fact is, there is NOT an official language here. I think that people are just rude and impatient here. Give people a break! I think people are a bit afraid that they won't understand a person with a deep accent when they start talking to them which brings on a bit of anxiety, or they are afraid to ask them to repeat what they said. It is probably mostly spanish speaking people that are the topic of this discussion. Why can't we Americans learn another language? Why can't we try to adapt instead of getting angry?

Why can't we learn another language? Why should we? Foreigners come to the States expecting a better life. If they want to be a part of the American culture, then please learn the language. If they want to be here, then learn English. If they don't want to learn English, then maybe they shouldn't be here. I have come across quite a few people that refused to learn English. That to me is rude. Live in the States, learn the language. It shouldn't be the other way around.

I agree with a lot of what you say here..America is changing and sometimes change is hard but it's not always a negitive thing either..
As an English speaking person working in a hospital I made it a point to learn some basic Spanish because a large majority of my patients were Spanish..I didn't see it as a bad thing..It was actually great to learn to speak another language and I felt I could be a better nurse if I made that effort to understand people who spoke a different language..And a lot of these people were learning English but as someone else said..It isn't easy so why not meet half way?
I spent a summer in Belgium and spent 6 weeks studying Flemish before I went. I found most people there actually would go right to English when I began talking to them in the little Flemish I knew, but they still felt I showed some respect for trying..
It goes both ways I guess...We need to be more tolerant and respectful of each other...

I work with a lot of Spanish speaking clients, both legal & illegal. There is a lot of fear in the Hispanic community, partly for reason, partly because of misinformation. I, myself, have tried to learn to speak Spanish--and although I understand it & even read it, I am horrible at speaking it. English IS a tough language, we don't designate the masculine/feminine nearly as much and writing English is even harder to do, many US born citizens can't spell, or read our birth language, which is another topic.

On another note, I am a first generation American. My father came here from Germany during a time when Germans were as unpopular as some other miniorities are now. He was disciplined---badly---in school (this was before physical punishment became illegal in schools) for answering a teacher in German. He didn't know a word of English at that time. The beating he got wasn't deserved & never was apologized for, even when my grandparents went to the principal to find out why my father had been beaten so badly. In that case, the teacher was ignorant in my opinion, let alone a few other things. My point though, is my dad did learn English & very well. He didn't expect everyone to change their own language to suit his; he didn't think it was a hardship for him to learn it. Considering his first experiences with the American way of doing things, I'm very grateful he rose above the first negative attitudes he encountered (the teacher's maninly). It was difficult for him to learn English (and especially for my grandparents) at first, but it did get easier, as mentioned before. He went on to seve in the Navy for 23 years before his death. Dad was very proud to have become an American. He kept his hertitage, while being very proud to be an American.

Haven't you seen how children will pick up the language faster than their parents? This is true of Spanish speaking people or any other people with a different language.

More tolerance---on both sides--- is definitely needed.

I agree with you totally!

I heartliy agree that everyone should learn at least one other language, but that should be a language of their choice, not one that is forced on them. America is a melting pot, and if we do not adopt some formal standard, we will soon not be able to function as a culture or country. We simply cannot do business in all of the many different languages and dialects spopken by everyone who comes here. Asking that emmigrants ( legal or illegal) make some effort to assimilate themselves into our culture, instead of asking us to adopt theirs is entirely reasonable, not arrogant. You mention that we cannot expect the world to come to us, but it seems that that is exactly the problem.