She told me that the WORLD needs to learn ENGLISH because English is the international language. Texas Gal on July 11, 2008 at 12:53 AM

It’s also the money language.

If you are going to live or do business in a non-English speaking country, of course you should learn to speak their native language. If for no other reason than the translations into English vary because of the variants in our English language.

BUT

I have a friend who is Bulgarian and speaks Bulgarian, Russian and some French. She taught herself English. She told me that the WORLD needs to learn ENGLISH because English is the international language.

Congratulations on an excellent summation!

Is B.O. perhaps thinking we should instigate a program that will create one single worldwide language that we all can speak, and we will just get rid of all the other languages after that?

When I was a kid (50s/60s), they told us in the future everyone around the globe would be speaking Esperanto.

At the above Wikipedia link I read this: The word esperanto means ‘one who hopes’ in the language itself so it sounds like it lines right up with BarryO.

For a guy noted for being so charismatic and smooth, has there ever been somebody so bumbling and awkward? Honestly, we’re getting into Gerald Ford territory here. The evidence I……

The US population at large has neither cultural nor geographic reason to maintain another language. There is simply no reason to do so, unless you live in Miami or El Paso. In such places, speaking Spanish can be a real economic boon, because of the realities of life there.

I speak Portuguese, French and Spanish, and think it’s a great thing – but I got them because I needed them. Why? Because I was living in Miami, Brazil and France. One MUST become as fluent as possible in the local language. It is a sign of ignorance, rudeness, ill-will or incompetence to do otherwise.

Immigrants to the US – for their good and for the good of their adopted nation – really need to learn English. They don’t have to lose their accents – they just have to be competent.

During the years I lived in France, my kids got fluent. I didn’t speak French at home, though, and their English remained fine as well. Immigrants or long-term visitors have no need to lose their mother tongue, or hide it from the kids.

Asking immigrants to learn the local language is practical and courteous. It is an invitation to become a part of the community, to serve and be served. It is in no way discriminatory. Learning a few words of immigrant languages is a courtesy as well, and can smooth social interactions — but is not necessary.

Mr. Obama is clearly not clear on any of this. His shining examples of cosmopolitan voyagers are actually the vast minority in many Euro-zone countries, with the notable exception of the Germans, who tend to speak good English (possibly because we’re still occupying them).

The French and Swiss are usually far more provincial than your average American, in a number of ways. Only those who interact outside their country (by necessity or inclination) ever seem to pick up any foreign languages, in my substantial experience.

So yes, teach your children Spanish – when you emigrate.

He was making the point that learning a second language is a definite advantage to anyone seeking to earn a good living in today’s global economy.

Len on July 9, 2008 at 4:48 PM

No he wasn’t, you pandering douche. He never even hinted at that point, and I listened to the whole, mumbling, boring mess.

He cannot speak extemporaneously on any subject that I’ve heard him address so far. He is either illiterate on economics, or a Marxist. Let’s give him the benefit of a doubt and say he knows nothing about the subject.

What did he do at Columbia and Harvard? He knows precious little about law, can’t practice it, and despite his affirmative-action career at U of C, couldn’t figure out that John Roberts was a brilliant jurist and possessed the highest qualifications for his appointment to SCOTUS.

Exactly what does he know? Someone find us a tape of Obambi speaking fluently in another language, or even English, without a script.

And if you think he was addressing “today’s global economy”, then you’re either a mind reader or an idiot, and he knows nothing about that, either.

“Don’t worry about immigrants speaking English, make sure your child can speak Spanish.”- Barack Obama. Video here. He’s also embarrassed that Americans only speak one language while Europeans are mostly bilingual. Someone should tell him that he a…

and at the next chance someone has at an Obama rally to ask a question of him I would ask it in spanish with all of the cameras rolling.

RNC should run a loop with this and Michelle’s proud comments back to back.

yakwill83 on July 10, 2008 at 9:26 AM

Magnifico! Bravo. You must send this on to McCain headquarters and El Rushbo to see that it comes to happen.

Here’s the thing. I wish that I could speak a second language. I really do. I tried speaking Spanish in high school and college, and one of my roommates in Washington D.C. was from Panama. Nothing helped. I can’t get that part of my brain t…