[MD] Language and The Tower of Babel

[Arlo J. Bensinger]

[Case]
I thought I was making a fairly narrow point here; that neither government nor
companies at any level are under any obligation to accommodate the linguistic
deficiency.

[Arlo]
What harm does it bring "you" (or "me") if our government gives driver's test in
another language? What about a booklet explaining health care rights to
workers? Sometimes *I* have a difficult time understanding those, and I am a
"native speaker". What harm does it bring to publish complex documents in the
"native" or L1 languages of your employees?

I'm not trying to be a prick, here. I just don't see how this hurts you, or me,
or anyone else. 

[Case]
Daniel Boorstin in "The Americans: The Colonial Experience" makes the point that
common language is what has united this country. The United States is unique in
that one can drive thousands of miles and communicate freely in English.

[Arlo]
And those who travel will quickly find the need to speak English. I had to learn
German to travel outside of "touristy" locales. Same in Mexico. And I had no
trouble with that. Nor should anyone.

[Case]
I think the benefits of this past, present and future are enormous and I hate to
see it threatened.

[Arlo]
Guess I don't see the threat. We've always had those among us that "couldn't
speak English" at various levels. Whether Italians or Mexicans or Poles or
Germans. Most learn English to various degrees. Some barely get by. Others
become "fluent". 

[Case]
I am not saying that people should be forced to speak English or that ethnic
enclaves are bad or that people should not be encouraged to take up other
languages. Or that people should be denied their civil rights or anything of
the sort.

[Arlo]
Nor did I mean to imply or suggest you were. 

[Case]
All I am saying is that no one should expect special help because they can't
communicate appropriately.

[Arlo]
Special help, ever? If I can't "communicate properly" I shouldn't be helped to
get a cheesesteak? What if I can speak English fairly well, but still have
trouble with complex legal documents? I shouldn't get any help?

When I travel, I certainly don't expect people to speak to me in English, but
its nice when, despite every effort I make to develop fluency in the other
language, I find myself in situations where I am simply unable to
"communicate". I've never had anyone refuse me service, for example, because I
didn't know how to say "Can I have a cheesesteak?" in German.

[Case]
And the idea of conducting public education in anything but English is just
plain stupid. English as a foreign language, Yes. American history in Spanish,
No. No other group of immigrants has gotten this or expected it. And I don't
think it fosters anyone's long term interests to encourage linguistic
segregation. 

[Arlo]
Germans in my hometown around the turn of the century did indeed demand public
eduation in German. I'm sure this was not unique.

Yet, I do concede your point. And we should strengthen our EFL courses to handle
this. At the same time, I'd suggest (in the interest of better communication)
that Americans also have a compulsory FL throughout their public education. In
Europe, for example, despite "official languages", citizens must take English
and one other language throughout their public education. So what if we did
something like this.

All education is conducted in English. EFL is offered to those learning L2
English. For those not enrolled in an EFL course, they must take Spanish (since
that's our largest non-English minority language in this country). And
everyone, EFL and otherwise, must also enroll and take a third language of
their choice (could choose their heritage language, or some culture they are
interested in, or even sign-language).

Would you be in favor of such a system? Wouldn't that encourage the absolute
best communications among our population?

Arlo