Should being competent in English be a requirement for new immigrants coming into the United States? I believe that there should be. Now I’m not saying they should be fluent in English immediately. However, I do believe that you should be able to speak the most common language in the country. Assimilating into a country that speaks a certain language should mean that you need to learn that language period.
As the joke goes: What do you call a person speaking three languages? Trilingual. What do you call one speaking two? Bilingual. What do you call a person speaking one language? American. Or in the case I’m trying to show, any nationality that comes in the United States. Since that’s exactly the same thing that is going on here. If you went to France and didn’t speak French you wouldn’t be able to function or if bad enough, not leave the country because no one can understand you.
Learning a second language is beneficial to anyone. As you’re driving on the highway, you do not see signs in Spanish or Portuguese, you see them in English. That’s not to say that Americans can’t also benefit from learning a second language of their choice. Knowing a second language shows that you have other interests around the world, instead of just your own country. It’s much better then being catered to everywhere you go, just because you refuse to learn another language.
Speaking multiple languages is a very useful thing in this world. However it is especially useful in the United States. For example, Fall River is heavily populated by Portuguese. So knowing both Portuguese and English is very useful for any business to have, not to mention everyday life. I currently work at a grocery store, you wouldn’t believe how many people just flat out spoke such poor English, that you cannot understand them at all. When they need help they just literally say, “You speak Portuguese?” and I firmly respond., “Not in the least”. They then continue either keep asking for someone who speaks their language, or they walk around confused for 30 minutes. Now here I could learn Portuguese to make both of our lives easier. However the majority of the United States does not speak Portuguese, and I honestly have no interest in that particular language. If I was in Portugal, Iwould take it upon myself to be at least tolerant in Portuguese. Since expecting people to know you’re language, when they could speak one of many, isn’t very likely to happen.
In other English speaking countries such as, England. England is also going through the same problem when it comes to Immigrants. Now obviously they have differences in laws from the United States. However the way they deal with this problem does hold some value to those residing in the United States. David Cameron, the prime minister stated in his speech, “Real communities are bound by common experiences forged by friendship and conversation“. Which in my opinion is true. Cameron goes on to make another very good point. In the same speech, Cameron also stated,“So real integration takes time. That’s why, when there have been significant numbers of new people arriving in neighborhoods, perhaps not able to speak the same language as those living there, on occasions not really wanting or even willing to integrate, that has created a kind of discomfort and disjointedness in some neighborhoods. This has been the experience for many people in our country – and I believe it is untruthful and unfair not to speak about it and address it”.
In another article, someone named Havovi Cooper who actually is a immigrant in the United States. Cooper is a grad student and speaks a medley of languages, while also holding on to his traditions from his home country. However Cooper is actually in favor of enforcing laws to learn the local language. As Cooper stated in his article, “One of the few immigration laws that makes any sense to me is the one requiring immigrants to learn and speak English before they can attain citizenship“.
Assimilating into the country you’re trying to get into is not a bad thing. Being bilingual is actually a extremely useful trait, for local or even cross country business jobs. Cooper also stated in his article,“I would not readily trade my shalwar kameez (baggy trousers and knee-length tunic) for a miniskirt, but I would definitely want to add another language to my repertoire as it would increase my chances of applying for my dream job—on-air reporter—which will inevitably require fluent English“.
Above is a interesting poll I found on Gallop, they have graphs that show even at the lowest percent, fifty nine percent of people in the United States think English is essential to learn, with the highest percent being seventy two percent. Americans born in America think learning a second language is essential and fifty percent think it’s a important skill to have for anyone. Even Florida’s Senator, Marco Rubio stated, “You cannot flourish in our economy, you cannot flourish in our country if you’re not proficient in English”. This was when Rubio sent a amendment for the immigration reform, in June 2013, for stricter English requirements for a greencard.
Other facts include what other languages do you know other then English. First one being Spanish is at sixty percent of all Americans, French at eighteen percent, German at twelve percent and from there on its five percent and lower for any other languages. These statistics are not surprising since America was founded by immigrants. That being said, we wouldn’t have been able to make this country what it is today by speaking different languages all the time. A mutual understanding must be made to meet half way, just as you would do other things in life such as, friendship and relationships. So basically the most common language in America, English.
In conclusion, the statistics provided should allow some insight on how important of a topic this is. Why it’s my personal belief that immigrants, should have more of a regulated English requirement when entering the United States. It’s a very debatable topic, both pro and con. In the end, all immigrants and American born citizens should know English and another language of their choice.
Works Cited
Cooper, Havovi. “Immigrants Should Learn English” Business Week. Web. 6 May 2014.
Jones, Jeffrey M. “Most In U.S. Say It’s Essential That Immigrants Know English” Gallop. 9 Aug 2013.
Web. 6 May 2014.
Rubio, Marco “Marco Rubio English Amendment Would Tighten Language Requirements In
Immigration Reform”. The Huffington Post. 11 June 2013. Web. 6 May 2014.
Watt, Nicholas. “David Cameron Says That Immigrants Should Learn English” Theguardian.com
13 April 2011. Web. 6 May 2014 .