"This is Alabama - We Speak English"
 

So said gubernatorial candidate Tim James, who proposes that the state driver's exam should be offered in English only. For the most part, I agree with him. Of course, I love the idea of America as a melting pot. Different races, religions, ideologies, etc. But if you and I live in the same country, and we can't even have a conversation, then what do we have in common? A country should be more than just a geographical territory. If you go to live in a country, and you don't learn the primary language of 90% of its residents (or whatever the number is), then are you really trying to become part of that country's society? Or are you only trying to create your own subculture?

As for the driver's exam, you could make the argument that recently-arrived immigrants need to be able to drive in order get a job and get established, while they learn English, but you could also argue that speaking English should be required to even live here in the first place.

Thoughts? I fully expect to get ridiculed for this, but that's life, isn't it?

Even if you're an asshole that comes to a country because of what it has to offer you and make no attempt to adapt to it (for example, by at least passably learning that country's language), your kids will inevitably learn that country's language in addition to yours, and chances are their kids will only speak the country's language. And subcultures leave little imprint in areas with constantly changing demographics. It's essentially farting into the wind.

we've had this whole language thing for so long... half of belgium speaks french and most of them speak very little dutch.. i don't really care since i understand why, they don't hear a lot of dutch in their everyday lives and in school you get very basic classes, or the choice between english and dutch: what would you choose? a language that is spoken all over the world or a language that maybe two countries speak?

anyway, it's a sign of respect to learn the language of the country you live in, but this takes time of course and you can't expect everyone to be quick enough. does the state alabama offer free courses in english to make up for this?

this remind me an old thought "if the world only speek one language...?" well someone try to do that once http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esperanto...but even that didn't work.

that is bullshit. pure language fascism.
people should speak the language they wanna speak.
if they are working, paying their tax and not comitting any crimes it's not anyone's business whether they learn YOUR language or not.

you might not know this, but some people suck so BAD at learning languages they will never become fluent. It's not because they don't want to, they just can't.

unless you are trying to say you should all learn native american languages to live in that land, of course. (because you did say primary language (s))

that's life isn't it?

i want them all to be like me, i won't tolerate them speaking another language in MY MY MY MY country, oh well.

better suggestion: why don't you sort out a more comprehensive effective public transport system so everyone doesn't have to drive? too much fucking fuel there. Not everyone wants to pollute to make a living.

i was part of the esperanto club it was fun they sung that michael jackson song.

"This is Alabama - We Speak English" lol.

A country of immigrants and refugees cannot stoop to designating an "official" language. That is just stupid and separates people needlessly.
It is very very hard for an adult brain to learn a language. It is far easier for children to do so.

Many latinos and asians and africans and europeans speak english, but it is ussually the more educated ones. to require that english be one's primary language is essentially a big FUCK YOU to all the poor that come here to make a better life for themselves and their children.

ploesj is full on correct. If the candidate or anyone has issues abouyt people not speaking english or reading it well enough to take driver's tests in it, then they should offer free language classes to people.
that is a SOLUTION. requiring english as a mandated official language is not a solution as much as it is an easy way to separate people, and to disenfranchise people

I support the sentiments expressed in this post.

The idea of monolinguism doesn't really exist, except in the UK and US. And even in the UK we have (quite rightly) Welsh language supported as a dual-language in its territory. You speak to the average African and they are genuinely astonished at how we in the UK often only know one language. Those who speak, say, Lingala or Pedi don't necessarily do so fluently, but the idea of not being able to have a bit of communication in other languages is laughable. The idea that immigrant communities could come to America or the UK and never learn a word of English is preposterous (and fantastically rare), and getting defensive about English - as if it's going to disappear if someone would rather speak Polish - is absurd and overly protective. Especially in America, where there are massive communities of people who don't come from an English-speaking background who have been part of American society since year dot (i.e., Spanish).

I think that the message may be lost here...

nobody is saying that you MUST "speak english or die", however, if you cannot read the street signs, or pass a test regarding the local laws, in English, should you be on the road?

although I do not feel that people should be "forced" to speak english, certain responbilibities certainly require it in the locality which you CHOOSE to live.

should the Alabama Department of Transportation be forced to spend money on a Mandarin Chinese version of the driving test, or say, jungle pygmy, on the chance that a speaker of such would like to drive?

I think english has become the official language in th USA because it's the easiest one to learn (compared to other european languages)...

it's not the official language, actually-- that's the whole point. making it "official" would in a way police people.


that pygmy is going to get on the road with or without a license, but for sure with seat cushions-- i say it's more money to deal with accidents and hit and runs than with licensed and insured furrners.

and reading road signs is not difficult-- it's not like the DOT posts philosophical essays under bridges.

just because something is not difficult, doesn't mean that everybody can do it.

how do you even ask the pygmy "which shape means stop?"

(answer: two clicks and a grunt)

that's what the test guides and the tests take care of.

/end of line

This is stupid. You do not need to read to drive.
illiterate people drive and they can "read" the street signs just fine. They take ORAL license tests.
street signs ar designed expressly so they can be understood without reading.


there is only one octagonal red sign on USA streets. it means stop.



all yield signs are triangles in yelow or red



merge signs and other such signs are visual. no reading required.






nearly twenty percent of the USA is ILLITERATE. a shameful shameful number in a country with compulsory and free education. That is SIX MILLION illiterates. fuck.
no wonder this country is going to shit faster than the greedheads can assblast us out of our rights and money.

even a country such as Cuba, impoverished, and nearly destitute, has a nearly 99% literacy rate.

and that figure for USA dos not count the ALITERATE, fucks who learned to read, but choose never to read anything (books, magazines, newspapers, whatever)

again, how do you give the pygmy his oral exam??

if you racists think that this is only about spanish....

so you want a LAW to mandate an official language on the off chance that a pygmy needed a license?

You are deluded if you think this is NOT about spanish-speakers.

spanish speaking peiople will become the new majority in the USA by 2025 and no amount of backwards "law" will change that

I'm saying that it's obviously the state's duty to license drivers.

this thread is not about "should driving tests be given in english and spanish" (sure, why not).


leaving the law open to interpretation will find the state being sued for NOT providing these tests in every language possible.

the point is, if you can pass the test, in yr native country, and have a valid license because you are a citizen there, then that's fine! but if YOU so CHOOSE to go to backwoods-Alabama (and become a citizen there), why is it backwoods-Alabama's responsibility to learn YOUR language??

it is backwoods alabama's government's responsibility to cater to the citizenry, regardless of language spoken.


flip the script on this. when, not if, but when hispanics and hispanic descended people take over as the majority of the USA, should they choose to vote and enact a law that everyone in USA has to learn Spanish and all government forms will be solely in Spanish, will you agree with THAT? does that not sound dumb to you?

the english requirement sounds dumb to me.

this USA was founded nearly equally by Brits and Germans. We easily could be a German speaking nation. and it would still be ridiculosu to demand just one official language.

rob is right (can you believe that?)

sheeeit knox. it's not like I am correct only once every decade!