Foreigners that go to other countries usually don't ecounter people that speak the same language anyways unless they speak the same language as the foreign country. The totally english speaking at work would be for the people that live here. Immigrants that don't try to get citizenship don't even bother to try to learn English these days. If you live in this country you should at least know some English. If businesses and schools only used english they would be forced to learn English. They can speak their language at home and with family and friends that cool. I would not ask anyone to give up their language, just to learn another one too. I think if you have a language barrier in your own country it hurts everyone. A guy that only spoke Spanish asked me directions to somewhere. My spanish is limited so he got fustrated. As he walked away I believe he said i need to learn how to speak Spanish. Those are simple enough words in spanish for even me to recognize. I was like this is America you should learn English or just deal with not be able to talk to people that speak English. Too bad he probably didn't understand.

My mother immigrated to the U.S. of A 45 years ago from Venezuela; back then, it was expected that all immigrants coming into the U.S. had to have a working knowledge of English. She speaks it fluently nowadays, though accented.

There is no official law on the books making English the official language of the USA. In fact, in our early days after the Revolutionary War we almost wound up speaking German.

The German issue is contested as an urban myth.

Myth

Site #2

Ach, so! :) I stand corrected... :D

I don't believe it until I see it in snopes.com. :D

Then I guess you'll believe just about anything. Do you think they have time to counter every myth that comes around. Have fun in fairytale land.

Yes, they are snopes.com :D

Have you ever been to a foreign country? As an English speaker in a foreign nation, you will no doubt be surrounded by people who speak English--even if it's rudimentary English they learned just to help their American customers. I was approached numerous times by people asking me questions not only in English, but other languages they assumed I spoke--Spanish, French, and Farsi among others. These weren't just in major tourist centers and global cities.

It's this nice little thing we call globalisation.

Lol if you call Canada or Mexico foreign yes. :p If a foreign country that wasn't speaking english as theire first language couldn't speak any I would not be offened, I expect most people not to know it and it would not be required for them to know so i could travel there.

:confused:

:confused: :confused: :confused:

why? it's their personal time from the job. if they want to speak their native tounge on their breaks, they should be able to. if it's not company related and in no way hinders the company, then it's a ridiculous rule.

Re: agreed in part
 

to some people, yes.

So you're trying to say, if you want to travel to a foreign country, for example, to Italy, instead of learning how to speak Italian, you would expect them to speak English to you, otherwise you won't bother to even visit the country?
I am confused :confused:

Anyway, back to the topic.

Yes, I agree that there should be an common ground from both sides. I totally understand where two sides are coming from, how most people feel uncomfortable surrounded by people speaking different language they don't understand, and also how hard for the non speaker to speak their non-native language.

If I was the manager, I probably would sit down with each individual and talk to them, explaining how their native language might be 'offensive' for other people and make them uncomfortable, so might as well not use them. Instead of prohibit them using the language EVER, make them understand where this "unwritten rule" is comming from.

If I was the non-native speaker, of course I understand completely. As a non-native speaker myself, I always have the urge to speak my mother tongue language, but in other hand, we're in America, where people speak English, if you will.

Hey Canadians, just wondering, unless if you live in Quebec, how often do you use French? Or you don't even bother to learn it in highschool?

Just my .02 cents :D