Language of choice: As US changes, many trying to learn Spanish

The Boston Globe ^ | 1/27/2003 | Cindy Rodriquez

[Prolixus]

Bill Pyron may not understand the sexual innuendos, or the rantings of the jilted lover who vows revenge at a rapid-fire pace. But it doesn't matter. These nights, after work, Pyron plops himself in front of his television, absorbing whatever he can from the Spanish soap operas flashing before him.

[RayChuang88]

In my humble opinion, these are the only useful languages for conducting business and diplomacy worldwide:

1. English--this is the language of business and science, first made important by the British Empire during the 17th to mid-20th Centuries and since then by the Americans.

2. Spanish--this is the language of the vast majority of people living south of the USA. Even the Brazilians usually have to learn Spanish to deal with the rest of Latin America.

3. French--besides being very useful in France (the French are somewhat adverse to speaking foreign languages), French is very useful in much of the African continent because French is likely the ONLY common language among many Africans who speak a myriad of local languages and vernaculars.

4. Mandarin-dialect Chinese--given the size of China (1.4 billion citizens) and the fact the Chinese government has encouraged everyone in the country to learn what is in effect the Beijing-area dialect of Chinese, knowledge of this language will be useful as China emerges as a major economic power.

[DoctorMichael]

Two most necessary phrases to be learned in Spanish:

1) Una mas cerveza, por favor.

2) Donde esta el banyo.

[DoctorMichael]

For M.D.'s, of course, its................
Empuje, mama.

[ijcr]

How marvellous it must be, to promote the language of maids and janitors.

Americans learning Spanish, suppress the immigrant population...how can they become acedemics,scientists, politicans,and buisness leaders without the ability to communicate effectively and grasp the fundementals of
education. For God's sake, Spanish cannot differentiate between a rat and a mouse.

[RightWhale]

When in Turkey, I got by in German. When in Greece, I got by in French. When in Italy, I got by in Spanish. A person needs perhaps 6 languages.

[RayChuang88]

Mind you, if many of those maids and janitors can read a Spanish-language newspaper I'll be really surprised. Fortunately, much of the Hispanic population can read a Spanish-language newspaper or periodical fluently, especially in Florida (thanks to the huge Cuban emigré population and the home of many South American ex-patriates working in the USA legally for US subsidiaries of their home companies).

[Henrietta]

"1. The languange is a fairly phonetic language, which means what you write down on paper is close to what you pronounce in the language. This is definitely NOT true of French. "

No, French is phonetic. It's just that the phonemes are not what we are used to.

[Squantos]

Manos Arriba has worked great for years in my profession......Agree on the common "cents" of teaching 1 versus teaching 1 million approach to "their" problem.

Nothing less than , "Welcome to America Amigos".....now become an American or don't let the door hit ya in the ass on the way out, will do IMO. Most "legal immigrants" have done so........:o)

Stay Safe !

[WaveThatFlag]

Reminds me of the Napolean quote:
"I speak French to my wife, Spanish to my army, Italian to my mistress, and German to my horse."

[henderson field]

Learn spanish? What, and put all those translators out of work? Well, I might be up to learning a few swear words and insults in spanish. Anyone know any? (Grammar tip: don't use an initial capital letter on "spanish." That dignifies it. That makes it a proper noun, when it is actually improper).

[RightWhale]

No wonder old Napoleon had such trouble with the Russians and again at Waterloo. It's French to my mistress, Italian to my wife, English to my horse, and German to my dog.

[Xenalyte]

After three years of high-school and two of college Spanish, I am considered fluent therein.

However, I find I can't understand the guys at my local car wash (or, honestly, wherever Spanish speakers congregate in Houston). I don't think they're speaking the Spanish I was taught.

[WaveThatFlag]

Unless my High School French professor got it wrong, it was definitely "Italian to my mistress." The point is that Italian is the most romantic sounding toungue. That's what he said anyway.

[RightWhale]

Italian is the most romantic sounding toungue

As spoken around the house by my sister's in-laws, it didn't sound romantic at all, but they used a lot of sign language, too, so maybe the romantic aspect was more visual than vocal.

[Prolixus]

Two most necessary phrases to be learned in Spanish:

1. Una mas cerveza, por favor.
2. Donde esta el banyo.

LOL - though, I think that the most important Spanish phrase is:

• Habla Ingles?

[Cacique]

If all I wanted to do was speak Spanish I would not have come here. I think it a bit arrogant of certain Hispanics who come here and refuse to learn English and insist on speaking only Spanish under the excuse that they are preserving their "culture".

This is nothing more than the promotion of Balkanization in this country. The modern 21st century immigrant is not here to integrate into American society, he is here as a colonizer bent on creating ethnic enclaves that at some oint will demand first autonomy and then independence. The "United" Staes is becoming an anachronism as long as politicians pander to the balkanizers.

Like Kosovo and the Serbs we will rue the day we allowed people to set up separate colonies in our midst. This is a recipe for civil wars and ethnic conflicts in 100 years. Those who ignore history and continue to repeat the same policies that failed elsewhere usually have the masses pay the price of their mistakes.

[jiggyboy]

Univision is even better. Even the audience shots of the Saturday-night variety show "Sabado Gigante" are absolutely breathtaking.

That said, I can get by in Spanish, but I speak it only in Spain and Mexico. Anybody in San Jose that wants to speak to me in Spanish will get nowhere.

[jiggyboy]

In Latin America, add

3) No, no soy desde Los Estados Unidos, yo soy desde Canada!

[blackdog]

Damn, those jive lessons I took in the 70's turned out useless. I was sure jive was where we were headed. I still hold hope.

My daughter been aksin me to talk frijole, I's jist kant gits wit it, dag....

My Brad Pitt Spanish is pretty good though....."How farro to the closest towno", "No dinero, but el rido in your el trucko?"

Not bad eh?