Obama wants all kids to speak Spanish!?
- Thread starter foodcritic
- Start date
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Dixie
Guest
I'm very sorry, but you are a complete.
How bizarre! That's exactly the same opinion I've had of you for years now.
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Dixie
Guest
I suppose you spent too much time learning Spanish to pass US History.
MMDad
Lem Putt
:shrug: If you aren't vo-tech, he's right. Not everyone has the same low aspirations that you do, Andy.
SamSpade
Well-Known Member
I thought the railroads were built by Chinese imigrants??
The Central Pacific portion of the first Transcontinental Railroad - *was*.
The rest of the thousands of miles of railroad were built by everyone else.
Dymphna
Loyalty, Friendship, Love
Selective hearing...Is this what he said, or are you putting words in his mouth?
I can't watch the video at work :shrug: I'm not opposed to kids learning spanish/foreign languages...
Did you even pay attention to that video clip? You certainly missed the point.
I'm NOT an Obama fan, but you are totally twisting what he said. He said that immigrants WILL learn English, but we need to be teaching our children to communicate with other people in the world. He mentioned Spanish first, but also French and German. The main idea was most countries in the world are teaching their children a second language, but not us and it puts us at a disadvantage.
I can give you an example of this some of you can relate to...
I don't often watch American Idol, except to laugh at the auditions, but I happened to be watching one episode where they were doing a Beatles tribute. The dude with the dreadlocks was singing the song "Michelle" which is partially in French. He mispronounced most of the French words and Simon totally bagged on him because of it. Thing was, since I don't speak French, it didn't sound bad to me. In England, most children are taught French from an early age, since France is their closest neighbor.
Dreadlock dude admitted later that he didn't even know what the words meant and came off like a total idiot. The American public voted for him anyway.
I have no problem with America kids learning a second language - I have French and Spanish under my belt, and my kids all have a second language as well (rudimentary as it may be). It's good for you.
My problem is that there should be a bigger push for immigrants coming over here to learn OUR language, not for us to learn theirs. It's THEIR responsibility to be able to communicate with us, not the other way around.
My problem is that there should be a bigger push for immigrants coming over here to learn OUR language, not for us to learn theirs. It's THEIR responsibility to be able to communicate with us, not the other way around.
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Dixie
Guest
Reading comprehension is not second nature to you is it my fellow dork friend?
It sounds like you're knocking vo-tech programs, but remember we need people who can provide these types of services.
Plus, I know an auto mechanic who could do 60-80 hours of work a week, in a 40 hour work week. That, my friend, is some real money.
MMDad
Lem Putt
It sounds like you're knocking vo-tech programs, but remember we need people who can provide these types of services.
Plus, I know an auto mechanic who could do 60-80 hours of work a week, in a 40 hour work week. That, my friend, is some real money.
No, I was knocking Andy. If there was collateral damage
I agree, though. The Chuck County example is adequate IMO. If you don't want to learn a language, you have to learn a trade.
Amen to that!
I've had part-time jobs before in liquor stores with Lotto machines. I am very fluent in a second language.
outlawrc
Member
Yep, I remember Bonanza. But I think it was on that show with grasshopper on it.lol:shrug:
Dymphna
Loyalty, Friendship, Love
Very true and I will argue that point with you, but I will also argue that Obama wasn't saying immigrants shouldn't learn English, he said they would do it because they want to do it (which isn't always true) but the immigrants weren't the important part of that speech it was about America getting ahead in the world as a whole by learning other languages.
outlawrc
Member
Amerigo Vespucci is the guy credited with the discovery i do believe.
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Dixie
Guest
Amerigo Vespucci is the guy credited with the discovery i do believe.
Yet we don't get a day off for it!
Googled that - you get all kinds of stuff. Leif Ericson, Vespucci (although what I read only said America was named after him), Chinese explorers, native Indians were here first and Marco Polo - which surprisingly enough he discovered in a rowdy game of Marco Polo gone wild. Who knew?
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I didn't watch the video because I'm lazy and hate sitting through them.
Did Obama specifically say "Spanish" or just any language will do? Because most of the world speaks English, and that is the language of world business. Spanish isn't a beneficial language for either traveling abroad or trying to conduct business on a higher level. American children would be better served learning Chinese or Arabic. But most of those folks speak English as well as their native.
My next language will be ASL, so I can say more than "I love you" and "Mmmmm, bacon..." to deaf people.
Bavarian
New Member
There are a couple of problems. The main one started by Hussein was an arogant talking down to Americans that they need to speak another language. That is the crux of the dispute.
Learning a second language should be required. When I was in High School, we had to take Latin in our Freshman year. Then at least two years of French, German or Spanish. I took three years German. Greek was also offered. The students signing up for Spanish for the most part took it as it was the easiest.
America has a unique language, it is not English, we don't say lorrys for trucks, boots for trunks, petrol for gasoline, lift for elevator, etc. Many other languages added words as the people came, at least they did. A group now expects everyone to learn Spanish, we will be like Canada and Belgium
Learning a second language should be required. When I was in High School, we had to take Latin in our Freshman year. Then at least two years of French, German or Spanish. I took three years German. Greek was also offered. The students signing up for Spanish for the most part took it as it was the easiest.
America has a unique language, it is not English, we don't say lorrys for trucks, boots for trunks, petrol for gasoline, lift for elevator, etc. Many other languages added words as the people came, at least they did. A group now expects everyone to learn Spanish, we will be like Canada and Belgium
