Should we be required to speak a second language

[SportyHeadShot]

Ive had some rather different job situations over the years and many employers have informed me that my job status would be a lot more secure if I spoke a second language.

Due to immigration and illegal immigration my little town can be split into Spanish speaking ukranian speaking and Japanese I cant tell you the number of times when I have been berated by customers because I was unable to understand them. Unfortunately my highschool and college experiences offered only German and French.

It seems like now more than ever since our town has literally exploded with housing we have a 15% 15% 25% 35% situation of people who cannot speak more than one language and I've been laid off more than once for not being able to help customers who are unable to converse in English in favor of an employee who speaks broken English.

[Xero_Daxter]

I'm pretty sure there are a lot of people who can speak Tagalog in my area considering I live in the redneck south of North Carolina. xDD

[Tio]

No. I learned Chinese when I was young and once I learned English, I forgot how to speak Chinese.

[epicking]

Originally posted by Kurumi:

No. I learned Chinese when I was young and once I learned English, I forgot how to speak Chinese.

well then that is a problem

[Coffinmaw]

The only time it should be required is if it's for a job application. If people want to come to a country, they should be the ones to learn another language. Not the people who're born there.

[✪Happy Dude✪]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[bigbenisdaman]

I learned a 2nd in grade school. Couldnt speak it now if i had to.

[Coffinmaw]

Originally posted by Lee:

Originally posted by Miss Ann Thrope:

No. When I was in school, I resented being required to learn a second language that had no relevance to me practically or culturally.

To be fair, you don’t have a job and you live off government benefits; at least that’s what you’ve said before. That shouldn’t be the goal but sadly that seems the American way for many, especially for those who simply don’t want to do better.

Some people can't do better. Because they physically can't do it.

[Esoteric]

Only if you live in a country where the main language isn't your native one.

[/.]

Nah, it should be highly encouraged that people learn more than one language - it's good for your brain, allows more communication, etc - but definitely should not be 'required'.

However, if someone comes to America (or any other primarily English speaking country), and they don't speak English, that shouldn't be anyone else's problem but theirs.

That said, it makes sense that knowing more languages increases job security, it's a useful skill to have... Though it shouldn't be threatening the job security of people who don't, that's just ridiculous.

[whatamidoing]

Originally posted by Miss Ann Thrope:

Originally posted by Jonathan:

The only time it should be required is if it's for a job application. If people want to come to a country, they should be the ones to learn another language. Not the people who're born there.

I agree.

I agree as well.

[Coffinmaw]

Originally posted by Lee:

Originally posted by Jonathan:

Some people can't do better. Because they physically can't do it.

Some.

Many.

[Your_White_Knight]

No.... but you should learn the language of the country you want to be in.

Originally posted by SportyHeadShot:

...Due to immigration and illegal immigration my little town can be split into Spanish speaking ukranian speaking and Japanese.....

Once you require a second language... next it would be a third... a forth... when would it end?

People who came over ( like my family ) had to learn English.... Americans didn't have to learn Russian, German, Italian, Polish... when the immigration of a country happened before...

Here's the problem...

Originally posted by SportyHeadShot:

I..... I cant tell you the number of times when I have been berated by customers because I was unable to understand them.....

I can guarantee they didn't feel like learning English, and since we let them "berate" us for not speaking their language... they will never feel the need to learn ours... It's time to stop feeling sorry for people who berate us for speaking the language of the country we live in...

[Coffinmaw]

Originally posted by Lee:

Originally posted by Jonathan:

Many.

You were right the first time. ;)

The way you worded your post made it seem like you were speaking for all the people who used that system. Which included the word "many". Don't mind me, pain medication is making me grumpy tonight.

[s w e k]

Originally posted by Lee:

Originally posted by Miss Ann Thrope:

No. When I was in school, I resented being required to learn a second language that had no relevance to me practically or culturally.

To be fair, you don’t have a job and you live off government benefits; at least that’s what you’ve said before. That shouldn’t be the goal but sadly that seems the American way for many, especially for those who simply don’t want to do better.

Some people can't do better because of circumstance.

[[FFK3] Trovaa]

Yes but the problem is most schools only limit you to languages like French, Spanish, German, and sometimes Chinese. Technically we are required to know other languages because in MOST schools, foreign language classes are mandatory but you choose which language you learn.
They need to open up to way more languages (Russian, Mongolian, Korean, Japanese, Tagalog, even Irish.)