perhaps the language BHO would really prefer all Americans learn to speak is.....Arabic.
Well, having more Arabic speakers around might not be such a bad idea, actually. Though for a completely different reason from Obama's:
Posted on 07/08/2008 8:19:58 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
In an under-covered moment I only caught by streaming the event online, Sen. Barack Obama told voters today in Powder Springs, Georgia, they should not be worried about making the United States an "English-only" country.
He said he agrees immigrants should learn English, but felt the concern should be more about global competitiveness.
"Instead of worrying about whether immigrants can learn English, because they will learn English, you need to make sure your child can speak Spanish," he said. "We should have every child speaking more than one language."
For comic effect, he added, "It's embarrassing when Europeans come over here, they all speak English, they speak French, they speak German. And then we go over to Europe and all we can say is 'Merci beaucoup.'"
He said a foreign language is a "powerful tool" to becoming more employable in the global economy and said children learn languages easier than adults.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
I agree that more Americans should learn a foreign language, but English should be our official language.
Ebonics and English?
They will, Obama?!? Yeah, sure! *roll eyes* The problem is there's no longer much incentive for them to do so and I've seen plenty of people who have come here from south of the Rio Grande, who have been here a long time and have made little effort to learn English at all.
I have to agree with him here.
English should be recognized as the official language. But I have no problem with our children being brought up to be bilingual.
We are not going to lose the scientific and technological races because so few speak French .
Why Spanish? Why not Mandarin, German or Russian? Is Obama practicing exclusion?
Obama esta “El P*ndejo”!
I’m quadrilingual; English, German, Russian, and Arabic (Farsi’s coming), but I don’t think it should be REQUIRED that you MUST learn a foreign language. It certainly makes sense this day in age to learn stuff like Arabic, Chinese, Russian, etc. if you plan on going into a security & intel type field, but requiring everyone to learn Spanish? Gimme a break. Why should we learn their language? They came here; they should be learning English.
WTF for???? My children speak a 2nd language but it's not/nor will it be Spanish!
That’s right! But what about the old days when we made the choice of language, Barry? He’s wrong that the immigrants learn English. He should try living in Los Angeles, where they will tell you to learn Spanish! Also, he fails to realise that Europeans learn other languages, because they live on a continent where there are more than three spoken. Plus, English is not only the language of America, it is the global commerce language. We didn’t decide it. The world did by wanting to do business with us. Just one more thing he doesn’t get.
That's ripe for the picking in a presidential campaign. Great fodder for a T.V. commercial. The only problem is McCain thinks only Mexicans know how to pick ripe fruit. I don't know who's the bigger moron, but I know who will do the most damage to America.
[Ebonics and English?]
And Jive. Recall Barbara Billingsly in “Airplane”!
Yo Barry, when the illegals come on over here...THEY OUGHT TO LEARN ENGLISH! COMPREHENDE VOUS???
Learning French, of course, will prepare you from reading pretentious novels from the 1950s and ordering in restaurants full of old people.
I do. But not because of bilingualism. It’s because “bilingual” means Spanish.
I am working on Portuguese right now myself. Largest country investing in Florida right now, btw, for anyone who cares.
English first. You cannot understand the US Constitution if you do not speak English.
I’ve seen plenty of people who have come here from south of the Rio Grande, who have been here a long time and have made little effort to learn English at all.”
Exactly right - several points here: First, his example referenced (if you listen to it again) Europeans (and others from that part of the world), most of whom ARE not only bi-lingual but multi-lingual, which is very admirable. Second, the vast majority of our students are taught (and have been for generations) at least one foreign language - how long they pursue it is up to them. Third, you’re so right about illegals - many, many never learn English because thus far, they don’t HAVE to (the burden is on us to accommodate Spanish to the tune of millions if not billions of $$ per year in signs, billboards, phone recordings, bilingual employees, government forms, etc., etc.
and Fourth (drumroll, please) - perhaps the language BHO would really prefer all Americans learn to speak is.....Arabic.
“He said a foreign language is a “powerful tool” to becoming more employable in the global economy and said children learn languages easier than adults.”
exactly, because the plummeting dollar and economy are setting us up to become europe’s mexico.
“We are not going to lose the scientific and technological races because so few speak French .”
BHO reaches new lows in stupidity daily, but his fans never blink.
BTW, I took 8 years of French and couldn’t conjugate all 8 verb tenses now to save my soul.
Quel dommage - BFD.....
What is that? Fren-anish?
I remember Teresa Heinz Kerry being insufferably stupid in four or five languages .
How is Obamas kids doing with a foreign language.. they should of started in at least head start..it is taught here in head start..of course it is spanish.. is obama bi lingual.. I heard him mutter a few words.. but so can I.. but by no means am I fluent..
Largest country investing in Florida right now, btw, for anyone who cares.
And not only oil-independent for years, but exporting sugar ethanol to US (among others). They’ve been doing a lot of things right for years.
Plus, I’ve always loved that bossa nova/samba music :-))))))
shouldn’t that be ‘es’? i thought ‘esta’ referred to temporary conditions. obama has been a ‘pendejo’ for a long time and there’s no reason to believe that will change.
Up until about 1960 elite Univer4sities generally required the ability to speak and read two langjuages to graduate. Ivy League college commencements featured the Valedictory Address in Greek, and the Salutarian’s Address in Latin or Hebrew. Most of the audience could understand them. Our language instruction is going down the tubes.
Yep!
La afham, Zen-Zen Wakarimasen./Just Asking - seoul62......
Beaver’s MOTHER jive-talkin’ brought down the house!
I remember Teresa Heinz Kerry being insufferably stupid in four or five languages .”
Very insightful! Stupidity truly is the Universal Language.
That's right. An none of this changing the subject stuff about 'Mercans learning Mexican.
yitbos
LOl!
I dunno, I was quoting another poster who wrote it. I don’t speak Spanish fluently; just know a few words.
I hear Hussein’s Arabic is pretty good; maybe he’d like us all to learn that (while we’re studying the Koran).
[Ebonics and English?]
And Jive. Recall Barbara Billingsly in “Airplane”!
Jive be a dialect o’ dat Ebonics, baby!;)
it is not for him to decide
I don't think Obama has been to Miami lately, or parts of Dallas, L.A., or even Bridgeport, CT. There is a humorous (at first) Hulk Hogan reality show episode wherein he visits Miami and goes into 5 stores, only one of which has a single staffperson who can speak a word of English.
It's embarrassing? EMBARRASSING? Are you kidding me that Americans will vote for this effete snob???
Well, having more Arabic speakers around might not be such a bad idea, actually. Though for a completely different reason from Obama’s”
Oh, absolutely, we desperately need more. What’s VERY concerning is the number of them (arabic-fluent people) who are turned down by fbi, cia and other agencies because they are christian, conservative, or both.
I’m serious.
While I don’t disagree with your history lesson nor the lecture, what is your point? I took two years of Latin and seven years of French.
is obama bi lingual”
YES, he is bilingual - research his documented background, early schooling. That’s all I’m gonna say. Sorry, Joanne, this isn’t directed to you personally.
Then why the hell do I have to "Press 1 for English"? (Who's got the John Wayne picture?)
...you need to make sure your child can speak Spanish,"
Why? So they can tell the lawn guy to be more careful edging around the flowers this time?
Why should I have to learn a second language to speak with a fellow citizen?
I saw a story on CNN today about a Chinese security guard for the Olympics that speaks thirteen languages fluently, and greets and converses with tourists of the thirteen languages. He has been getting a lot of press lately.
Four is impressive. I know French and am just starting on Spanish.
I agree. I’v always thought it would be nice to learn a second language....but a language of MY CHOICE!
I don’t think it should be required and i refuse to learn or encourage my children to learn spanish.
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