We take English classes from 1st grade all the way through college (for those that make it that far), yet most Americans have HORRIBLE English/spelling skills.  I can understand if you're an immigrant and haven't had time to learn the language, but for those who were born here, why is it so d*** hard to use your native language???
203253
I agree.  I believe it comes from the inherent laziness of people and their lack of desire to read real books.  The level of reading comprehension is deplorable in this country.  I teach students who are currently juniors or seniors and some have NEVER read a book from cover to cover.  Good sentence structure and accurate spelling comes in large measure from reading a lot.  No reading--no spelling or grammatical syntax awareness.\n\nI think the moronic comment of Bazaar above my response is a splendid example of what happens when people are too dumb to understand proper grammar with subject-verb agreement.
248682
some people pick up on languages faster than others.  sounds like you cousin did a good job...but i can show you many other from germany that haven't picked it up all that well.\ni do think its only fair that if one plans to live in a country for any amount of time they should try to learn the language, but i think people are not near as tolerant as they should be about this...its hard, it takes time.  i spent a year in czech republic, and though i learned enough czech to get by, it was far from fluent, and not for lack of trying.\nthen it gets complicated, as people tend to try to live around those that are similar to them, its more comforting, and easier, and frankly given some of the xenophobia displayed lately i can't much blame anyone for not wanting to be the first south american in a neighborhood.  but this clustering makes it less urgent to learn the language and more difficult.\nas for the press 2...its a sure sign that immigrants (illegal) don't just suck the country dry.  business recognize there is money to be made by making their company more accessible to these people, or they wouldn't be putting in bi-lingual services...think large companies just do these things out of the goodness of their corporate heart? no.  its for money.
269569
You are right.  Americans, who almost *never* learn a foreign language, don't appreciate how difficult it is to actually learn new languages!\n\nBy the way, you English is excellent (not perfect, but better than a lot of English-speakers I've seen!).  If you *do* want suggestions, use capital letters--at the beginning of a sentence, and when referring to languages and nationalities (English, England, France, French, Hindi, etc.).
333889
First, quit stereo typing U.S.citizens.\nsecond, if you know anything about United States history, The pilgrims who settled here, were mostly English, so they brought the language here, and it has been here since. They spoke proper, or the Queens English. But over the years, it has evolved into American english. They didn't give us the language. Now, the settlers introduced english to the native americans, and many of them learned it very well, as many of the settlers learned some of the different dielects of the native american language. Africans learned english from the white settlers who went to africa, and set up colonies. The africans eventually learned english, some chose to keep their native languages also. Nobody is saying the Mexicans are destroying the english language, what people are saying is that we want english as the primary language in the united states. Spanish can be secondary. we need a primary language, so that people can effectively communicate. can you imagine what it would be like if every language here had to have seperate schools for the children. Besides that, one language will help to provide a common bond. If we don't have a common bond through one language, then we might as well go back to the cave man days. How funny we would all look if we had to have a thousand interperators following us around all day long. Wouldn't it be really noisey?
268107
No doubt! My 7th-grader learns a foriegn language every 2 weeks in school. 2 weeks is not enough time for one thing. It only causes them to run all the languages together. And why should they even do it? The language in America anymore seems to be Spanish. You can't even order a cheeseburger without hearing a foreign language. It kills me to go to the counter of McDonalds,speak to an American,in American, & watch them turn around and yell in Spanish so they can be understood. We have to many homeless people here to have all the foreigners over here working our jobs. The high school kids needing a summer job is gonna have problems finding them because they've been givin' to foriegners who can't even speak our language!! Gets me fired up fast!!!
540466
Oh stop! ...from what I have seen the Irish have never learned to speak English even now. Besides that is part and parcel of any group coming to America, or any other country for that matter. That is why they gather into ghettos like little Havana and little Haiti in Miami or Ybor City in Tampa and what about the China towns in cities all over this this country and Canada. The older immigrants have a real hard time learning a new language. Your ability to learn a new language is greatly diminished after the age of twelve, that was determined in many studies conducted throughout the 20th century. I was In the Air Force  years ago, and my tests indicated I might be able to learn a language and become a translator. The test consisted of spoken sentences which sound like this... "IF IGNATZ WHA BENEY, means she is a nice girl... then what does, "YAHOOLY CO DESPECZENY!" Mean? HUH!!! Needless to say I still speak only English. If I was forced to move to another country for whatever reason, I truly know in my heart I could never learn another language and I would have to hide in a ghetto speaking American English to all the other immigrants who had come to China to find work after the collapse of the Bush Brothers economy. Give it up. These people are not lazy!!!  I would like to see some of your other answerees here spend 12 to 14 hours day in the hot sun picking the tomatoes and other crops these people pick for less then minimum wages, consistantly year after year. You might call them uneducated, and have some meaning, but to call them lazy just points out your own blatant ignorance. Capitalism, as a system, needs a large underpaid working class to function. Our own Middle Class, which consists of nearly everyone but the ultra rich, would never do what these people do. Look what happened to Ford, GM, and Chrysler (before the Germans bought them) when everyone who worked for them became middle class, even if they only swept floors... Bankruptcy. The same will happen to this country as a whole when we throw all 12 million of these "illegal" immigrants out. Oh they do create problems, but so does all population growth. Every American state government knows that new arrivals only pay for 84% of the infrastructure it takes to manage their arrival, even if they are rich Americans. Go Figure...? Besides, Hispanics will be the majority population (51%) in 2051. Then they will vote Spanish in as the only spoken language in America, and you will have to push #2 to hear it in english, and then you will know how hard it is to learn a language (even if it is free) after having spent 12 hours in the fields picking hot peppers for the rich Hispanics who will then be running this country.
562275
If you live in this country it should be mandatory to have a least a small grasp on the english language. Yea it pisses me off also but there isn't alot I can do.\nYo I called the IRS a couple of years ago and it was in Spainish! Not even an option for english that time, at least I don't think but who knows they were speaking spainish,lol.  I was livid!!\nUntil I move to another country I don't have to learn ANY other language.
597836
Sometimes I wonder about people who post here who say the are going to attend a university, yet they misspell words and their grammar is simply awful.  Makes me wonder what kind of university they will be attending.  Some questions posted are almost incomprehensible, what with poor spelling, and bad sentence structure.  Sometimes, I know very literate people will misspell on purpose... but I don't do that myself. I like to see words written correctly.  I try to correct my own sentences, most of the time. I don't know, is it that people want to sound/look dumb so they "fit in"?  \n\nI do realize that this site has people from all around the world, and for many, English is probably not  their native language, so grammar and spelling may be difficult for them.  I'm not frustrated, but I do censor what I read at times, based on the type question, and the literacy of it too.   I figure, if someone cannot write pretty much correctly, they will probably be clueless as to what I write in my replies.  Maybe that is presumptuous on my part, but I do like to use words that a barely literate person probably won't be able to read or understand.  \n\nThen again, spelling doesn't always affect my replies, especially with kids.
188987
I've been seriously puzzled by many many questions here.  I think younger kids assume we just know what they're talking about, as if we know all of their friends' names and everything.\n\nThen there's the incomplete sentence questions.  "What if I?"  What if you what?  It drives me crazy.\n\nKeep in mind English is not the first language for lots of these folks.  Ok, that explains some of them, the rest are just inept Americans who need more English in school.
651830
That's not a dumb question at all.  Yes, the spelling and grammar that I see online frightens me too.  I understand things like saying u instead of you or stuff like lol, because it's just to shorten things a bit.  But some of it is just plain lack of education, and that scares me.  Obviously, our country's education system just plain sucks.  Illiteracy is dangerous- without information, people do stupid things.  Without proper language skills, people have trouble getting jobs or functioning in life.  That illiteracy is so widespread today is sickening.  Even our President's grammar is horrible.  For example, "is our children learning?"  Evidently not.  This truly is the age of "every child left behind."
56948
I think it is a little extreme, but I can understand the frustration.  Here in Texas, I get annoyed when people of Hispanic origin refuse to learn English, and our society and government enables them to do this by not requiring immigrants to learn english, and even forcing government employees to speak spanish.  Also, our local and national businesses learn spanish to accomodate those who do not speak our language.\n\nI am all for immigration....that is what the makes the U.S. An intresting place to live, but I doubt that if I moved to Mexico or Spain or any other spanish speaking country, that they would learn english to accomadate me.  I understand why they would not....pride in their culture...we have the same and would appreciate immigrants having enough respect to learn it.  After all, it is free from our government.  \n\nSo, I guess my final thought on your question is that I agree that it is a little extreme to forbid it, but at the same time, I see why and understand the reason.\n\nTake care and God bless.
366468
If Americans had to learn the language of everyone who comes to America legally or illegally, then we would all be in language schools 24 hours a day.\n\nIt's the RESPONSIBILITY of the person coming to live in the U.S. to learn English, not the other way around.
390890
It is called the dumbing down of the American society! As a nation we can only assimilate so many non-English speaking immigrants. Because of the overload of immigrants dumped into the school systems, the focus has shifted to learning English rather than learning correct grammar and an advanced vocabulary.  The curriculum has to be watered down, or better yet Dumbed Down to a level that they can then understand at their grammar level. \nMix this with a bunch of people who cry for illegal immigrants rights to an education, even though statistics show that they will most likely drop out and prove that they were a waste of an education anyways. \nBAM! A DUMBED DOWN society where our children are not able to focus on the basics of proper English and writing skills because little "Juan" couldn't keep up and it was against his rights for others to be taught more than he is able to learn because of his initial inability to speak, read or write in English!
331700
We make easier for different cultures by printing literature in different languages. Making easier for them to function in society. The downside to that it helps to keep them separate because they do not have to learn the language. And in turn they group around others that are the same as their selves. That is one way we are failing as a society to assimilate others into our country. Its is a very complex problem with no easy answers. Many of the individuals that I have known that came in legally are proud of the fact that they made it in that way. And other than not having perfect English, they acted like "typical" Americans. I guess sneaking in through the back door into the country does not en still one with a sense of pride? It more than likely does not help that, we for the most part, turn a blind eye towards the situation hoping it will go away or right itself.
180123
I think people miss the point of that.  Why do people hold the U.S. to a different standard than other countries.  EVERY country has an official language, and they all have people from other nationalities living to them.  If EVERY country tried to cater to EVERY language spoken in it, no one would get anything done ever.  Just because English is the national language of the U.S. does not mean that the U.S. is somehow slapping other languages in the face.  If you want to live here, work here, and thrive here...learn the language.  That does not mean that there is anything wrong with other languages or that we as U.S. citizens should not learn other languages, we should.  However, just like any other country we do have a national language and people should learn it to function here.  That is no different than if I went to Germany, Russia, Cuba, Japan...those countries businesses and schools will not cater to me...its in my best interest if I want to succeed in their country, to learn their language.  That is true of the U.S. also.  So, yes,it bothers me to with the press one or two thing....learn the language...but don't come here to BE an American and then DEMAND that everyone else here conform to your language so that you can function.  If you choose to operate here, then learn how we operate and do it.  I would have to do it in another country, so anyone who comes here should have to do it here.
10204
If you have access to American television shows, watch a lot of them. We don't speak the king's (British) English, which is what is taught in most foreign countries. \nWe use a lot of slang and contractions, among other things. And we also spell and pronounce a lot of words differently.\nReading books by American authors would help somewhat, but you still would not know how we pronounce things, or how we like to run words together.
548521
It's ridiculous but excusable.  Some people may learn English but still have a hard time mastering it. They may speak English perfectly but have a hard time reading confusing forms. Some people can read it but not speak it as well.  When you learn another language they don't teach you every single word especially all the legal jargon.    \n\nBasically, you can learn English, pass all the tests (if there even are any) and still mess up and need help from time to time especially when it's something important like a social security form.