Comments on: ProEnglish: defending America against immigrant languages… http://ryancoleman.ca/2008/09/proenglish-defending-america-against-immigrant-languages.html FACILITATOR - INNOVATOR - DESIGNER Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:46:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Delighted Scribbler http://ryancoleman.ca/2008/09/proenglish-defending-america-against-immigrant-languages.html/comment-page-1#comment-269 Delighted Scribbler Mon, 01 Dec 2008 22:00:00 +0000 http://rctemp.wordpress.com/2008/09/05/proenglish-defending-america-against-immigrant-languages/#comment-269 I agree with tinku. Making a language official doesn't mean the society will adopt said language.<br/><br/>As for learning the language of the land, well that's just common sense to enhance your life experience. But since when is common sense legally required? <br/><br/>Ordinary people make (legal) bad decisions for themselves all the time: overeating, dropping out of school as soon as they legally can, drinking themselves blind, going home with strangers... need I go on?<br/><br/>As long as not speaking the most common language doesn't violate the rights of others, why make is a legislative matter? I agree with tinku. Making a language official doesn’t mean the society will adopt said language.

As for learning the language of the land, well that’s just common sense to enhance your life experience. But since when is common sense legally required?

Ordinary people make (legal) bad decisions for themselves all the time: overeating, dropping out of school as soon as they legally can, drinking themselves blind, going home with strangers… need I go on?

As long as not speaking the most common language doesn’t violate the rights of others, why make is a legislative matter?

]]> By: tinku http://ryancoleman.ca/2008/09/proenglish-defending-america-against-immigrant-languages.html/comment-page-1#comment-268 tinku Fri, 05 Sep 2008 18:27:00 +0000 http://rctemp.wordpress.com/2008/09/05/proenglish-defending-america-against-immigrant-languages/#comment-268 I agree with what you are saying. As I imagine you can appreciate (being in an officially bilingual country), making a language official doesn't really increase adoption of that language. How many English Canadians outside Quebec/NB speak fluent French? My sister lives in Switz with 5 official languages but most folks speak only 2, and that is b/c they learn it in school.<br/><br/>As someone who immigrated to Canada speaking a non-English language I fully agree that not speaking the local language isolates people from the larger community they live in and I think that is a loss. People are going to speak whatever they want in their own homes but I agree that everyone should get a formal education in the primary language(s) of that country/region so they can be participate in society more fully.<br/><br/>Great post. I agree with what you are saying. As I imagine you can appreciate (being in an officially bilingual country), making a language official doesn’t really increase adoption of that language. How many English Canadians outside Quebec/NB speak fluent French? My sister lives in Switz with 5 official languages but most folks speak only 2, and that is b/c they learn it in school.

As someone who immigrated to Canada speaking a non-English language I fully agree that not speaking the local language isolates people from the larger community they live in and I think that is a loss. People are going to speak whatever they want in their own homes but I agree that everyone should get a formal education in the primary language(s) of that country/region so they can be participate in society more fully.

Great post.

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