Lingusitics Should the US Declare English as Its Official Language?

[The Smoking Man]

Canada has only two official language but each province have their own status. What it means is that any the federal government has to communicate in english or french. Also, all labeling goods are bilingual. This also allow people speaking french or english as their first languague to have education in their first language.

Province have different statues, Quebec is french only province, New-brunswick is billingual and the rest is english only. Most official provincial will have bilingual service but it always depends on the person serving you.



You are allowed to have an english sign but it has to have french on it.

Yeah ... Sure you are ... Ask about if that business happens to be a flower shop that has been there for a hundred years.

That place had the wondows blown out with a shotgun.

You also get stupid things like the guy in Alberta who seemed to have absolutely NO problem surviving in a community there for most of his life in English. Then ... When he was done for tax evasion ... elected to have his trial for tax evasion in French only meaning they had to move a complete French courtroom to his town at a cost of $2 million so the government could recover $100,000.

Then there is the stated preference for government employees who are bilingual. Well it appears that all French is not the same because of two people who are bilingual going for the same job the French person who learned English will get the job and not the English who acquired French.

Why? --- The schools of Canada teach Parisian French and not Quebecoise.

Most of the people who were brought up in Canada don't speak Parisian French.

Therefore, the native Quebecoise speaker gets the job because they are more qualified.

 

[iansmith]

Yeah ... Sure you are ... Ask about if that business happens to be a flower shop that has been there for a hundred years.

That place had the wondows blown out with a shotgun.

That is the work of extremist and terrorrist. By law you are allows to have any languague on sign as long as french is dominant.

You also get stupid things like the guy in Alberta who seemed to have absolutely NO problem surviving in a community there for most of his life in English. Then ... When he was done for tax evasion ... elected to have his trial for tax evasion in French only meaning they had to move a complete French courtroom to his town at a cost of $2 million so the government could recover $100,000.

You do seem to understand that some people can function in a second language, yet they do not master this language. This put them at a disadvantage when sign contract or are in court because native speaker have a certain understanding of the fine details of the language

Also some people will leave in very closed communities where french is major languague but are surronded by english majority. Or vice-versa. I seen people from the west-island of montreal that lived there for more than 60 years but could not speak a word of french. Yet they are surrounded by french speaking people.

Then there is the stated preference for government employees who are bilingual. Well it appears that all French is not the same because of two people who are bilingual going for the same job the French person who learned English will get the job and not the English who acquired French.

Why? --- The schools of Canada teach Parisian French and not Quebecoise.

Most of the people who were brought up in Canada don't speak Parisian French.

Therefore, the native Quebecoise speaker gets the job because they are more qualified.

The problem here is that you should not rely on the school system to teach you another language. The english thaught in Quebec is as bad as the french taught in other province. The difference is that people in Quebec go outside the province to learn english. You also have to expose yourself to the language and pratice it to maintain a certain level of expertise. A language can be lost quite rapidly if you do not speak it on a regular basis.

 

[The Smoking Man]

That is the work of extremist and terrorrist. By law you are allows to have any languague on sign as long as french is dominant.

The observation was that 'there was no trouble in Canada based on having two languages'.

I am glad to see that you have agreed with me and explained that having two 'official languages' has indeed given Canada terrorists.

You do seem to understand that some people can function in a second language, yet they do not master this language. This put them at a disadvantage when sign contract or are in court because native speaker have a certain understanding of the fine details of the language

So you agree that the government was correct in spending $2 million to recover $100 thousand in back taxes?

This is not a problem to you? Again, you have just proved to our fiscally minded bretheren to the south that there are some really nasty problems but you are just too messed up to realize it.

Also some people will leave in very closed communities where french is major languague but are surronded by english majority. Or vice-versa. I seen people from the west-island of montreal that lived there for more than 60 years but could not speak a word of french. Yet they are surrounded by french speaking people.

This man lived in a community that had 7 french speakers. He and his wife and 5 children who did not qualify as great enough of a population to create a French School. His children were educated in English, he signed contracts in English, he had an English lawyer, he purchased his land in English and he banks in English.

The problem here is that you should not rely on the school system to teach you another language. The english thaught in Quebec is as bad as the french taught in other province. The difference is that people in Quebec go outside the province to learn english. You also have to expose yourself to the language and pratice it to maintain a certain level of expertise. A language can be lost quite rapidly if you do not speak it on a regular basis.

Well, thanks for that. Next time I consider employment with the Canadian government, I'll remember that I have to moved to Quebec for 10 years and acquire my language skills.

The only problem with that is the guy looking at my CV will not have the same opinion of my language skills because 'living in a province for 10 years' does not give me an academic credit and he will assume I only speak Parisian French and I won't even get called for an interview since I am not a NATIVE speaker of Quebecoise.

You'll also find that most Quebecoise speakers do NOT leave the province to learn English. They simply go to night school. Our language appears in textbooks. Quebecoise does not because it is a gutteral dialect of French that even the real French have no respect for since it is considered an abomination and affront to the national language of France.

 

[hitssquad]

US voting rights vs the US Constitution

the articles and amendments pertaining to who is allowed to vote, which at this point is any citizen above the age of 18 who is not a felon.

Nothing in the United States Constitution grants any citizen the right to vote.

"The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifteenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution

"The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nineteenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution

"It may be surprising that in the US citizens technically lack a constitutional right to vote."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suffrage#Suffrage_today

 

[Smurf]

excuse me while I burst into hysterical laughter briefly

 

[Smurf]

even the real French have no respect for since it is considered an abomination and affront to the national language of France.

In my experience it's viewed more with apathetic humour than any hostile feelings.

hehe, they'd still rather talk to a quebecy than a brit.

 

[The Smoking Man]

excuse me while I burst into hysterical laughter briefly

Something funny here you ... you ... ANGLOFONE!?

Your mother was a hamster and your father smelled of elderberries!

(Monty Python French reference)

 

[Smurf]

Are you suggesting coconuts MIGRATE?

 

[The Smoking Man]

In my experience it's viewed more with apathetic humour than any hostile feelings.

hehe, they'd still rather talk to a quebecy than a brit.

Understandable ... the Brit would just as soon shoot at them.

The Quebecers are like the little yappy dog from those cartoons bouncing around at the heels of the big ferocious dog.

Must be the potine.

 

[The Smoking Man]

Are you suggesting coconuts MIGRATE?

Two African swallows and a bit of string.

 

[Smurf]

I think poutine is spelled with a 'u'

 

[Smurf]

Two African swallows and a bit of string.

We don't have a king. We're an autonomous collective as part of an anarcho-syndicalist commune. (my favorite part)

 

[The Smoking Man]

I think poutine is spelled with a 'u'

You can spell in French!?

I have also heard two theories about this stuff ... The fries with cheese curds seems to be a recent development.

When I was a kid, poutine was French White Lightning ... squeeze ... Moonshine.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

The reality is that the United States necessitates a law which proclaims English as its official language in order to preserve cultural unity and facilitate the assimilation of the substantial wave of Hispanic immigrants that have reached the country since the 1960's.

In addition to growing up with Mexicans, a Mexican girl and I dated and got quite serious for a time. Many Mexican immigrants resent those who refuse to assimilate into this culture. They see the need to assimilate and the problems caused when people don't learn the language.

 

[Smurf]

You can spell in French!?

*holds up french citizenship card* You think they just give these out to anyone?

 

[The Smoking Man]

In addition to growing up with Mexicans, a Mexican girl and I dated and got quite serious for a time. Many Mexican immigrants resent those who refuse to assimilate into this culture. They see the need to assimilate and the problems caused when people don't learn the language.

So what do you think they will do with Louisiana if they push this through?

I goronteeee, you will have der problems der eh.

The Amish may get a tad p!ssed too.

But then you could ask him if they can prove genetic dispositions ... can they speak Yiddish or Hebrew? :smug:

 

[Smurf]

The Amish may get a tad p!ssed too.

... ... SO? What are the amish going to do?!

 

[The Smoking Man]

... ... SO? What are the amish going to do?!

This is America ... what is ANYONE going to do? ... haul out a modified AK when staring down the barrel of a tank?

 

[Smurf]

hmmm good point. I have no rebuke. You win.

 

[Evo]

Two African swallows and a bit of string.

G1: So they couldn't bring a coconut back anyway.
G2: Wait a minute! Supposing *two* swallows carried it together!
G1: Nooo... They'd have to have it on a line...
G2: Well, simple! They'd just use a strand of creeper!
G1: What, held under the dorsal guiding feathers?
G2: Well, why not?

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I think this becomes a matter of national security and survival. We must have a common language. We have all but lost control of the borders - the situation is barely short of a shifting US/Mexican border. A nation cannot survive under these circumstances.

Maybe we should all learn spanish. That would work as well.

 

[Smurf]

Woah Woah WOOAH Ivan. Stop being so cheery, there's a downside too you know!

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Woah Woah WOOAH Ivan. Stop being so cheery, there's a downside too you know!

I watched my home turn into a ghetto. This gets a little personal.

 

[iansmith]

The observation was that 'there was no trouble in Canada based on having two languages'.

I am glad to see that you have agreed with me and explained that having two 'official languages' has indeed given Canada terrorists.

Terrorists and extremist activity is usually due the Quebec Sovereignty movement and the acts are usually done by the FLQ
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quebec_independence_movement
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Front_de_libération_du_Québec

So you agree that the government was correct in spending $2 million to recover $100 thousand in back taxes?

This is not a problem to you? Again, you have just proved to our fiscally minded bretheren to the south that there are some really nasty problems but you are just too messed up to realize it.
This man lived in a community that had 7 french speakers. He and his wife and 5 children who did not qualify as great enough of a population to create a French School. His children were educated in English, he signed contracts in English, he had an English lawyer, he purchased his land in English and he banks in English.

I was within his right to ask to be trialled in french. Maybe the man felt that he would not get fair trial in english.

Well, thanks for that. Next time I consider employment with the Canadian government, I'll remember that I have to moved to Quebec for 10 years and acquire my language skills.

The only problem with that is the guy looking at my CV will not have the same opinion of my language skills because 'living in a province for 10 years' does not give me an academic credit and he will assume I only speak Parisian French and I won't even get called for an interview since I am not a NATIVE speaker of Quebecoise.

You'll also find that most Quebecoise speakers do NOT leave the province to learn English. They simply go to night school. Our language appears in textbooks. Quebecoise does not because it is a gutteral dialect of French that even the real French have no respect for since it is considered an abomination and affront to the national language of France.

You do not need 10 years to learn another language. Somebody that is fully immersed will required 3 to 6 months to be able functional in that language.
Most Quebecois I know went to ontario for 1 or 2 summer to work and learn english. You might be right on one part, several other people go to english college or university to learn english rather than going out of province. I did both. I went to ontario for two years and went to CEGEP and university in english.

Night school does not help either. I have seen a fair share of people coming out had difficult carrying a conversation.

As far the French not respecting my language, I think you are wrong. they may make humour it at times but they are fully capable of understanding Quebec french. I have meet several french exchange student and they were fully capable of understanding us. However, they felt we had some unusual expressions but vice et versa.

 

[Smurf]

However, they felt we had some unusual expressions but vice et versa.

Yeah, I bet.

 

[loseyourname]

Nothing in the United States Constitution grants any citizen the right to vote.

"The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifteenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution

"The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nineteenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution

"It may be surprising that in the US citizens technically lack a constitutional right to vote."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suffrage#Suffrage_today

The wonderful thing about the English language is that it is so rich with implications. Ask yourself this question: How can a government make a law abridging or denying a right that its citizens do not have? Consider the tenth amendment in concert with the fifteenth and nineteenth. The tenth establishes that those powers not granted to the federal government, such as holding elections, are given to the states. Then the others say that the states cannot deny anyone their right to vote on the basis of the reasons enumerated. Remember also the ninth amendment:

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Just because a right isn't expressly given in the constitution doesn't mean that the citizenry doesn't have it. Taking all of this together in context, we can see that the constitution is more than just the sum of its parts. In fact, in dealing with constitutional law, we must also remember that US Supreme Court precedent sets this law in addition to the constitution as written. Whenever any law was passed that abridged any group its right to vote (aside from minors and felons), that law was stricken by the Court. Chances are, they would do the same if ballots were to only be printed in English and no translation service provided for those who could not read or speak the language.

 

[loseyourname]

I think this becomes a matter of national security and survival. We must have a common language. We have all but lost control of the borders - the situation is barely short of a shifting US/Mexican border. A nation cannot survive under these circumstances.

Maybe we should all learn spanish. That would work as well.

It seems to me that we should really just make both languages mandatory in public schools. It would take maybe an extra hour a day for the first couple years of school to teach children to speak Spanish fluently. Do they really need to go home before 2 o'clock anyway?

 

[The Smoking Man]

Terrorists and extremist activity is usually due the Quebec Sovereignty movement and the acts are usually done by the FLQ
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quebec_independence_movement
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Front_de_libération_du_Québec

So, you don't see the government of Quebec creating their own language laws over the federal laws a problem ... It's all the FLQ then, right?

I was within his right to ask to be trialled in french. Maybe the man felt that he would not get fair trial in english.

And maybe he had a perfect command of English but used his language rights to screw the government out of $1,900,000 out of some form of revenge?

You do not need 10 years to learn another language. Somebody that is fully immersed will required 3 to 6 months to be able functional in that language.
Most Quebecois I know went to ontario for 1 or 2 summer to work and learn english. You might be right on one part, several other people go to english college or university to learn english rather than going out of province. I did both. I went to ontario for two years and went to CEGEP and university in english.

Night school does not help either. I have seen a fair share of people coming out had difficult carrying a conversation.

As far the French not respecting my language, I think you are wrong. they may make humour it at times but they are fully capable of understanding Quebec french. I have meet several french exchange student and they were fully capable of understanding us. However, they felt we had some unusual expressions but vice et versa.

The point I was making was that it isn't the skill of the speaker, it is the interpretation of the interviewer which carries.

I am saying that if I spend 10 years living in backwoods rural Quebec, I won't even get called to the interview.

My mother is bilingual and ran the Canada Manpower Center in Cambridge, Ontario of 25 years (She was forced to BECOME bilingual to KEEP her job).

My sister speaks 5 languages having attended York (Mad Frogs and English Men) University in Toronto and had some nasty experiences in Quebec.

My brother in law speaks 7 (He's a Dutch dental surgeon).

We have all had nasty experiences because we do not speak Quebecoise.

Nice story about your French friends. Now look at the official view of Quebecoise in France.

 

[The Smoking Man]

It seems to me that we should really just make both languages mandatory in public schools. It would take maybe an extra hour a day for the first couple years of school to teach children to speak Spanish fluently. Do they really need to go home before 2 o'clock anyway?

LOL

This is the nation that had to come up with hooked on Phonics to combat illiteracy.

Now you propose literacy in two languages is going to be simple?

This is the way Canada got messed up. They brought in manditory French when I was in Grade 6. Then they told us that the Quebecers had refused to implement the second half of this plan ... that the French would have manditory English classes.

We were a tad p!ssed and my French sucks to this day because we all rebelled.

(Or did you really mean to put in a smiley here and couldn't bring yourself to do it?)

 

[iansmith]

This is the way Canada got messed up. They brought in manditory French when I was in Grade 6. Then they told us that the Quebecers had refused to implement the second half of this plan ... that the French would have manditory English classes.

In Quebec, English as a second language is mandatory from grade 4 and they thinking about starting mandatory english from kindergarden or grade 1.

 

[The Smoking Man]

In Quebec, English as a second language is mandatory from grade 4 and they thinking about starting mandatory english from kindergarden or grade 1.

So you 'went to University and moved to an English speaking community' why again?

Yes, you have manditory education NOW. When it originally happened, back in the early 70's, it didn't happen.

I lived through it.

You do see what is happening here ... you're again helping to prove the point that there ARE problems with language in Canada.

 

[outsider]

Why must there be legislation? And who will benefit? Is it for a greater good? And will it hinder anyone? What will the affects be? How will life be different after legislation? I'm taking a few days off of PF.

 

[SOS2008]

It seems to me that we should really just make both languages mandatory in public schools. It would take maybe an extra hour a day for the first couple years of school to teach children to speak Spanish fluently. Do they really need to go home before 2 o'clock anyway?

If you look at what has made the U.S. a successful "melting pot" versus other countries with great diversity of religions, ethnic groups, etc. is that citizens see themselves as Americans first, and what ever else second. You can display a state flag, but you must display the U.S. flag as well. You can speak how ever many languages you choose, but English should be the common language everyone should know at a minimum (two national languages defeats the idea of a common language).

And personally I don't care for historical excuses. Using California as an example -- The Mexican population was sparse and the government/military presence was minimal. The territory was annexed with hardly a shot fired. The Mexican people were welcome to stay, to keep their land, and receive automatic U.S. citizenship. They accepted with a great celebration. Now they live in the wealthiest country in the world. Had the area remained Mexican territory, they would live in a third-world country. President Fox is just using this as propaganda to bolster himself and detract from failure of the Mexican government to do right by it's own people.

For those of you who do not live in a border state, I don't think you really realize the impact illegals are having--aside from what has already been discussed in other threads (education, crime, medical care/disease, etc.). Businesses of every kind must provide services in Spanish--It's not just the neighborhood shops catering to their local patrons. It used to be a courtesy, but now it's demanded--big difference IMO. I've lived in the Southwest all my life, and have had, and still have many Hispanic relationships. But now there is an underlying hostility I don't feel is good for this country.

NOTE: I highlighted illegal above, because immigrants from other countries are entering the U.S. legally, and are more likely to speak/learn English and advance within society as "Americans."

 

[Smurf]

The territory was annexed with hardly a shot fired. The Mexican people were welcome to stay, to keep their land, and receive automatic U.S. citizenship. They accepted with a great celebration. Now they live in the wealthiest country in the world. Had the area remained Mexican territory, they would live in a third-world country.

Now that's just silly. California has the GDP of a small, wealthy, country and is one of the most populous states. You don't know what would've happened if it had remained mexican.

 

[hitssquad]

You don't know what would've happened if it had remained mexican.

We have a pretty good idea.

 

[Informal Logic]

Now that's just silly. California has the GDP of a small, wealthy, country and is one of the most populous states. You don't know what would've happened if it had remained mexican.

The reasons the US is a first world country versus the reason Mexico is a third world country would still be the case regardless of amount of territory. With one exception... The loss of the California coast would mean more to the US than to Mexico, which has extensive Pacific coast without it. ??

The point is this is being used by Fox to increase his popularity, but it has caused hostility in the US.

 

[vanesch]

I'm not sure why they want to convert the population of America to a new language. Why not use one of the languages already in use? Like that funny one that has an affinity for 'z's and words like center, nite, color, favorite, honor etc.

Apart from that seeing as how America is composed of immigrants from practically every nation of the world I do not see why there should be one official language unless the idea is to relegate others to some kind of second class, not really american, status.

Being myself of Belgian origin, I can tell you, talking about official and other languages will get them in one hell of a mess they'll never recover from !

 

[Astronuc]

I wonder if improper grammar will become a 'federal offense'.

I think for one, the first use of "like you know" in any sentence, either spoken or written, should be a misdemeanor. Multiple use should constitute a felony - but what punishment? Detention?

I would settle for people actually being able to write or speak with proper English.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

It would serve those politicians right if plain English was declared the official language.

 

[loseyourname]

If you look at what has made the U.S. a successful "melting pot" versus other countries with great diversity of religions, ethnic groups, etc. is that citizens see themselves as Americans first, and what ever else second. You can display a state flag, but you must display the U.S. flag as well. You can speak how ever many languages you choose, but English should be the common language everyone should know at a minimum (two national languages defeats the idea of a common language).

I guess I just don't really see why speaking two languages makes a person less American. I can speak three fairly well and am learning two others and I seem to have managed not to disrupt American unity. Given that Spanish and English are far and away the two most common world languages, it would seem to be to everyone's benefit to speak both.

About the border state thing, I did grow up in Los Angeles, which now has a Hispanic majority. My sister's boyfriend, the father of my only niece, is here illegally. It's not like I have no experience with this thing. But people like him, who speak both languages and are more American than Mexican at this point, are not the problem. It's the people who refuse to learn English or Americanize in any way that present a problem. Two national languages would not present a problem so long as everyone learns both languages.

Heck, even countries that have had multiple languages in the past weren't necessarily unsuccessful because of it. If you look just at the progenitors of the two languages in question here, the UK and Spain, they've had multiple native languages in their countries for a thousand years (English, Irish Gaelic, Scots Gaelic, and Welsh; Spanish and Catalan, respectively), yet they've still managed to exist and prosper.

By the way, I never meant to imply that California had been stolen or that it in any meaningful way still belongs to Mexico or Mexicans. But come on. The names of the state and all of the major cities are Spanish. The names of the old roads and land formations are Spanish. The bulk of the historical artifacts are Spanish. It is my belief that the experience of any Californian of himself as a Californian will be much richer if he understands and can speak the historically dominant language of his land.

 

[loseyourname]

I wonder if improper grammar will become a 'federal offense'.

I think for one, the first use of "like you know" in any sentence, either spoken or written, should be a misdemeanor. Multiple use should constitute a felony - but what punishment? Detention?

I would settle for people actually being able to write or speak with proper English.

A little bit of dialectical prejudice there, Astro? Everything said today by any speaker of English would be almost entirely incorrect in Middle or Old English, especially given the complete loss of inflection. Langauge evolves and the rules change. You may not like the sound of some valley girl saying "like, you know," but there is no objective rule stating that this exclamation is a less valid way of expressing a conjunctive relationship between direct objects than "such as."

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Spanish and English are far and away the two most common world languages

1 Chinese (Mandarin) 1,000,000,000 +
2 English 508,000,000
3 Hindustani (Hindi and Urdu) 497,000,000
4 Spanish 392,000,000
5 Russian 277,000,000
6 Arabic 246,000,000
7 Bengali 211,000,000
8 Portuguese 191,000,000
9 Malay-Indonesian 159,000,000
10 French 129,000,000

Source: University of Washington

www.aneki.com/languages.html

 

[loseyourname]

Yes, I was going to mention Chinese as well, but didn't because of all the different dialects. The same with Hindustani, which isn't really only one language.* I find it impossible to believe that only 500 million people speak English worldwide, too. The population of the US, UK, and Canada alone is a little over 400 million. That may be an accurate reflection of how many speak English as their primary language, but there is no way it reflects the number capable of holding a conversation in the language.

*I admit ignorance of these languages, by the way. For all I know, the differences between dialects are no more than the differences between American English and English English, or Mexican Spanish and Spanish Spanish.

 

[loseyourname]

From the same page, here is the list of all the countries that are English-speaking:

• Antigua and Barbuda
• Australia
• Bahamas,The
• Bangladesh
• Barbados
• Belize
• Bermuda
• Botswana
• Brunei
• Cameroon
• Canada
• Cayman Islands
• Dominica
• Fiji
• Gambia,The
• Ghana
• Gibraltar
• India
• Ireland
• Jamaica
• Kenya
• Lesotho
• Liberia
• Malawi
• Malta
• Mauritius
• New Zealand
• Nigeria
• Pakistan
• Papua New Guinea
• Philippines
• Seychelles
• Sierra Leone
• South Africa
• Sri Lanka
• Swaziland
• Tanzania
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Uganda
• United Kingdom
• United States
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

Their populations add up to much more than 500 million. India and the US alone account for about three times that much.

 

[selfAdjoint]

1 Chinese (Mandarin) 1,000,000,000 +
2 English 508,000,000
3 Hindustani (Hindi and Urdu) 497,000,000
4 Spanish 392,000,000
5 Russian 277,000,000
6 Arabic 246,000,000
7 Bengali 211,000,000
8 Portuguese 191,000,000
9 Malay-Indonesian 159,000,000
10 French 129,000,000

Source: University of Washington

www.aneki.com/languages.html

The source didn't say if that was native speakers only. Half a billion English speakers just looks like the total population of the English-speaking countries (USA by itself is almost a third of a billion), but there are many people in other countries who speak some English.

 

[The Smoking Man]

The source didn't say if that was native speakers only. Half a billion English speakers just looks like the total population of the English-speaking countries (USA by itself is almost a third of a billion), but there are many people in other countries who speak some English.

The funniest statistic I ever read is that there are more English speakers in China than there are in the USA.

It's been part of the national curriculum for over a decade and a half.

 

[Smurf]

The funniest statistic I ever read is that there are more English speakers in China than there are in the USA.

It's been part of the national curriculum for over a decade and a half.

If that's true it makes jimmysnyder's data even less seemingly plausible. We need more sources.

 

[Astronuc]

A little bit of dialectical prejudice there, Astro? Everything said today by any speaker of English would be almost entirely incorrect in Middle or Old English, especially given the complete loss of inflection. Langauge evolves and the rules change. You may not like the sound of some valley girl saying "like, you know," but there is no objective rule stating that this exclamation is a less valid way of expressing a conjunctive relationship between direct objects than "such as."

I did use !

It just irks me to hear people converse with filler phrases.

It also irks me when government entities harp on education matters when the legislative and executive officials would most likely fail high school proficiency/competency tests, which politicians would like to impose on teachers. I would imagine the President Bush would fail any competency test in English, History, Geography, and Mathematics, and so would many legislators at the federal, state and local level.

I heard the state senator from my area brag one time that he was totally helpless when it came to using a PC - he relied on his assistants.

And I was informed today that several schools in Texas, which used to be top schools, have declined precipitously in quality.

I have seen little or no progress (and perhaps even some regression) in general education since I left high school 30+ years ago.

 

[selfAdjoint]

I've had that opinion many times, then I get a chance to talk to a teenager, and I'm awed by what they know.

 

[Astronuc]

I've had that opinion many times, then I get a chance to talk to a teenager, and I'm awed by what they know.

Once in a while I have had that experience. I hired the valedictorian of the local high school - his resume would put most college baccalaureate graduates to shame. He is brilliant at math (he went on to Harvard) and an excellent programmer. I was truly impressed with his initiative and quality of his work.

On the other hand, a group of engineers and I attended a career day at the same high school. All of us were thoroughly unimpressed and even discouraged at the end of the day. Of several hundred students, only a handful displayed a sufficient level of education. The vast majority had trouble making coherent or intelligent statements, and this is supposed to be one of the better schools in the state (?).

I felt like the majority of students were barely qualified for Walmart or McDonalds. It was that bad!