Learn the Language (choice, America, service)

[Lycan]

Should a foreigner, if he/she moves to a different country (for good) have to learn the predominate language of that country or should the country make consessions for the different foreigners living in said country?

[Bright-ness' Shadow]

Originally Posted by Lycan

Should a foreigner, if he/she moves to a different country (for good) have to learn the predominate language of that country or should the country make consessions for the different foreigners living in said country?

Normally, business, government (including the justice system), and an overwhelmingly large part of education and entertainment is conducted in one or two languages. There is a great handicap if the predominate one is not learned

[Christopher Krajewski]

If he is scientific and at that religiously scientific he should.

If he is huamnity oreinted and does not have the time for God, he might not have to.

[Seyorni]

You imply that an expat learning a new local language and the host country making concessions are mutually exclusive. Why not both?

Certainly a person moving to a linguistically foreign area should make an effort to learn the language, if only for purely practical reasons.

[Melody]

Originally Posted by Lycan

Should a foreigner, if he/she moves to a different country (for good) have to learn the predominate language of that country or should the country make consessions for the different foreigners living in said country?

They should learn the language.

[robtex]

Economics will have a larger play on how much each side bends more than goverment will. Goverments in Texas other southern states hire more spanish speakers because even though they are created by elected officials they must still pull their weight economically and many of them realize that they do so much better with spanish speakers in their ranks. Conversly french speakers are not needed because of the lack of french speaking only people in the south so there is no economic drive for it.

People who choose to learn the major language(s) of the country they reside it if it is not their first language, will do so out of desire or out of need to for economic functions. The intercession of goverment outside of economics is not needed and the learning of it by the indivdual is a matter of choice or need.

On a side note americans are notorious for not only being poor with their language skills overall but also having marginal-to-poor skills in english. I find it interesting how stubborn we are as a culture to undertake a second language and amazing at how much stronger many foreigners understanding of the english language is compared with many of my neigbors and co-workers.

[Lycan]

Just to clarify...

When I talked about the "country" making consessions I wasn't refering to the government, but more the business/service community (stores, restraunts, etc.).

[anders]

Originally Posted by Seyorni

You imply that an expat learning a new local language and the host country making concessions are mutually exclusive. Why not both?

Certainly a person moving to a linguistically foreign area should make an effort to learn the language, if only for purely practical reasons.

I agree. Learning a language should not be a legal requirement for a permanent residence permit. Moreover, the legal details would be difficult if there are many languages in the country (and there usually are). Citizenship is another question, which I'm not prepared to answer.

[painted wolf]

every time I hear an American complaining about foriners not speaking 'american' I wonder which Native American language they speak.

there are more than 500 languages 'native' to America, Spanish was spoken in Texas and the rest of the southwest for centuries before 'America' became a nation. French was spoken in Vermont for more than a century before it became a state... the notion of English as the 'offical' language in the USA is a joke. The USA has no 'offical' language just as they have no 'offical' religion.

Few immagrents refuse to learn the language, but English in particular is difficult and obtuse in its use and pronounciation. At least they are making the attempt to learn another language, wich is far more than most Americans can claim.

A joke a multilingual friend shared with me:
What do you call someone who speaks three languages? Trilingual
What do you call someone who speaks two languages? Bilingual
What do you call someone who speaks one language? American

wa:do

[No*s]

Originally Posted by Lycan

Should a foreigner, if he/she moves to a different country (for good) have to learn the predominate language of that country or should the country make consessions for the different foreigners living in said country?

Yes. It's a matter of respect and practical importance.