Something good from the Trump Years.....

[frugal-one]

Many, many people speak English as a second language (or third, or fourth, etc.), and will fall back on other languages when talking to family, friends, etc. Just because someone is not speaking English doesn't mean they don't. But many people seem to get annoyed anyway when they hear it in public, and seem more concerned about people speaking in other languages in their presence than whether or not they know English.

This is not what I was referring to..... obviously. It is people who do not know how to speak English but live here and do not even try to learn.

[bae]

I don't find this arrogant! People in the US speak English. It used to be that immigrants who came here learned English and tried to fit in.

I just came back from travel which included a small village in New Mexico where they have been speaking Spanish for the past 400 years, and very little English is spoken. The Anglos are the immigrants. I also spent time with my friends on the Navajo and Pueblo lands - the Pueblo view the Navajos as the immigrants, they both think the Hispanics and Anglos are just a passing fad.

[JaneV2.0]

This is not what I was referring to..... obviously. It is people who do not know how to speak English but live here and do not even try to learn.

Like many of the Amish and Old World Orthodox Jews in New York, am I right?

[bae]

Like many of the Amish and Old World Orthodox Jews in New York, am I right?

The Amish are one of the reasons that I, a native-born American, grew up speaking German.

[CathyA]

The Amish are one of the reasons that I, a native-born American, grew up speaking German.

Are you saying you grew up around the Amish?

[bae]

Are you saying you grew up around the Amish?

Yup.

[CathyA]

I feel that people need to learn English if they want to live here. I don't mind if they speak English, but revert to their native tongue with friends/family. But as has been mentioned, the people who came over in the early part of last century wanted to assimilate. Many people don't want to assimilate, but want to enjoy all the benefits of living here. What's wrong with having a national language? Letting people come here who don't know English is one of those things that some think means we're a fair/opened society. I think accepting too many of those type of things ends up biting us in the butt. DH's grandmother came over from Hungary, as did his relatives. They learned English, and worked their butts off, kept spotless homes, cooked from scratch, and wanted to be Americans. Yes, they had their groups of like-people, and enjoyed speaking their language to them, cooked Hungarian foods, etc., but they didn't expect to have a closed culture here in the U.S. I think that has changed.

[Rogar]

I don't find this arrogant! People in the US speak English. It used to be that immigrants who came here learned English and tried to fit in. We should not be put out because people who come here don't choose to learn our language IMHO. Personally, when I travel to other countries I try to learn some of the language just to get around. If I planned on living there you can be sure I would learn the language!!!!!!

On top of what others mention, there are legal immigrants who come here from other countries to harvest crops, work in packing plants, roof our houses in the heat of summer and other work most U.S. citizens would either not do, or only do for a much higher wage and benefits. Many are seasonal workers. Their first or only language isn't important, but probably most of them are trying to learn enough English to get along in society. Last I heard the citizenship test is only printed in English.

[bae]

I feel that people need to learn English if they want to live here.

Warum?

What's wrong with having a national language?

Can it be Tewa or Navajo?

[bae]

Last I heard the citizenship test is only printed in English.

Not exactly. https://www.uscis.gov/us-citizenship...accommodations