Story in a National Newspaper

[quattroTurbo]

Not sure this should be about tolerance, religion or racism. The point is that those of English or British decent should be allowed to express their heritage and culture without government intervention. We live in a dangerous society when governments start dictating what we can or can't say or do - remember Stalin, Saddam and Hitler et al anyone?

[Keeper of The Kitten]

People seem to struggle to understand this English language thing.

The reason that other countries make a conscious effort to learn English as a second language, is because it gives them the ability to communicate with almost every other country - because it is one of the "global" languages that are widely used for trade etc (and being the language used in USA gives it a fair bit of clout).

If English speaking nations learn a second language, they will be restricted to being able to speak only to those limited number of nations that also use that language.

Historically, there was a vote in the US as to whether they would speak English or German. It was a very close vote, the difference being something like two!

If the US had adopted German as their main language, there is a fair likelihood that English people would all learn German as a second language, and the same would be true for all the other nations that choose English as their second language.

Had that scenario become reality, the people hated for being so bigoted as to not learn a second language would have been the Germans.

Why is this so difficult for some people to grasp?

MDC

[S2 Ant]

There is certainly alot more contact with the english language than any other for this side of the world, films must be mostly english, i cant imagine many hollywood blockbusters having a swedish / german / french / *insert language here* voice over on them, therefore to call the English rude or whatever for not speaking others is a little bit rude really. I would love to speak other lanaguages, it really impresses me when someone i know is able to hold a conversation in 2 different languages, i can speak some german, enough to get my way around and ask for stuff etc and because its fairly logical you can work out some stuff with a basic knowledge.
How many times a day do i bump in to the german language in everyday life, anywhere, whereas how many of these countries come across english?

[90quattrocoupe]

People seem to struggle to understand this English language thing.

The reason that other countries make a conscious effort to learn English as a second language, is because it gives them the ability to communicate with almost every other country - because it is one of the "global" languages that are widely used for trade etc (and being the language used in USA gives it a fair bit of clout).

If English speaking nations learn a second language, they will be restricted to being able to speak only to those limited number of nations that also use that language.

Historically, there was a vote in the US as to whether they would speak English or German. It was a very close vote, the difference being something like two!

If the US had adopted German as their main language, there is a fair likelihood that English people would all learn German as a second language, and the same would be true for all the other nations that choose English as their second language.

Had that scenario become reality, the people hated for being so bigoted as to not learn a second language would have been the Germans.

Why is this so difficult for some people to grasp?

MDC

interesting discussion.
We here in the states could be making some of the same arguments, pro and con.

Of course, we are the melting pot of the world. We are nothing but a country of immigrants.

But the early settlers and immigrants, no matter where from, made a country. It became one. Now, newer immigrants do not want to be a part of the country, they want to stay seperate. I don't understand why, but that is their loss not mine.

Interesting on the language. Because the early settlers were so pi**ed off at George III, we actually voted on the national language being Hebrew also.

Personally, I am English, Irish, Welsh, Scot, German, Dutch, and Lakota Sioux.

Greg W.

[Ski]

Interesting read.

Lets keep it friendly

[BosnianS2]

I am also very confused with this whole immigrant thing raising hell about their rights in some other country they moved to.
I am also immigrant and live curently in USA. I moved from Bosnia back in 1996, and one of the first thing that my parents told me is that we live in different country now and we have to adopt. US gave us opportunity to live better and happier and last thing that i need to do i try to change something american because we did not do that or have that in Bosnia. I say to everyone that is from Bosnia that has a complaint about certain ways things are done or traditions, if you dont like it move back home.
I also ask them how would they react if americans came to bosnia and asked you tyo change something that has been bosnian way for many years.
I realy dont understand how can you move in other country in order to have better life, and become so selfish and outright stupid and have guts to aks someone to move flag or somehing like that because it offends you.
People that make such complaints obviously are not there for right reason.
I came to US to live better and have food on table and i certanly have way more than i ever imagined i would have, so the last thing i need to do now is start bitching about some flag that offends my culture
that is all i have to say

[ottawa coupe]

it's interesting to hear the american perspective on the subject.

here in canada, we're very much the same as america but i feel the immigrants here tend to retain their culture more. personally, i don't think that's a negative in the grand scheme, however there is one downside to that. it's damn near impossible to have a national identity as a result. (i'll be damned if i can figure it out too!) basically, if you ask joe shmoe on the street what it means to be canadian, you're probably gonna get 1 of 2 answers. one being whatever kitcsh phrase used in the latest beer commercial or some jackass will say something similar to "we're americans only smarter/more polite" (or some other holier than thou adjective)

this lack of identity could go some ways to explain how the gov't can't get **** done and is losing international clout by the second......

this by no means is some sort of anti-immigration rant but cetainly those that move here should be accomodating to their new countries ideals.

[topsparky]

took the words right out of my mouth, well said.Were on this site because of Audis if you wanna chat about stuff like that try another forum.

HERE HERE

[S2 Ant]

Open-Topic (12 Viewing)
General discussion

Its here because its an open forum to discuss anything, as was posted about the other 99% of this forum is Audi.

[S2 Ant]

Something else ive just remembered, was something my 4yr old sister was saying....

In school now, they have there "Winter Lights up and they are currently working on there Winter Production before the Winter Break

Basically, they're Christmas lights are now up and they're working on there Christmas Play that goes on before the Christmas Break.

Just goes to show how pathetic things have become IMO.

[Keeper of The Kitten]

I suppose those people who don't want to see non-Audi discussion would be happy to no longer see amusing pictures, jokes, adverts for non-Audi specific parts (wheels, brakes, turbos, diverter valves, etc)?

Taking that to the extreme, being as this is S2 forum, are the same people now saying that anything non-S2 is not welcome? That sounds like an exclusion of certain members of the community.

If the same people are expressing views opposing the general trend of this thread, they have now become the hypocrites.

MDC

[Keeper of The Kitten]

There is certainly alot more contact with the english language than any other for this side of the world, films must be mostly english, i cant imagine many hollywood blockbusters having a swedish / german / french / *insert language here* voice over on them, therefore to call the English rude or whatever for not speaking others is a little bit rude really. I would love to speak other lanaguages, it really impresses me when someone i know is able to hold a conversation in 2 different languages, i can speak some german, enough to get my way around and ask for stuff etc and because its fairly logical you can work out some stuff with a basic knowledge.
How many times a day do i bump in to the german language in everyday life, anywhere, whereas how many of these countries come across english?

Almost everything with great political, or financial, or indeed safety related relevance is conducted using English as the main language. One of the most important and most obvious is air traffic control, where all correspondence between air and ground is English.

__MDC__

[Jamo]

Watching for a bit longer before i let rip into some views which i find a bit borderline..........

[Ski]

Are you curb crawling jamo?

[Jamo]

look at the black people they have same culture as the british they are christians like the british their way of life is like the british yet they have thir own churches why ? it all comes down to the colour of their skin .

I'm close to blowing