[MD] Language and The Tower of Babel

[Arlo J. Bensinger]

[Case]
But I must confess I share Vento's concern. Government and corporate enabling of
the reconstruction of the Tower of Babel in not in the long term interest of
our communities.

[Arlo]
It's rare that we disagree, Case, so I welcome to opportunity to discuss this.

Let's clear something up front. If I were to move to Iceland, I'd learn
Icelandic. When I travelled Germany and Denmark, I learned as much of the
language as I could so that while there I could interact on a level that I
valued. When I've been travelling to Mexico, I've learned as much Spanish as
possible so that I can interact to a level I find meaningful. So, I have
nothing against anyone who seeks to learn English, or any other language, so as
to interact with a population that they would otherwise be prevented from
communicating with. Polylingualism spreads not only diverse ideas, but each
language is a functional metaphor with which we see the world. "Language is the
house of being", as Wittegenstein said. Short answer, I work in language, I
encourage everyone to become as polylingual as possible.

Second, we have to be clear in separating out the skills we are saying demand
English in order to develop. Does an immigrant need to learn English to vote?
If so, why? Is it to better understand complex historical perspectives through
media and compulsory education? If so, then why don't we test for THIS, even
among the English speaking population? Does one need to speak English to drive
a car? Why?

But, consider it this way. Those "immigrants" who are speaking another language,
are they not getting by? In what way would you explain to them, in terms of
something they'd value, as to why their lives would be better if they'd learn
English?

And here's the next challenge. How much English is enough English? What is
someone can speak enough to order cheesesteaks in Philly, but no enough to
explain the Civil War (in English). Is that enough? Conversely, what if someone
knows how to work as a carpenter in English, but doesn't know how to read a
novel?

Finally, there is the current doomsday battlecry that America will collapse
because Mexicans aren't learning English. How? As I've said, all my life I've
been in Philly, listening to Italian spoken on the streets and in pizza joints.
In Chinatowns and other Asian subcommunities, one finds many who don't speak
English at all. Has America collapsed? What evidence can we show that indicates
that subcommunities of foreign language speakers has a negative impact on your
life, my life, or American society as a whole? Would our GNP be higher if our
lettuce pickers spoke English? If our pizza makers spoke English? If the Amish
spoke English? Would there be less crime? Based on what? People only commit
crimes against those who speak another language?

Hope that gets the conversation going.

Arlo