page 4 says:

america was founded by people that spoke english

therefore, america should always make english the official language

6/8/2006 6:57:06 PM

^ what he said

6/8/2006 7:31:42 PM

America was founded by people who spoke a very different English than you. I suppose we had better make 1770's English the official language.

6/8/2006 7:58:01 PM

Quote :

"Espanñol no es muy difìcil para por una persona inteligente. Pero, los personas de Soap Box no estan muy inteligente."

look i corrected you because i studied spanish for years and years and years in school...but this isnt latin america...its the united states of america...we speak english over here

6/8/2006 8:16:09 PM

english is easy to learn

6/8/2006 8:16:45 PM

^ teh j00s did it!

6/8/2006 8:21:07 PM

teh germans and irish and italians and chinese and japanese and russians and poles did it!

6/8/2006 8:22:07 PM

I don't know how to put accents and tildes on letters here, and for that I apologize. I'm not entirely sure you've got me on the por/para issue, though.

Quote :

"teh germans and irish and italians and chinese and japanese and russians and poles did it!"

And the Mexicans are doing it!

6/8/2006 11:24:49 PM

I forgot about those polish/italian/russian DMV forms we have available...

6/8/2006 11:26:09 PM

^ Look closer, I'm sure they're there somewhere (probably only by request and only in certain districts).

It is the government, wasting money by producing too many types of forms is second nature to them.

[Edited on June 8, 2006 at 11:45 PM. Reason : .,.]

6/8/2006 11:44:58 PM

You must also have forgotten the part where those waves of immigration were over and done with a generation before automobiles came about.

6/8/2006 11:45:40 PM

Quote :

"America was founded by people who spoke a very different English than you. I suppose we had better make 1770's English the official language."

That's pretty hilarious. I think even english speaking people in 1770 could understand our language today. Oh and wait, our constitution didn't get some remodeling job done to it. So really 1770s english or 2006 english really doesn't matter. You still need to be able to understand english to read your rights.

And isn't this about communicating too. Miranda rights?!

[Edited on June 9, 2006 at 1:51 AM. Reason : flamer below me.]

6/9/2006 1:49:48 AM

Quote :

"are constitution"

ps

Quote :

"Miranda rights"

if things keep up the way they are

this will be a moot point and a fond memory

[Edited on June 9, 2006 at 1:51 AM. Reason : `]

6/9/2006 1:51:27 AM

Quote :

"I'm not entirely sure you've got me on the por/para issue, though"

nah i got you on that, although i wasnt trying to be a dick, just to show that i knew spanish and still supported english as the national language

'para' literally means "in order to"...like "i bought the beer for getting drunk"...aka "i bought the beer in order to get drunk"

'por' is basically anything else

6/9/2006 2:41:09 AM

Quote :

"I think even english speaking people in 1770 could understand our language today."

To the best of my knowledge that is the case. But there were differences. If you're going to declare a national language for the purpose of paying homage to the people that founded the country, I'd say you need to be fairly particular.

Quote :

"'para' literally means "in order to"...like "i bought the beer for getting drunk"...aka "i bought the beer in order to get drunk" 'por' is basically anything else"

I'm aware of the basics of the rule, but I think there are some finer points -- "para" is not quite so limited in its utility as all that. Obviously enough, they still get me tripped up from time to time, and I've been enrolled in Spanish classes nonstop for just under half of my lifetime. Most native speakers I've met aren't 100% consistent with them, either. It's not more grievous a mistake than saying "could of" instead of "could have" in English. It's not perfect, but nobody but your teacher gives a shit.

6/9/2006 4:32:02 AM

Quote :

"saying "could of" instead of "could have""

Hmm, I just assumed people were saying "could've"... a concatenation, perfectly legal here in the south.

6/9/2006 8:49:48 AM

It's ok...The democrats want to change football to futbol.

6/9/2006 12:58:53 PM

it would cost millions alone just to pass the bill. Congress can barely concentrate on things that matter, they can't handle the distractions.

[Edited on June 9, 2006 at 1:40 PM. Reason : k]

6/9/2006 1:38:17 PM

immigrants came from italy and learned english
immigrants came from germany and learned english
immigrants came from greece and learned english
immigrants came from russia and learned english
immigrants came from poland and learned english
immigrants came from china and learned english
immigrants came from vietnam and learned english

no problema!

6/9/2006 1:41:38 PM

Quote :

"Oh, you poor stupid fuck... Our heritage, history, and culture are three beautiful reasons why we shouldn't make English the official language."

You've been trying awfully hard recently to get a rise out of me. And no, they're not.

As far as my post, I had one minute to post it and get off the internet, so I tried to be blunt.

Regardless, whats the harm in finally making it officially the language. In order to become a US citizen you already have to display a proficiency of speaking, understanding, and reading English.

6/9/2006 1:41:54 PM

Quote :

""los que vienen a esta este pais deben apprender la lengue el lenguaje (o la lengua) de esta este pais.""

quienes que vengan a nuestro pais, deben aprender el idioma de nuestro pais

6/9/2006 1:43:47 PM

Quote :

"it would cost millions alone just to pass the bill."

millions of dollars is nothing to congress...its not like it would cost billions

6/9/2006 1:46:13 PM

why dont we also make the official religion Christian while we're at it, since most people are Christians anyway and that's what the framers of the Constitution were

wait, that wouldn't work

how about Protestant?

wait...

6/9/2006 2:03:49 PM

Well seeing as there's an amendment to prevent that very thing, I'd say your analogy means dick

6/9/2006 2:04:37 PM

SLIPPERY SLOPE!1

6/9/2006 2:06:04 PM

can't we use amendments to block other amendments?

6/9/2006 2:13:05 PM

the first amendment is in ENGLISH

6/9/2006 2:13:40 PM

Quote :

"quienes que vengan"

los que vengan

6/9/2006 2:16:20 PM

Quote :

"Hmm, I just assumed people were saying "could've""

Well, OK, when they say it you can't tell, but plenty of people will write "could of." It was actually mentioned in another thread as one of the top ten grammatical ways to look stupid.

Quote :

"Regardless, whats the harm in finally making it officially the language."

I've listed the possible harms time and again, and frankly, I'm done repeating myself.

6/9/2006 3:36:36 PM

I think the "harms" are drastically outweighed by the good it would do. Not to mention, I totally disagree that making the official language english would alienate groups. In fact, I think in the long run it would unite those groups.

6/12/2006 2:34:09 PM

well i think you are wrong

wow, that was easy

6/12/2006 2:49:12 PM

should we add Spanish language support for TWW?

6/12/2006 3:18:01 PM

que?

6/12/2006 3:19:17 PM

La Caja de Jabón

6/12/2006 3:23:04 PM

none of my family spoke english when they came here over the course of the last 200 years(Irish, Hungarian, French). I speak english now........people will learn english, whats the big fuckin deal?

6/12/2006 3:36:20 PM

right

and was English the official language back then?

...

6/12/2006 4:16:39 PM

no but they also were not proposing having bilingual documentation and other current proposed legislation.

That is why there is actually a need for it to be the official language now.

6/12/2006 4:18:59 PM

^What about the people who are learning English but are still struggling to understand English legalspeak?

6/12/2006 4:21:30 PM

I never proposed just getting rid of english classes.

Doesn't every American in public education take those classes?

6/12/2006 4:25:24 PM

what about those american citizens?

6/12/2006 4:40:22 PM

Tree - didn't you get the memo. Government doesn't work for its citizens anymore just people that break their laws.

6/12/2006 5:36:57 PM

some of the same people that seemingly put a higher priority on catering to immigrants in place of our own citizens also seem to be the ones saying we should worry about our own domestic problems before we worry about other countries' problems...kind of ironic isnt it

6/12/2006 5:55:56 PM

Quote :

"Doesn't every American in public education take those classes?"

Right. But there are immigrants -- including some legal ones -- who are already adults, who thus don't have mandatory English class, and who will have to deal with legal documents that they do not, cannot, and cannot be expected to understand.

6/12/2006 5:56:59 PM

well they could and should be expected to learn English if they live in the United States of America

6/12/2006 6:05:45 PM

Let's assume that for the moment. There is going to be a period between when they get here and when they speak English competently enough to try to understand a legal form.

6/12/2006 6:13:31 PM

Grumpy,

So for those select exceptions, make a program for them to go through to understand legal terms. But set the official language so this will only last for a period of time.

I agree with Tree. In America you should be expected to know and learn the english language that is prodominately used in American society.

6/12/2006 6:18:50 PM

when documents are in two languages it makes me SO ANGRY

6/12/2006 6:25:29 PM

not so much documents being in 2 languages

as all of us paying for the documents in 2 languages

6/12/2006 6:33:06 PM

yeah theyre gonna have to raise taxes for it

6/12/2006 6:41:41 PM

Quote :

"Biggie: I agree with Tree. In America you should be expected to know and learn the english language that is prodominately used in American society."

PREDOMINANTLY

PREDOMINANTLY

PREDOMINANTLY

P-R-E-D-O-M-I-N-A-N-T-L-Y

6/12/2006 6:42:57 PM