What languages do you speak?

Hell, I think it's sad my Spanish is so horrible and none of my family came from a Spanish-speaking country. I never understood the point of not teaching children your native tounge... I think it hurts them in the long run.

 

Some friends of mine took me there to eat just last month when I was there.

 

Do you remember where it was located in Henderson. I may try it next time I'm up their.

 

Some parents didn't want to teach their kids their native language for historical reasons. This was the case with some German families who left Germany for the US during the Nazi and Holocaust periods. They were afraid of being stamped as devout followers of the Hitler cause.

 

I wish all people coming into the US would believe this.

 

Most people that I have encountered in my work and social and work environment, that are first generation immigrants do believe this In my experience it is a bigger struggle to enure that the second generation does speak the parents language. As soon as they step out of the house they are immersed in English so picking up English and talking in English comes naturally to them it seems.

I don't know how many of you are conversant with the different languages in India but here is some background.

India has 18 official languages and 300+ unofficial languages and dialects.

Of the Offficial languages there are three that have copmpletely diiferent alphabets as different as English & Chinese.

The goverment does business in English & Hindi.

Hindi is mostly spoken in the North & Western part of India. Very few people in the Southern or Eastern part of India can speak Hindi. I think it is a requirement though that Hindi be taught in schools but it is rarely spoken by the South or the East.

The native language where I come from (Calcutta) is Bengali, whose alphabet is different from Hindi. Hindi is a Sanskrit based language and Bengali is derived from Pali.

Ok so what do I speak:

Bengali fluently - speak, read & write.
Hindi speak enough to get by on my own, can read road signs.
Burmese, I could speak this fluently during my teenage years when my father was posted in Rangoon but it is pretty rusty now.
Italian & Brasilian Portugese - I know enough to converse in work situation not so good socially.
Spanish, French & Dutch - I know enough words to get me in trouble but maybe not get me out of it.

And ofcourse I do speak read and write English fluently.

Let me know if I have put anybody to sleep...

 

OK, I found it. It's on Eastern south of Shanney Lane, next to St. Rose Campus. Too far out of the way to go for me without a car.



Charylee, Thanks for sharing the info. about India, it didn't bore me in the least.

 

The US doesn't have an official language... I don't think we need one.

 

Wow. That is interesting.

I wish I spoke more languages. Maybe some day I will learn some more languages (I would love to learn how to speak fluently in French and German).

And no Charlyee....I too wasn't put to sleep by that interesting read.

 

they believe that and more, but in most cases immigrants are stuck working almost all day which makes it almost impossible for them to have time for school...still learning English should be a priority.

 

There is a similar debate going on here in Germany at the moment. The federal government wants to tighten the regulations for foreigners (mostly Turkish immigrants) to receive German citizenship. They would require all applicants to take a series of language tests to ensure that the applicants can speak/read/write sufficient German. Then they would also have to recognize and accept the German way of life (acknowledge the culture/tradition) and most importantly acknowledge the democratic structure in Germany.

The Bavarians (especially the CSU (sister party of the governing CDU party)) led by governor Edmund Stoiber are pushing for those to be deported after a reasonable amount of time has been allowed for the applicants to take part in the process.

 

Isn't it already hard as hell to become a German citizen? Even to go to Germany and get a work visa, I've heard, is next to impossible.

 

That's a good question, it's definitely become more difficult in recent years:

http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/diplo/en/Infoservice/FAQ/VisumFuerD/Uebersicht.html

http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/diplo/en/Infoservice/FAQ/Staatsangehoerigkeit/Uebersicht.html

 

@ShoresGuy

Has it become more difficult for EU citizens as well? I hear that Italy has restrictions on Slovenians moving to Italy even though Slovenia is an EU member.

 

Based on what I've witnessed during my visits to a friend living in Trieste which is on the border area in the easternmost areas of Italy (Trieste-Udine), it seems that they're quite relaxed about Slovenians. Trieste was heavily contested by both the Italians and the Yugoslavians between WWI and WWII. Nowadays, a lot of Slovenians work in the Trieste area by day. As a result, all Italian national ID cards and street signs in the Trieste area are both in Italian and Slovenian.

 

@ShoresGuy

That's good to hear that things are more relaxed now. I had read a BBC article the other day, which said that there were some restrictions on Slovenians working in Italy.

 

I'm sure that there are some restrictions but none that prevent Slovenians from coming to work in Italy.

 

@ShoresGuy

This is the BBC article I mentioned.