Then how do you explain all the many, many people in the world who do that very thing? They might not be completely fluent, but all over this globe people can manage to get by in various languages. Do you deny that this is true? I’m not talking about snooty scholars, I’m talking about average people.
Of course, FlyingRamenMonster, you really ought to be using Wajuk if you’re in Perth.
Damn those English immigrants who refuse to learn the language of the country they’re invading!
(Not a serious suggestion, though it would be kind of neat to see.)
Since you still have not identified these people, it makes answering more difficult, but, to hazard a guess, they grew up in multi-lingual cultures. It’s one thing to ‘get by’ in several languages when one has been doing so since one began to speak; quite another to learn different languages as an adult.
How’s that Farsi coming along, by the way?
Speaking of his location, for a long time I thought he was in Washington State. Though I did think it was odd I’d never heard of the city of Perth, WA.
Now really, unless you can put trackers on all the clients it could be possible the non English speaking clients were just visiting.
I’m of the opinion both extremes of this subject are silly. Yes, immigrants should learn the fucking language, if only to insult properly the silly natives that keep a dogmatic position on this. (English is my second language) But, I have a big picture reason why to disdain the opinion that only one language should suffice.
To do businesses in the world many other countries that do not have native English speakers are learning English to compete, but that logic is beginning to be challenged, it seems that Chinese then would be the language to learn based on the changing economical environment of the 21st century.
What I’m saying is that even though people who come from a different country must learn the English language, it is silly to then assume businesses therefore don’t need to learn the language of the immigrants.
A business is shooting itself in the foot if no concession is granted to the convenience of the customer that will then choose to use their economical power to go to a more convenient business for them.
A business can get away now by assuming one language will do, however (even now) other business will in the near future then say “suckers” to the monolingual businesses and grab the money.
(This is even more clear to see when you consider that the service industry also includes the tourism one, in that aspect the OP looks ridiculous)
I can’t believe I’m saying this. But having been an immigrant to a country where my native language is not the dominant language, may I just say:
YO NATIVES!! WE’RE TRYING!!!
I recommend Thai. It’s very efficient in that it takes few words of few syllables to communicate complex ideas, it has more or less dispensed with grammar, and people speaking it sound pissed off all the time, which should make life interesting.
I love these kinds of thread!
I don’t see what customs has to do with learning the language of the country you are moving too. I only saw one person saying this above in fact. It IS a good idea for people moving into a new country to LEARN the customs and culture of the nation they are moving into however, don’t you think?
Sure…people are lazy. They are also disinclined to want to push themselves. Living in ghetto’s also makes things easier…it helps you maintain your old ways, language, etc…and pretty much keeps you down, poor and without prospects. Some of my relatives, though they have been in the US as long as my family (I moved to the US when I was a toddler), STILL don’t fluently speak english, and still don’t fully understand US customs or ‘culture’ (not that we really have a unified culture), because spanish is still spoken exclusively in the home, and they have not made the effort to assimilate. Hell, I have a few cousins who are SECOND generation American’s, and THEY don’t speak fluent English, or really understand US customs all that clearly.
Lazy? Perhaps. Not bothering? Certainly. But there is of course more too it. You have to WANT to assimilate into the new country. When my father brought us to the US, he FORCED us to assimilate. Spanish was not spoken in our house…only English. We went to schools that didn’t HAVE dual language schools…English only. We learned to talk like American’s, walk like American’s, dress like American’s and basically to BE American’s. Oh, we kept our culture…our holidays, our religion (well, I didn’t but thats another story) and traditions. But in everything else we became just like native born American’s. In fact, my own children don’t even SPEAK spanish at all, except what they learned in school (and only one of my kids took spanish…the other 2 took French :)). Knowing how to speak spanish is a good thing, it can help you get a job, etc etc…but only if you know how to speak English fluently, without an accent FIRST. If you understand the culture and customs of your new host country FIRST.
I assume you are saying that American’s should learn multiple languages just enough to get by so they can speak to their immigrants. If thats what you are saying my question to you is…are you a loon? Why SHOULD American’s (or Australians or anyone else) learn all the various languages spoken by people immigrating to their country?? Thats nuts. Its on the people moving in to learn the host nations language.
If I move to France, say, I don’t expect the French to learn my native language (which is spanish of course 
)…I would be the one who needs to make the effort to communicate clearly to THEM, not vice versa. Its up to ME to learn the ways and language of my host country…not up to them to learn mine so I don’t have to be bothered.
-XT
Il a dit, “Ej, enmigrantoj! Lernu paroli tiun damnindan anglan, bitte!” 
Well you see that is were your side loses me, it is nuts for the immigrant not to learn English, but that does not automatically mean that it is ok for businesses not to learn other languages.
In my past life, in the city I worked for, was an apartment building that we referred to as the League of Nations. I think that the rental agency insisted that no english speaking people need apply for residency there .On any floor of this 8 story building, you would encounter Spanish, Polish, Farsi, German, Arabic,…you get the idea.
At three in the morning, with a rubbish fire in the basement, we would rush through the floors alerting residents that they had to evacuate NOW! We would get no response to our door banging and FIRE! cries. What WOULD work was the shouting of INS!, and that would have residents scrambling for the fire escapes. Funny, but true.
Well, it kinda does. The business may make the decision to not court non-English speakers as part of their base, and that is their right. It may or may not negatively impact their bottom line. The operant is “learn the language of the country you are living in.” Not “learn the languages of those who are moving into your country.”
My father was the first of his family to speak English when he entered school. His older brothers had to learn on the job, as it were. But they did it, and did it so well that you’d never know that English wasn’t their birth-language.
Of course that is good… now, but my point is that the powers that be are moving the world to the reverse of that operant, and with the development of Latin America and a common market (with the USA in this case) it is becoming reckless to assume that there will be no changes.
That is good too, but forgetting the original language would take away the edge you should have over other workers when business begin to realize it is good business to look for the convenience of the non-English customer; both here and abroad. The powers that be are going global, and small business that ignore that chance will be at a disadvantage.
xtisme, That was a great post. I think you get it exactly right.
Gigo, I don’t think you’re necessarily in disagreement with xtisme. The companies you are referring to a larger in scope, and most of them are doing precisley what you advocate. But think about it this way. In essence, since they are the ones trying to do business with another culture, whether China or China Town, they know they must make the effort to ensure they can communicate. When someone moves into anothyer culture, they have instigated the interaction, therefore the burden falls to them.
Ensign Edison, you might want to reread this thread. Sarahfeena and others have made perfectly logical points. This notion that the native culture should become conversational in umpteen languages is ridiculous for the very obvious reasons already stated. Conversely, though, if an American company, say Subway, wants to open a store in a Cuban or Chinese neighborhood in the U.S., the very practical burden of manning the store with people who can communicate with the populace is every bit as real as if they were opeing a store in Havana or Beijing.
We already have such a language. It’s called English oddly enough. You can get by with it just about everywhere on Earth.
A question for Ensign Edison which I hope he will do me the courtesy of answering. How many languages do you speak with any degree of fluency? Which ones are they?
I don’t think I’m in disagreement either, I already said immigrants should learn english, just don’t expect businesses not to look for the convenince of others.
Whoa, just heard an ad for the Arizona Cardinals with a Latino calling a score for the Cardinals.
Vamos Cardinals!
Like as a secondary trade language? That’d be cool. There’s been a few attempts at that including Esperanto, and Basic English. A simplified form of English.
As replacement for all language? No way. Too much art and history locked up in various languages that’d be lost not to mention it’d quickly fracture into a language family as each region added more and more of their own spin on it. Not to mention each language it’s self is an art form. I’ve been working on learning Spanish and let me tell you English is a rough language compared to Spanish. Like German compared to English. Then again it might just seem better cause it’s my new toy, and English is the old toy.
Um I’m getting off track.
Back on track for the thread:
If someone comes to a country they should definitely learn the language if they wanna live there, but new languages can be fun too.
Well, except for France. 'Cause, see, previously, we had such a language and it was called…
Never mind. You’ll notice after it happens. Or, you know, not.
Souldn’t it be Vamos Cardinales?
Excellent point.