Dallas police chief: Dozens of tickets issued for not speaking English

[caramel]

Originally Posted by kingcap72

And your attempt to make Europe into some great cultural center of diversity in comparison to America is funny, considering that both countries have issues with racism and immigrants.

Europe is a continent.

[Novice]

Originally Posted by lalala

Bilinguism is a basic requirement in border towns everywhere

Apparently not, else we wouldn't have this article.

Originally Posted by lalala

It happens everywhere, many low-skilled migrants are hardly literate in their own language, they don't think they have the capacity to learn

Nice - those are my grandparents you're talking about & they never had any problems learning the language. But then, the world was less tolerent then....

Originally Posted by caramel

Europe is a continent.

has to laugh....

[kingcap72]

Originally Posted by caramel

Europe is a continent.

Yes, I know Europe is a continent, that was my mistake. But my point was that both have issues with racism and immigrants. Neither one is completely accepting of those who are different.

[A*O]

Good luck learning Finnish - it's one of the most difficult languages in the world.

I think that native English speakers like most of us here forget how lucky we are that our mother tongue has been adopted as more or less the official international language. Perhaps if history had taken a few different turns then Americans would be speaking Spanish or French like the very early European settlers. Or if Hitler had conquered the whole of Europe during WW2 it's quite possible we'd all be speaking German. There's all kinds of 'what ifs' involved.

But the fact is that no matter what country you live in either by birth or choice then it makes sense to speak the official language of that country and I don't really see why people who resist learning even a few words and phrases should be given special treatment by Govt institutions (education, health, etc). I know a few English people who now live in vast retirement ghettos in Spain who refuse to learn the basics of Spanish conversation (and Spanish is one of the easiest languages) and they read English newspapers, watch English TV channels, eat "English" food, socialise with other English people and whine about the weather. They are rude and condescending to the locals who are naturally very resentful that this Grey Army of British retirees don't make any effort whatsoever to assimilate.

[Novice]

Originally Posted by A*O

I know a few English people who now live in vast retirement ghettos in Spain who refuse to learn the basics of Spanish conversation (and Spanish is one of the easiest languages) and they read English newspapers, watch English TV channels, eat "English" food, socialise with other English people and whine about the weather. They are rude and condescending to the locals who are naturally very resentful that this Grey Army of British retirees don't make any effort whatsoever to assimilate.

^^ and that doesn't seem right to me either...

Originally Posted by kingcap72

Yes, I know Europe is a continent, that was my mistake. But my point was that both have issues with racism and immigrants. Neither one is completely accepting of those who are different.

I know what you meant but I think that one also need to consider that the boundaries and boarders in continental europe have been much more fluid for hundreds of years. I don't mean to bore you to tears with this, but my family if from what is now the Czech Republic & Poland (on 1 side) when they lived there it was the Austro-Hungarian Empire - within living memory (although less so) it broke up....




I have to admit that I also laughed at your comment about culture as when I think of America I think of McDs & Pepsi/Coke, whereas European Culture is Art/Painting/Sculpture/Opera/Classical Music/1000 years of culture.... the analogy just made me giggle. (sorry)....

Yes, the point about racism & immigrants is a good one, esp now that we have the BNP (equiv to the KKK) in UK councils. But mainland Europe always had a bigger spread from communists to the far rights, and still does. Something else that (some) Americans didn't seem to be able to get their heads around when I lived there....

Oh bugger! Its turned into a manifesto....

[A*O]

I wonder what would happen if The Management here decided to make, oh I dunno, Turkish the official GR language. I reckon posters would split into 2 groups - those who would grab a dictionary and try to fit in, and those who would just put the whole thing in the Too Hard basket and walk away. Or just post pics LOL

[McJag]

Originally Posted by kingcap72

Hey, I think the U.S. does more than enough to help people to learn English. But, at the same time, the U.S. doesn't put any real pressure on people to learn English anymore. How many times have those of us here in the U.S. had to call a business and instead of it being in English you have to listen to them give you the same information in different languages first? Or you get 'for English press 1?' Or you see more jobs expecting you to be bi-lingual?

While I think there's a demand for people to learn basic English in America, the politically correct world we live in makes it counterproductive to have people learn English. The cops in this story were wrong to issue citations to people for not speaking English, but the people should have already known some basic English to begin with.

Good lord,King! Stop speed reading & go back to my post. This was exactly my whole point!! We agree entirely,but now I want to smack you upside the head! Not only do we do more than enough-we do TOO much. Do you think past imigrants had this much help? Never do you hear "punch one for Japanese". No other group has had this much help.

Originally Posted by katerpillar

Besides, if you fine people for not speaking English how are you going to be able to tell who's a tourist and who isn't?

That's easy-the tourists will not have a local drivers license...

Originally Posted by caramel

Well I live in Finland. If you ever come to have a holiday here and don't speak finnish I hope you get a ticket.

This is off the charts. Why would you even think anyone was saying fine people who didn't speak English across the board? That was way off topic here.

Originally Posted by msdeb

wow, you dont have to be such a shit. (um, caca)

Msdeb,please! Watch your language,less you upset J.T. who reads your every word??

Originally Posted by caramel

I'm shit.

It is just that English speakers and mostly americans think they are the center of the world and everyone else should learn their language and then to them to learn something is so damn hard. But then again the education in US is shit so I understand a little. It is not like in Europe when you usually have to have awarness of other cultures.

Good God. Insult the hell out of all Americans in here ,why don't you. I am surprised that you would be so hostile. I think that remark was uncalled for.

Originally Posted by C_is_for_Cookie

I'm happy that I know enough English to be able to tell my doctor or dentist what's wrong with me.

Now THIS is why you need to learn the language. This is what worries me the most. Very dangerous.

[msdeb]

our dental coverage pretty much sucks, so hub got his root canals done in Tijuana (where its WAY cheap) They dont speak English, dont even make the effort, so he brings someone that can speak spanish.

[kingcap72]

Originally Posted by Novice

^^ and that doesn't seem right to me either...


I know what you meant but I think that one also need to consider that the boundaries and boarders in continental europe have been much more fluid for hundreds of years. I don't mean to bore you to tears with this, but my family if from what is now the Czech Republic & Poland (on 1 side) when they lived there it was the Austro-Hungarian Empire - within living memory (although less so) it broke up....




I have to admit that I also laughed at your comment about culture as when I think of America I think of McDs & Pepsi/Coke, whereas European Culture is Art/Painting/Sculpture/Opera/Classical Music/1000 years of culture.... the analogy just made me giggle. (sorry)....

Yes, the point about racism & immigrants is a good one, esp now that we have the BNP (equiv to the KKK) in UK councils. But mainland Europe always had a bigger spread from communists to the far rights, and still does. Something else that (some) Americans didn't seem to be able to get their heads around when I lived there....

Oh bugger! Its turned into a manifesto....

I had a Sarah Palin moment, and I couldn't distinguish between a continent and a country.

[L1049]

I have a weird "quirk" with languages that pisses me off
I learned French from grade 3 into grade 9 and could always read it and translate into english okay, but I had a hard time speaking and hearing someone speak than translate it. I'm still like that, but now I'll pick up bits and pieces in speech that help but it's still a bitch.
I took an intro course of Spanish and had no problem with the written work but when I try to speak, I'm screwed. I can understand Spanish speakers more than French though.

Maybe if I visit a foreign country, I'll carry a whiteboard around my neck since I'm quicker with written than I am speaking

[McJag]

Originally Posted by Novice

Apparently not, else we wouldn't have this article.

Novice,dear-Dallas is far,far away from any border-except maybe Oklahoma or Arkansas or Louisiana. All 2-3 hours away. It is true,a southern drawl may need some interpetation. Like-Brown. Pronounced Br-aion. Or the Texas Twang of my husband. Tew is two. Lez-bon for lesbian. My favorite thing is hearing him argue with the automated information operator!

[bellini]

Lez-bon for lesbian.

L1049 I'm like that too. I took French in high school and college. My pronunciation sucks. I sound like I have a bag of marbles in my mouth. But I can read and write it fairly well.

[A*O]

Originally Posted by msdeb

our dental coverage pretty much sucks, so hub got his root canals done in Tijuana (where its WAY cheap) They dont speak English, dont even make the effort, so he brings someone that can speak spanish.

Hang on. Tijuana is in Mexico. Why should they make any "effort" to speak English. It's up to you to speak Spanish there surely?

[zebracakes]

Sounds like a public safety issue to me. If you can't read the road signs how do you drive safely? When that lady ignored the no u-turn sign how could the cop know if it was because she was in a hurry or because she couldn't read it, especially if her understanding of English was limited? I think in that case it was valid to say, hey, you need to learn more English so you don't "miss" important signs on the road.

[Novice]

But a no u turn sign is a picture... As are the majority of road signs - so that anyone cab understand them....