English Only

[Pelafina]

Originally Posted by Mastermind

Yeah, let's just keep it simple and stick with English. The only other plausible candidate would be Spanish.

Of course, there would be a huge number of bigoted people who would refuse to learn or use Spanish.

[Candy Man]

Why should everyone in the country learn two languages?

[_Nadie_]

^ I wish I had an answer for that, but I'm already bilingual. Spanish is my first language, actually.
So... Idk, sometimes it's helpful though when you learn another language.

Originally Posted by The Froad

Hell, there's 300 to pick from in India.

The point is, if people pick whatever language they want, nodoby's going to understand you.

Point given.
Alot of people speak English, and just leave it at that.
As mentioned earlier,
our road signs , business, mostly everything is in English.

It should just stay the way it is now.
Except foreigners that choose to stay here should speak English. Too many times have come across people that don't understand English and it's irritating after a while.
Most of the time, I come across Spanish-speaking people. Which puts me in an awkward situation because my Spanish is terrible, I just feel weird speaking it.
It may be my first language, but I don't speak it as much as I should. Only at home, barely.

[Hollow Bastion]

Originally Posted by Akans

Forcing them to adopt the English language involuntarily cripples them of job opportunities and a possible future.

How well integrated into U.S. society is someone if they cannot speak English? Either people learn to speak the predominant language or the people who are in public jobs must become translators/bilingual.

Sorry, but if I'm an employer, I'd rather get someone I'm actually able to communicate with.

[violent_anger]

...English? Why the hell would it ever be English? We ain't ever gonna go to England. I say we keep speaking American like we have been.

[SunfallE]

Originally Posted by Silent Killer

Okay I'm doing a debate on if "English should not be the official language of America"
Im on the affirmitive side therefore i am for them not making it official.
I need some facts and stuff...
if you can help

Where I live the point is really not up for debate as English has already been declared the official language for the state of Utah. Linkage So though you are on the side saying they shouldn't make it official, I'm afraid that here, it's too late. ^_~

[Silent Killer]

yeah there are quite a lot of states that already have it as the official language.... which isnt helpin our case to much....but i think we've got a pretty strong case

[Silent Killer]

Originally Posted by Akans

People say that America is the "melting pot" of cultures, many millions of immigrants from hundreds of different countries all come to America to experience the wonder of America, and therefore enriching the culture.

while yes America is refered to as the "melting pot" technically it should be called the "salad bowl" because as Americans we are not forced to "melt" together and live with the same ideas. America is tossed together there is a mix of everything and there are multiples of them, but we are not forced to conform no matter how hard the government tries.

[Donnie Yen]

Sad how people in U.S. are brainwashed (for lack of better word) to thinking that America is the United States only. It's called U.S. of America.

America refers to the whole western hemisphere. Mexico is part of America, Cuba is part of America, etc etc.

With that said, no I dont think English should be the official language of America. Because there are dozens of countries and each have their own.

As for English being the official language of U.S., it IS already. There's no debate here.

[Krateroi]

of course, English will dominate for the upcoming years although on a bright note, Spanish just might be spread out more across the US. Maybe dual official languages.

Originally Posted by Face Down

It like only takes words from the Romance languages, and a few random words from others though.

'It only takes words from those languages that derive from Latin' would be a more accurate statement.

*I think that English should be the official language.
* Face Down, do you even live here in the US? If not, it's rather stupid to comment on whether or not we should have an official language.
* in b4 racist prick

tl;dr yes

Edit: xansem, generally, when people think 'America' they think the United States. God Bless America wasn't applying to the whole western hemisphere.

Edit two: The US has no official language as of yet. Wrong again.

[Akans]

Sorry, but if I'm an employer, I'd rather get someone I'm actually able to communicate with.

But my point was from the view of the employee...

of course, English will dominate for the upcoming years although on a bright note Spanish just might be spread out more across the US. Maybe dual official languages.

Actually.... Chinese has more speakers than English, but that's only cuz China has shit-loads of people. Sorry, that was irrelevant XD.

Edit two: The US has no official language as of yet. Wrong again.

Hey you should try finding out why the US hasn't adopted an official language. If they are good reasons, then your arguement would be so much stronger.

It doesn't matter why we don't, only that we don't.

[Hollow Bastion]

Originally Posted by Akans

But my point was from the view of the employee...

You take a job at a help desk. Or any other kind of job that involves social interaction. What language should you speak?

[Pelafina]

Originally Posted by AntiSora92

on a bright note, Spanish just might be spread out more across the US. Maybe dual official languages.

That's not a bright note, I don't need to learn another language in my own country.