[lbo-talk] social media

// ravi ravi at platosbeard.org
Thu Feb 23 08:24:48 PST 2012


On Feb 23, 2012, at 10:27 AM, Angelus Novus wrote:
>
> And yeah, I agree with the point Dennis C. made: in the immigrant country the United States, hardly anyone speaks foreign languages? Give me a break. The underlying racist assumption is that all those Latino, Middle Eastern, and Asian folk aren't "real" Americans.

I call extended Godwin’s rule on this one. I don’t think it’s “racist” to make the point that people in the USA hailing from India speak some Indian language but that hardly counts as “foreign language” knowledge in the general population. Wasn’t the substantive point that there is no interest within the USA in learning a new language? The example of Indians or Mexicans doesn’t answer that question, I think.

It seems to me that most people learn a second language of necessity or mild compulsion. Someone in the family speaks it (the Chomsky quote), immigration requires it, etc. Very few of us seek out and learn a new language for “personal growth”, and we arguably should[?]. Of course “should” type posts are strictly frowned upon here on the list, so I might be doing the original argument more damage than defence.

Funny thing: I speak [approx] three languages, and so does my wife. My children speak only one language, English. Because that’s the language my wife and I have in common (in terms of fluency).

—ravi



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