Posted on 12/25/2008 11:53:50 AM PST by I can has Low Taxes?
**Dey should learn da language of the Diné!**
No ... Anashinabeeg!
Of course it is NOT inappropriate for kids to learn Spanish or French or Italian or German or any other language. Since our nearest neighbor countries speak Spanish, it actually makes a lot of sense for kids to learn Spanish.
I can speak just a little bit of Spanish, German, and can do a little ASL. I need the patience to just concentrate on one language. I like German better, but Spanish is more useful here.
Definitely Spanish — very valuable in the US because of Spanish speakers and trade with LatAm. It is also relatively inexpensive to do a year abroad in a S. American country, so she can learn to speak it in a native environment.
I would note that most Spanish-speakers in the US speak Spanish poorly, barely write and read it. This can never be considered a native-speaking environment.
It’s a xenophobic urban legend that Hispanic immigrants do not assimilate. Take my in-laws for example. The mother never learned English, despite living in this country for almost 50 years. Her children (raised though not born in the US) have only conversational Spanish skills, can’t read or write. Her grandchildren do not know Spanish at all. But they love Granny all the same.
I've been making the same argument for years. While the rest of the world is racing to learn English (the international language of Business!), our Government is forcing us to accept Spanish.
I have always wanted to see a conservative politician be able to enunciate America’s values - in Spanish - to a Hispanic audience.
Maybe your cousin will become that person.
“You signed up this week to post this question...?
Are you just trying to illicit some negative comments
from FReepers???”
Perhaps the reputation of FreeRepublic.com’s FReepers as a group of very knowledgeable people might have been the reason?
Democratic Underground and the Onion would never agree.
;-)
Yea!I think its inappropriate.Let the Hispanics coming here learn to speak English. English needs too be made the official language of the U.S. once and for all.
No. He/she signed up in order to teach us to spell "elicit."
She should take Latin. Not taking Latin because someone is anti-Catholic is ridiculous. Given its role in western history, every educated western person should know at least a bit of Latin. In most high schools and colleges, Latin courses are focused on classical Latin with the goal of being able to read the works of such greats as Virgil. Some Latin courses will explain the differences between “church Latin” and classical Latin, but ecclesiastical Latin is not the focus, so a parent has no reason to believe that his or her child will be encouraged to study Catholicism.
Since when is Latin a Catholics-only language? Latin is a good foundation for learning any of the Romance languages (Italian, French, Spanish), and it enhances your English (root words,...).
My 25 YO daughter is fluent in Spanish. Has been since HS. It’s a marketable skill, no question about that.
Nonetheless, it burns me royally that in places in this country, Americans HAVE to speak Spanish to live and work. It’s not optional. How about some attempt at assimilation from these people?
i sense trollishness in this post. given the recent signup date, stupidity of the question [knowledge is good, period] and the negative connotation associated with Latin [mentioning antiCatholicism?].
It’s always good to learn other languages. I started learning Spanish at age 8.
Just like it would be good for our new immigrants to learn ENGLISH when they’re in our COUNTRY instead of demanding we conform to their culture or language.
of course not, after all the Spanish discovered America so its been spoken here longer than English has
Speak as many languages as you can learn, that is a good thing,but respect the native language of the country you are living and learn it.....
Silly question. Learn all the foreign languages you can.
Job applicants who are bilingual have an edge over others. In times like these, you need every advantage you can get.
I’d add to this that in addition to the standardized test prep, students who take Latin often feel much more accomplishment in a shorter span of time. This is for two reasons. One, the focus on reading instead of speaking allows the course to cover much more material in a shorter period of time. Two, and this is not PC, but I think it’s true.. In today’s high schools, languages like French and Spanish are picked by so many students that the courses MUST be slowed down so as to not harm the slower students. Smart students are the ones taking Latin, so the teacher doesn’t feel like she has to slow down to help out the weak students. College courses in language usually progress much faster. For spanish, one year of high school instruction is equivalent to one semester of college. The difference, while still present, isn’t usually as significant in Latin, Hebrew, or Ancient Greek.
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