English in all U.S. businesses?

I was running a few errands today, couldn't help noticing how many of the employees, speaking Spanish. Maybe its one thing talking Spanish to a customer but when its employee to employee, I say, use English or run the risk of being fired. Wait, I know.....then the ACLU will get involved for firing that employee (lol).

The employee should get a warning or two, then fired !! and I dont care if its a Mexican-American business owner that needs to do the firing. I also dont care if the business has a TOTAL of 37 workers...... all Mexican-Americans. ENGLISH ONLY PLEASE.

Ken

Sorry - I disagree.

Belgium has two languages (neither English) and if you go to Brussels both are present on road signs etc. Some international companies use English as their official language but you will hear people of both sides use their own language when working together. Obviously at meetings English is used.

I have also noted if shopping late that shelf stackers in Asda (Walmart) are often talking to each other in their native language.

What I do think is wrong is where (say) the official language is English and there is a mixed group, either working together or at official meetings, that there is communication on anything but English between two people.

Quote: charliepatrick

Belgium has two languages (neither English) and if you go to Brussels both are present on road signs etc.

There is a comedy technique that Steve Allen used under the title "The Question Man" and Johnny Carson used as "The Amazing Karnac". The routine is that a very simple answer is offered, with Allen or Carson providing a matching and humorous question or request. One such A&Q went like this:

A: Blemish
Q: Name one of the two national languages of Felgium.

One of my colleagues was a native of Belgium. Upon hearing the above quip, he enlightened me that there are actually three national languages in Belgium, not just French and Flemish -- in a small section of the country the primary official language is German.

Back on topic, I agree that in a multi-language work group it is preferable to stick to a language that everyone understands. There are exceptions, such as when some participants have limitations in the chosen language and can work more effectively when they have side conversations in their native tongue. This, however, presents the risk that some others (who do not know the language of the side discussion) may feel, rightly or with paranoia, that the side discussions are intended to hide something from the other members of the group.

Thirty years ago, I worked briefly on a team doing a project for the US Embassy in Cairo. At that time, the Cairo embassy had the largest staff of any US embassy in the world, but they only had one American citizen on their staff who spoke Arabic. She found herself called on to sit in on many meetings with the Egyptian nationals, because her managers were concerned (paranoid?) about what was going on in the side conversations they could not understand.

I suspect a similar paranoia is the cause of many of the problems that arise in situation such as that described by the OP, whether that was the case in his specific experiences or not.

Oh, please. My dad often spoke Yiddish with my brother, and they owned the business. Likewise my mom and grandmother.

In a meeting with employees who speak mostly english, business should be conducted in English, sure. But any employer woudl realize that. There's no need to pile on more regulations.

Quote: mrjjj

The employee should get a warning or two, then fired !! and I dont care if its a Mexican-American business owner that needs to do the firing. I also dont care if the business has a TOTAL of 37 workers...... all Mexican-Americans. ENGLISH ONLY PLEASE.

Ken

So you are overhearing a conversation that doesn't concern you, and it bothers you that it's not in a language you understand. And you think that firing employees is the proper response for taking away your ability to eavesdrop.

I don't know if you caught my post, that the USA has now passed the country of Spain to be the country with the second largest Spanish speaking population in the world (behind Mexico). This announcement was made by a representative of the government of Spain.

Quote: pacomartin

So you are overhearing a conversation that doesn't concern you, and it bothers you that it's not in a language you understand. And you think that firing employees is the proper response for taking away your ability to eavesdrop.

I don't know if you caught my post, that the USA has now passed the country of Spain to be the country with the second largest Spanish speaking population in the world (behind Mexico). This announcement was made by a representative of the government of Spain.

"And you think that firing employees is the proper response" >>> Yes, next question?

Ken

Quote: mrjjj

"And you think that firing employees is the proper response" >>> Yes, next question?

Ken

These are the estimates by the Census bureau from 2000 for number of language speakers (other than English) in the USA. The sum total is now well over 50 million people. Where would you propose limiting the use of their native language?

(1) Can they talk to each other at a table in a restaurant?
(2) In their home?
(3) In a place of business where they are not employees?
(4) When they are employees and no customers are around?
(5) When they are employees and customers are around of a similar ethnicity?
(6) When they are employees and customers are around of another minority?
(7) When they are employees and customers are around who only speak English?
(8) Just not around you.

Do you think they are talking about you? That is actually a very common complaint.


Spanish – 28 million (out of 35.3 million who identify as hispanic or latino)
Chinese languages – 2.0 million + (mostly Cantonese speakers, with a growing group of Mandarin speakers)
French – 1.6 million
German – 1.4 million (High German) + German dialects like Hutterite German, Texas German, Pennsylvania German, Plautdietsch
Tagalog – 1.2 million + (Most Filipinos may also know other Philippine languages, e.g. Ilokano, Pangasinan, Bikol languages, and Visayan languages)
Vietnamese – 1.01 million
Italian – 1.01 million
Korean – 890,000
Russian – 710,000
Polish – 670,000
Arabic – 610,000
Portuguese – 560,000
American Sign Language - 500,000

The hispanic/latino population is now over 50 million as of 2011. The number of Spanish speakers including 5 million students is well over 47 million (the population of Spain).

I pick up some shirts at the dry cleaners, I think they're Pakistani. When they're hollering back and forth I can't make any sense of it, but the shirts look nice.

I have dinner at an Indian or Thai restaurant, the workers are authentically of that ethnicity, and the food tastes great.

I pick up my girlfriend from getting her nails done. Can't make out a word those Asian girls are saying, but her nails look awesome.

I deal table games to people of so many different cultures I don't know what half of them are saying when they converse among themselves. The tips go in the toke box just fine.

I think I missed what the big deal is.

Quote: pacomartin

These are the estimates by the Census bureau from 2000 for number of language speakers (other than English) in the USA. The sum total is now well over 50 million people. Where would you propose limiting the use of their native language?

(1) Can they talk to each other at a table in a restaurant?
(2) In their home?
(3) In a place of business where they are not employees?
(4) When they are employees and no customers are around?
(5) When they are employees and customers are around of a similar ethnicity?
(6) When they are employees and customers are around of another minority?
(7) When they are employees and customers are around who only speak English?
(8) Just not around you.

Do you think they are talking about you? That is actually a very common complaint.


Spanish – 28 million (out of 35.3 million who identify as hispanic or latino)
Chinese languages – 2.0 million + (mostly Cantonese speakers, with a growing group of Mandarin speakers)
French – 1.6 million
German – 1.4 million (High German) + German dialects like Hutterite German, Texas German, Pennsylvania German, Plautdietsch
Tagalog – 1.2 million + (Most Filipinos may also know other Philippine languages, e.g. Ilokano, Pangasinan, Bikol languages, and Visayan languages)
Vietnamese – 1.01 million
Italian – 1.01 million
Korean – 890,000
Russian – 710,000
Polish – 670,000
Arabic – 610,000
Portuguese – 560,000
American Sign Language - 500,000

The hispanic/latino population is now over 50 million as of 2011. The number of Spanish speakers including 5 million students is well over 47 million (the population of Spain).

I already stated, in BUSINESS situations. You see pacomartin, thats the beauty of an OPINION. I'm allowed to have one and I stand by it 100%. English only in businesses in America. If an employee does not follow the rule...FIRED. If they can not speak English...no job. No English...no drivers license.

A few months back, I gave another VIEW that some did not like, tough. How about an English 'word of the day' on some site for the people here that know little or no English. I stand by that VIEW 100% regardless of the outcome. One should never change their opinion for the sole reason just to 'fit in', I could careless about that.

Ken

Quote: mrjjj

I already stated, in BUSINESS situations. You see pacomartin, thats the beauty of an OPINION. I'm allowed to have one and I stand by it 100%. English only in businesses in America. If an employee does not follow the rule...FIRED. If they can not speak English...no job. No English...no drivers license.

A few months back, I gave another VIEW that some did not like, tough. How about an English 'word of the day' on some site for the people here that know little or no English. I stand by that VIEW 100% regardless of the outcome. One should never change their opinion for the sole reason just to 'fit in', I could careless about that.

Ken

If they ever pass your law keep your fingers crossed it doesn't extend to the proper use of written English. :)

Quote: mrjjj

I already stated, in BUSINESS situations. You see pacomartin, thats the beauty of an OPINION. I'm allowed to have one and I stand by it 100%. English only in businesses in America. If an employee does not follow the rule...FIRED. If they can not speak English...no job. No English...no drivers license.

In your OPINION, getting a drivers license is a BUSINESS situation? That's an interesting idea...

Quote: rdw4potus

In your OPINION, getting a drivers license is a BUSINESS situation? That's an interesting idea...

AGAIN, tear it down til you're blue in the face......my VIEW will not change. I have the nuts to say whats on my mind, I dont go along with 'the crew' just to fit in.

Ken

Quote: MonkeyMonkey

If they ever pass your law keep your fingers crossed it doesn't extend to the proper use of written English. :)

Can we skip the formalities and make a citizen's pre-emptive arrest? ;)

Quote: mrjjj

AGAIN, tear it down til you're blue in the face......my VIEW will not change. I have the nuts to say whats on my mind, I dont go along with 'the crew' just to fit in.

I have to admit that it is a bit interesting to see someone openly admitting that he is going to hold onto his opinion no matter what contradicting facts may come to light. I know there are a lot of people whose brains work that way, but they usually aren't so open and up-front about their inability or adamant unwillingness to ever learn anything new.

Quote: Doc

I have to admit that it is a bit interesting to see someone openly admitting that he is going to hold onto his opinion no matter what contradicting facts may come to light. I know there are a lot of people whose brains work that way, but they usually aren't so open and up-front about their inability or adamant unwillingness to ever learn anything new.

You obviously haven't read many of Ken's roulette posts!

As per the topic.... Private businesses should be able to use whatever language they want, and require their employees to use whatever language the business thinks will be in the business's best interests.

Quote: Doc

I have to admit that it is a bit interesting to see someone openly admitting that he is going to hold onto his opinion no matter what contradicting facts may come to light. I know there are a lot of people whose brains work that way, but they usually aren't so open and up-front about their inability or adamant unwillingness to ever learn anything new.

I think you missed my point. Just because a certain VIEW may not be popular......I could careless.

I ALWAYS listen to BOTH sides. I would be bias if I did not.

Ken

Quote: SOOPOO

You obviously haven't read many of Ken's roulette posts!

As per the topic.... Private businesses should be able to use whatever language they want, and require their employees to use whatever language the business thinks will be in the business's best interests.

.....and this is your OPINION and I respect it 100%.

Ken

If I go to your restaurant and order food, and it's America, and you don't speak English, I probably won't continue to stay. Not because I'm a bigot, but because I can't communicate with you. If I go to your restaurant and order food, and it's America, and you speak English to me, and you speak Klingon to your staff, and you serve me adequate food and don't spit in it or otherwise violate it, and you charge me a reasonable price, and your service is adequate, I don't give a flying snot rocket what language you speak to your staff.

If people want to live in this country and not speak English, fine. Just understand that it's going to limit what you can do here, just as my inability to speak Italian would inhibit me if I moved to Italy.

I don't care my employees speak any language on personal stuff, as long as they speak the same one when it comes to work.

Quote: OllieSam

I don't care my employees speak any language on personal stuff, as long as they speak the same one when it comes to work.

Great thread for your first post. The member who started this thread, mrjjj, is gone but not forgotten.

Tell us about your website whose address is in your profile. Cheating at baccarat? Really?

Businesses can do business in whatever language they want. As a practical matter of operating, advertising, etc., they can figure that out for themselves.

The government can publish all it wants (ballots, etc.) in whatever language it wants.

Where I start having a problem is in the mandating of using two languages, for example in low-income housing leases, etc. Private businesses can compete or not-compete for any demographic they want, outside of discriminating. For those who think not using a second language is tantamount to discrimination, I have a problem with that.

The only reason the question can exist is because politicians haven't had the balls picked an "official" language - English, Spanish, German, two of those, all of those, whatever. The only law should be that documents be printed in the "official" language(s). Immigrants don't have to learn the "official" language(s) if they don't want, but also shouldn't expect to be accommodated (except, of course, as businesses make that decision for themselves).

Pols on the right appear to want to do this in some form or fashion but haven't been able to. Pols on the left appear to need to keep the issue open to create "demand" for themselves, esp. in light of the 111th Congress, which was able to pass Obamacare but not able to pass a law designating Spanish as an "official" language.

Does it have to be educated English, or will a "Deliverance" type drawl suffice?

My rule of thumb usually is that you should be able to speak the first/native language of the country you are living in, especially if your job involves interaction with other people. If you are in a non-English speaking country and speak English this is a bonus.

This topic is very weird, America-wise.

Here in Belgium we have three official languages plus some non-official ones (walloon or flemish dialects, many Italians, Turks, North-Africans, Congolese). Everybody speaks the language they want.

Yet... we have the most absurd system of "linguistic laws" determining what language can or must be spoken in townhouses, or restaurant signs be redacted in. There are rosters of the number of civil servants or firemen allowed in each language. There are political alarm procedures whenever one community feels threatened.

Why is that? It is because the Flemish are aware of the weak status of their tongue in international circles, yet they don't want to recognize it. So they put up a fight against the "conquering" languages that are French and English (mostly). Typical reactionary move, just like those who hate immigrants: they are afraid of losing some context that they have been accustomed to.
The same exists in Quebec: they are the Flemish of the American continent.

Now mrjjj's stance is more akin to nationalist racists. What he hates is that 'immigrants' speak another language.