Can someone please explain to those who do not understand assimilation?
494872
Assimilation is the idea of blending and integrating into a culture other than your own.
555732
you are a raving lunatic.  i am not an immigrant, i was born here to parents who migrated here leagaly.  it's nuts like you that make this world a dumber place to live.  read a book.
717035
You probably refer to Foreignese: if a speaker of a foreign language does not understand you, you will suddently start speaking LOUDER and slower to them...\n\nIt's very interesting and everybody seems to do that, even people who are not US Americans or other native speakers of English.\n\nMaybe it's some kind of patronising or caretaking discourse they are adopting?
851418
I see you are having considerable difficulty getting help with this novel.  I haven't read the novel, but possibly some links that discuss cultural assimilation involving various groups, including  Americans of Asian background, may be useful to you.  \n\nThese links should get you started on your assignment.  I hope this helps.
591392
Americans do not expect everyone to speak English when they travel abroad. And besides, that's traveling. There's a huge difference between going somewhere for a few days and moving there permanently. If you're going to live somewhere, you should know the freakin' language. Expecting the natives to accommodate you when you're the minority is ridiculous. You want to live here, learn the language.
686393
Well, first this is a land of immigrants.  If your Avatar shows your ethnicity correctly, your and my ancestors came here as "forced immigrants."  We were stripped of our language and culture.  We were blended in with people from all sorts of tribes to make SURE we couldn't use our language.  Still, small snippets of West African language survive today.  Also, we try to reclaim one of our languages by learning Swahili, practicing Kwanzaa, and more.  Further, are you going to tell me you do not speak differently when you are around Caucasians than you do at home?  Most African-Americans are bilingual with our "standard" use of English and our "African-American Vernacular English."  Of all people, we have to remember how important it is to retain your language and culture even as we are part of and contribute to our larger American society.\n\nLook at the Hawaiian people.  They, too, were not welcome to use their language or experience their culture when the "settlers" came to Hawaii.  Now, they are fighting mightily to relearn their language and their culture. \n\nThe same goes with Native Americans.\n\nSince your question was not about illegal immigration, I will focus upon Mexican Americans who are here legally.  Why shouldn't they, then, retain their culture and language as they become part of the fabric of America.  They know that standard English is the "lingua franca" of this country.  We don't need an official law to know that.  If you want to be an economic success in the USA, one has to know English and know it well, regardless of ancestry.  Mexicans are not stupid.  They know English is the way to "make it" financially in this country.  \n\nAs far as generally blending in, though, we have learned that assimilation doesn't work.  We have to just respect other cultures.  I think you know that.  Are you accepted when you walk into a fancy store?  Probably not!  I know I'm not!  Neither is Mae Jemison or even Oprah for crying out loud! People just look at the skin and react!!!  Does it stop us from achieving?  No!  We are the only ones who can stop us.  Since we cannot assimilate, we may as well do something better -- respect each other's language and culture and "get along."\n\nWatch the movie Walkout to see just how many problems Chicanos have had trying to deal with the language problem and racism -- from their point of view.\n\nPlease consider your culture's experience as you judge the Mexican people's culture.  You are still my sister!!!\n\nMexicans who are reading this -- Viva La Raza!!!!
942406
Some Americans are so accustomed to hearing only English for the majority of their life that it DOES make them uncomfortable when there are others nearby speaking a foreign language.  I had to laugh at one of my friends when we stopped at a little gas and go place to get some cold drinks on the way home from work. There were two guys behind us in line joking and talking in Spanish. When we got back to the car my friend commented he didn't like it when they spoke gibberish, "they might be saying bad things about me."\nI said, "so what, as long as you don't know it won't hurt."\n\nThe Hispanics were okay with them speaking language foreign to us but guess what happened the next time?\n\nA few days later, we were standing in line at the same store and the same guys came in speaking Spanish. I poked my friend on the arm and said "Just nod your head once in awhile and go along."\nWhen I started speaking to my friend in German, the two Hispanics stopped joking and were looking at us a bit disturbed. Now guess who was uncomfortable? It would seem they too were ill at ease when they couldn't understand what was being said.\n\nI would say it is rude if in a group the people can speak the same language and two of them  switch to another language that excludes the rest. That suggests they have some secret they don't want to share with the group and makes the others feel left out.  \n\nWhen people  are in a multicultural environment they should be expecting to hear other languages. When I was in Vienna, Austria for a week I think I heard 90% of every language on earth. When I heard one I thought was new I would politely ask if anyone could interpret English and I would try to learn what the language was and where it was from. All but one group was complimented that I cared enough to learn about them. But they had no interpreter and that may have caused them to be uncomfortable. For the most part they were glad to share what they knew, proving to me that most people really do have a good heart and a wish to get along with the others in the world.
661995
What i dont understand what you are trying to say
618266
If you wrote in ENGLISH then perhaps someone would be able to answer your question. As it stands, I can barely comprehend what you are attempting to ask.
843909
people care about their languages, it's not reasonable, it's not defensible from any scientific point of view, it is just the way human culture is, so yes, it is desirable to try to preserve all languages. how would you feel if suddenly no one spoke english anymore and you were forced to express yourself for the rest of your life in another language?
576987
It is rude to speak a langauge around anyone who does not know it without including them from time to time. If theya re able to of course. You cna't expect them to translate to you if they don't know your language well enough. \n\nIt has a lot to do with their insecurities, but also is plain and simple ettiqutte. People act as though they weren't raised by a mother. It's a shame.
767244
I dont know alotta about those Islanders but we N8tives can kick some serious ass if we need too. Just look up the Oka crisis in wikipedia, there's a strong case right there. The governments mission all this time has been assimilation, and the fact that my people have been able to survive all this time is what amazes me.
357105
It was not our choice for them to come here, so why should it be our responsibility to accomodate them because they do not speak english. If you come to the US knowing that English is the primary language you should be prepared to learn it.
822124
I don't care as long as the accent does not interfere in the lessons and causes difficulty in understanding what is being said. For example, I have a geography professor in college that has a very thick accent, and it was so hard to understand from the beginning. I thought that I would never get used to it. Half a year has passed so far, and it is getting so much better because I got used to it. Still, sometimes, when she talks it's kind of hard to understand. What's crazy is that there is this one student in the class, and he gives perfect answers to every question. But he uses words that are hard for her to understand, so she would always ask him, "What do you mean?" So, yeah. I completely understand what you're talking about. It is hard, and I hope that I don't get anyone like that again this upcoming semester.
1134099
Think about it. If you were to emigrate to another country that speaks Spanish, do you think the locals would all learn English just for you? Hell no. They would expect you to learn the country's official language. I don't see why that is such a hard concept for some people to grasp.
265478
I feel that if you move to a country  that speaks a different language than you ... you should learn the language of your new adopted country.. I don't have a problem with  people  coming here and not speaking the language yet... I have a problem with people that have been here 20 years and still have no interest in learning the language but expecting   the  country they moved to - to  cater to them and know their language..
651414
No law is easy to understand.  What you have to take into consideration with International Law is that you have so many countries giving input that it has so many cultural biases that it is even more confusing.