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Being Multilingual
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Being Multilingual
"Partly because everyone who I have ever loved in this obscure language of mine, has loved me unconditionally."
https://medium.com/@skinnylatte/split-l ... f16b1cd19f
https://medium.com/@skinnylatte/split-l ... f16b1cd19f
- Strong Eagle
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Re: Being Multilingual
What do you call a person who speaks three languages? Tri-lingual.
What do you call a person who speaks two languages? Bilingual.
What do you call a person who speaks one language? American.
What do you call a person who speaks two languages? Bilingual.
What do you call a person who speaks one language? American.
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Re: Being Multilingual
Lol, SE. I was excited when the third (I know, I know, picky mom, no school seems to fit) school they enrolled in offered Spanish language option at the elementary level. They are just passing time and told me many kids dislike the class. I think maybe due to the teacher. I am just glad they get some exposure though.
I encourage them to pick up any second language. Of their choice. No takers. I am the only enthusiast in this family.
I encourage them to pick up any second language. Of their choice. No takers. I am the only enthusiast in this family.
- sundaymorningstaple
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Re: Being Multilingual
And if you walk into any Wal-Mart you will soon learn that that one language better be Spanish or you cannot get a job there.Strong Eagle wrote:What do you call a person who speaks three languages? Tri-lingual.
What do you call a person who speaks two languages? Bilingual.
What do you call a person who speaks one language? American.

SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers
- Strong Eagle
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Re: Being Multilingual
Ken, if anyone in Texas speaks two languages, it is most likely a native Spanish speaker that speaks English as well. As of 2014, there are about 27 million people in Texas. Of that number about 35 percent or 9.45 million speak a language other than English in the home. 10.4 million identify as Hispanic. Department of Homeland Security estimates that there are 1.7 million illegals in Texas, which means about 8.7 million legal Hispanics, most of whom are citizens. Not surprising, given the proximity of Mexico and the history of Texas.
What's my point? Simply that the USA has no 'official' language, and with good reason. In Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and California there are millions of Hispanic US citizens, a large number of whom speak Spanish as their first language.
I'd like to see the USA adopt Singapore like language policies, setting English as the language of government, and formalizing 3 or 4 more languages for signage, documents, etc.
What's my point? Simply that the USA has no 'official' language, and with good reason. In Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and California there are millions of Hispanic US citizens, a large number of whom speak Spanish as their first language.
I'd like to see the USA adopt Singapore like language policies, setting English as the language of government, and formalizing 3 or 4 more languages for signage, documents, etc.
- sundaymorningstaple
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Re: Being Multilingual
My sister was a good example of that. Spanish was a requirement of the Florida Board of corrections. She had to learn Spanish in order to get a job as a Parole Officer there. They retired a couple of years ago now. But yeah, Florida is much like Texas in that respect. Oddly, I ran into the Spanish to get a job at Wal-Mart in Maryland in my home town of <10,000 population. When I left there weren't any Spanish speaking folks there at all. Heck we only had one Indian family and one Jewish family there. :-/
Times have changed. Not necessarily for the better it seems.
Times have changed. Not necessarily for the better it seems.
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers
- the lynx
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Re: Being Multilingual
I've met many parents (here in Asia) who institutionalised multilingualism at home. Probably it helps when you already have English as medium of instruction - you just need to add the national language, Malay and the mother tongue (as many dialects as possible). Not hard actually. Children actually pick up languages well in naturally-spoken environment.
- nakatago
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Re: Being Multilingual
The right wingnuts would go nuttier...Strong Eagle wrote:I'd like to see the USA adopt Singapore like language policies, setting English as the language of government, and formalizing 3 or 4 more languages for signage, documents, etc.
...although President Trump would send away all the rapists.
"A quokka is what would happen if there was an anime about kangaroos."
Re: Being Multilingual
Who says Spanish is not an official language? Also have you ever seen how many languages there are on voting cards and DMV tests in California? Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Korean, I'm sure there are a few others...
- nakatago
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Re: Being Multilingual
Used, but most probably not official.American wrote:Who says Spanish is not an official language? Also have you ever seen how many languages there are on voting cards and DMV tests in California? Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Korean, I'm sure there are a few others...
Having additional languages just means the local government agencies are more accommodating of the immigrant population. It does not necessarily mean it's policy.
"A quokka is what would happen if there was an anime about kangaroos."
Re: Being Multilingual
After almost 15y in Singapore I consider myself zero-lingual.
- nakatago
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Re: Being Multilingual
x9200 wrote:After almost 15y in Singapore I consider myself zero-lingual.

"A quokka is what would happen if there was an anime about kangaroos."
Re: RE: Re: Being Multilingual
nakatago wrote:[img]http://cdn3.denofgeek.us/sites/denofgeekus/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/xmwarlockcypher.jpg?itok=7LPqZpRM[/img]x9200 wrote:After almost 15y in Singapore I consider myself zero-lingual.

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