Obama wants our children to learn Spanish

[Xargos]

I despise people who won't learn the language of the land they're living in.  I simply reply "Your Mamma is what?", even when I know what they said.  I've lived in several different countries over the years and have always attempted to speak their language, even if poorly.  If they make an attempt to speak some English, I'm much more forgiving and helpful.

It is not my responsibility to speak anything other then my native tongue in my native country.

[rogwar]

And whoever told you that is incorrect.  Castillian Spanish doesn't "sound like they're speaking like they spoke 400 years ago".  It's like the Queen's English and American English, some dialect and colloquial differences but the same language.


ack-ack

Verdad! Right on!

As a Spanish speaker and world traveler, it really irks me when folks say it's sooo different. I always give that analogy as well. I have found it's the dummies that say it's different.

We were in Spain for 2 weeks in June. One week of that was spent in Galicia where they speak Gallego. It helped that Portuguese is my third language because there is a lot of similarities and crossover. Gallego almost seems like a mix of Portuguese and Spanish.

[VonMessa]

Well, you have to order a cheesesteak in English, when in Philly.    http://www.phillyfuture.org/node/3607

When my children can come home and speak English properly, then we can worry about dumping more languages into their curriculum.  God forbid the teachers in this country are forced to do too much teaching.

Most children do not even know the proper rules for language, these days.  They are almost the same no matter which language it is.  Correct grammar would be a great beginning. 

Maybe then we can teach them a new language to apply those rules to.

I am not opposed to learning a second or even third language.  My grandparents, in their old world pride, spoke a lot of German in the house as they raised me.  They also, in their new world gratitude, learned to speak English as it was the tongue of their new home.

[Saxman]

Well, you have to order a cheesesteak in English, when in Philly.

Why is it I'm suddenly thinking of the Hardee's commercial where they had two guys in Philly talking about the new Philly Cheesesteak Thickburger with their conversation subtitled?

 

[VonMessa]

Why is it I'm suddenly thinking of the Hardee's commercial where they had two guys in Philly talking about the new Philly Cheesesteak Thickburger with their conversation subtitled?

 

Hardee's wouldn't know what a cheesesteak was if it flew up their arse like a torpedo.

I find it funny when people get pissed about the whole situation.  It is actually quite funny.

You have Joey Vento, child of Italian immigrants, who speaks Italian and English.  He is insisting that his customers order in English, not that his employees learn Spanish.

Certain elements here in the city of brotherly love felt that he was discriminating against Hispanics.   Not true.  If you have ever seen the line at Geno's after an Eagles/Sixers/Phillies/Flyers game, you would see why he likes  to keep things running like a machine and very quickly.  It could go for 3 blocks and more, sometimes.

Guess what?  Joey won. 

[Speed55]

When i was in high school we had the choice between Italian, French, or Spanish.

I chose Italian, and passed by the skin of my teeth.

To me, it would have been better to give us an option for either a 2nd language, or some kind of technical class.

Basic electriconics, basic automotive, basic carpentry, you know something that i might of actually taken interest in.

That was 17 years ago so i don't know what they do now.

[culero]

Yes, they are wrong.  My uncle is from Spain, when he comes to visit I have no troubles speaking to him in my "Mexico City" Spanish and he has no troubles understanding or speaking to me in his Castillian Spanish.  Though, I sometimes poke fun at him for having a lisp when he speaks.  There is no real fundemental differences, only in dialect and colloquialism.

Saying that someone speaking Castillian Spanish is going to have a tough time being understood by another Spanish speaker from any Latin American country is like saying an American will not be able to understand someone speaking the Queen's English.


ack-ack

We had some Spaniards here for a week a couple of years ago, working with us on a project their company out of Madrid was trying to launch here. As you say, no more problems understanding each other than an Englishman and an American would have - just "sounds" different.

And, yeah, the lisp thing is funny as hell. Even worse, the physical action that produces the lisp is disconcerting. I couldn't keep myself from staring when they were constantly holding the tip of their tongues out between their front teeth. It took me a while to be sure the bastards weren't fudgepackers trying to come on

[Nilsen]

Personally I feel that learning a second language can be a benefit. I traveled through Europe, courtesy of Uncle Sam, in the mid seventies and part of my preparations for each trip was to learn enough of the host country's language to get by with. But to mandate that our school children learn Spanish is going too far. As one poster noted in a different forum I frequent,

"If these boards are any indication, our public school system cannot even teach basic English to its students."

http://hotair.com/archives/2008/07/09/obama-your-kids-should-learn-spanish/

He complains that European visitors to this country come with a working knowledge of not only their native tongue, but several other languages as well. And yes, I'm aware that European schoolchildren are required to learn another language.

My apologies to the junior senator from Illinois, but what he fails to realize is that most likely 70 to 80% of our population will venture no further than several hundred miles from home during their entire lifetime. Whereas these European visitors, due to the size and nature of Europe, can visit a foreign country with a simple train ride.

If he is so unaware of such a fundamental difference as that, then he has no business running this country.

We learn our own language, English and must choose between French, German or Spanish for the third.

[indy007]

When i was in high school we had the choice between Italian, French, or Spanish.

I chose Italian, and passed by the skin of my teeth.

To me, it would have been better to give us an option for either a 2nd language, or some kind of technical class.

Basic electriconics, basic automotive, basic carpentry, you know something that i might of actually taken interest in.

That was 17 years ago so i don't know what they do now.

Just 10 years ago, in my school district you had the options of Italian, French, Spanish, & German... all available up to a 4th year course. There was also shop (basic carpentry), automotive repair (with tools, lifts, and real cars), intro to engineering (electrical, structural, mechanical), cosmetology, criminal justice, and more computer courses from graphic design up to coading.

[storch]

Verdad! Right on!

As a Spanish speaker and world traveler, it really irks me when folks say it's sooo different. I always give that analogy as well. I have found it's the dummies that say it's different.

We were in Spain for 2 weeks in June. One week of that was spent in Galicia where they speak Gallego. It helped that Portuguese is my third language because there is a lot of similarities and crossover. Gallego almost seems like a mix of Portuguese and Spanish.

it sure is