stusi
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posted on January 24, 2002 01:42:31 PM new
Here in South Florida, where there is a large Hispanic population, Bell South has decided to use this system on all information/corporate calls. As "Liberal" as I am in my acceptance of other cultures, this is offensive to me and many other non-Hispanics. Many other voice mail systems here ask for callers to press 1 for Spanish. What do you think?
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arttsupplies
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posted on January 24, 2002 02:06:42 PM new
A certain bank's ATM machines in this area of the world, SF Bay, ask you to push a button for languages...
[ ] English
[ ] Spanish
[ ] Cantonese
[ ] Mandarin
And then they make you confim your choice of language on the next screen. (Oh my God!)
doesn't bother me.
edited to add spaces to look more like check boxes...
[ edited by arttsupplies on Jan 24, 2002 02:07 PM ]
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krs
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posted on January 24, 2002 02:34:05 PM new
You think, in your naturally superior condition, that the '1' should be reserved for english?
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Borillar
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posted on January 24, 2002 02:37:48 PM new
I think that it would be simpler for every telephone number user to specify their language preference on thier account. Then, when a person makes a telephone call, the system would automatically switch over to translated messages automatically. This is certainly technologically feasible and past it's time for implementation.
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stusi
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posted on January 24, 2002 02:39:12 PM new
krs- As stated above, the 1 IS "reserved" for ENGLISH. IMHO IT SHOULD BE RESERVED FOR SPANISH! When you pick up a phone in this country you should not have to DO anything to proceed in English! Note- the Hispanic population in Miami-Dade county(which is the largest in South Florida) is 35.5%. When it reaches 50.1% I will have no problem with the system even though I live in a different nearby county with a much lower ratio.
[ edited by stusi on Jan 24, 2002 02:46 PM ]
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krs
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posted on January 24, 2002 03:02:46 PM new
Ah, well then Stusi, stay afield of California for the official percentile passed 50% hispanic some two years ago. Ole'!!
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arttsupplies
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posted on January 24, 2002 03:08:54 PM new
I think that it would be simpler for every telephone number user to specify their language preference on thier account.
I can actually see this happening in the future fairly easily. html already has something similar in place with css and the use of language tags. (People need to write the pages though and use new browsers but this'll happen just by progess ... does anyone write for html under 4.0 anymore?)
With XML making inroads in media applications I can see it happening 
...When it reaches 50.1% I will have no problem with the system
"Don't sweat the small stuff..."
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stusi
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posted on January 24, 2002 03:17:08 PM new
krs- According to the 2000 California census, the Latino population was 32.4%
not over 50%!!!
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hjw
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posted on January 24, 2002 05:20:12 PM new
That's almost a third of the population. Wow.
I'm in the DC area and I can't understand a third of what I hear on the telephone. LOL!
Today, there was an announcement in the grocery store and it was beyond my comprehension.
Helen
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krs
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posted on January 24, 2002 09:00:54 PM new
Doesn't matter, stusi, in California you press two for Farsi.
Whites are the minority.
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plsmith
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posted on January 25, 2002 01:37:56 PM new
"Whites are the minority."
What the hell does that have to do with it? Not all whites speak English, mein herr...
And not all people of color (by any stretch of the imagination) speak English as a second language.
Stusi, you'll live longer if you practice acceptance...
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stusi
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posted on January 26, 2002 07:19:07 AM new
plsmith- Accepting minority rule is a problem in any Democracy. I am not from the Gandhi school and I do question things that seem unfair. I don't think it is an issue of prejudice but rather of principle. It brings up the larger issue of making English the "official" language of the U.S. and whether all non-English speaking immigrants should be required to take English in our schools. In this country I should not be required to "do" anything additional to communicate in English other than open my mouth or press the minimum number of buttons on the phone. If you needed to push an additional key on your keyboard to type in English would it bother you?
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plsmith
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posted on January 26, 2002 12:59:37 PM new
Stusi, let me put it this way: May having to endure the supreme inconvenience of exercising your finger on the "1" button be the greatest problem you ever face.
"If you needed to push an additional key on your keyboard to type in English would it bother you?"
I don't even think about mundane noodle crap like this...
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mrssantaclaus
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posted on January 26, 2002 04:13:15 PM new
My pet peeve ...
Shouldn't telemarketers be REQUIRED to have English as a first language? If not, shouldn't they at least have to speak English so that it could be understood?
Whew .... I feel better now
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hjw
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posted on January 26, 2002 04:48:53 PM new
Telemarketers should not be allowed to use the *%^&$#^ telephone!!!
Helen
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roadsmith
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posted on January 26, 2002 08:16:55 PM new
Borillar is right! It shouldn't be difficult to automatically identify what my preferred language is. When I call and order something on QVC, they have *everything* on record. It is an amazing process, and there are only about 2 questions I need to answer--color of item and size (oh, and how many). Everything else is there on the screen for them to use.
When I was on the city council in Ogden, Utah, which is about 22% Hispanic, we began printing our city newsletter in both Spanish and English. One side of the sheet was in English and the other (formerly blank) was in Spanish. An elderly gent came to a meeting and collared me beforehand, shaking the newslettter in my face, angry, red-faced, saying that this was what was wrong with Ogden! I asked him if he'd rather that hispanic newcomers to our city NOT know what our neighborhood norms are (about noise, junk in yards, shoveling your sidewalks, cars parked all over)--and then he'd be complaining that they're ignorant. As if he could turn back the clock!
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MrBusinessMan
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posted on January 26, 2002 08:28:18 PM new
If I visit or move to France, I would expect to be expected to speak (or learn to speak) French.
If I visit or move to Mexico, I would expect to be expected to speak (or learn to speak) Spanish.
If I visit or move to Brazil, I would expect to be expected to speak (or learn to speak) Portuguese.
I could go on but I'm sure you get the picture. A visitor to this country is expected to speak English or at least be able to get his point across. An immigrant to this country is expected to learn English in order to fully take advantage of all that America has to offer. After all, English is the official language. The number of whites vs. non-whites is irrelevent. English is the official language of the United States of America.
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krs
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posted on January 26, 2002 08:49:04 PM new
"english is the official language of the United States"
That is not correct.
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MrBusinessMan
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posted on January 26, 2002 08:51:43 PM new
"english is the official language of the United States"
That is not correct.
Yes, it is correct. Sorry.
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MrBusinessMan
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posted on January 26, 2002 09:12:22 PM new
Come on, KRS. You're slipping. You usually dig up a useless, irrelevent link long before now...
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fred
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posted on January 26, 2002 09:29:15 PM new
"Come on, KRS. You're slipping. You usually dig up a useless, irrelevent link long before now..."
Ken, may be having false symptons of flashbacks. You Sir! made him look for more than one..
Fred
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MrBusinessMan
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posted on January 26, 2002 09:34:35 PM new
Fred:
Could be...
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enchanted
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posted on January 26, 2002 09:48:26 PM new
Where does it say in the Constitution, or in any federal law, that English is the "official language", of the US in those words?
I believe krs is correct. There is no "offical language" of the US.
Actually, English is the "unofficial" majority language of the US. No more than custom. On top of that, it's a variety of English known to linguists as "American English" and isn't English-English anymore at all.
Bilingualism is a way of life for many millions of Americans (some of whom actually read and use AW and the RT - gasp).
Maybe I should make all my posts in Spanish in the RT for a while. It would make as much sense to the average lurker, perhaps more, than some of the other posts made on some of the RT threads lately.
Entonces... de que ya vamos a hablar?
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MrBusinessMan
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posted on January 26, 2002 09:58:45 PM new
Ingles, por favor. ĦEs la lengua oficial de Los Estados Unidos!
English is in fact the official language of the United States. The business of our federal government is conducted in English. Bills are debated on the House and Senate floor in English after being written in English. Once passed, the President either signs or vetoes the bill in English. The newly passsed laws are officially recorded in English. There in no language other than English used in ANY official capacity short of speaking to foreign visitors and officials in their native language, and even then it is usually through an interpreter.
A few government documents are provided with translations in various foreign languages as a convenience to the public. But the originals are ALWAYS written in English. Why? Because English is our official language.
Yes, you're correct that we use the American dialect of the English language. But it IS English none the less.
[ edited by MrBusinessMan on Jan 26, 2002 10:04 PM ]
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virakech
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posted on January 26, 2002 10:12:30 PM new
I have to admit, I would be surprised and bewildered if something was recorded in a language other than English as 'the norm' and I had to 'select' it in Enlish. As long as I can remember, languages other than English had to request translation. It's just not expected after so long a time with English being expected.
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enchanted
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posted on January 26, 2002 10:29:53 PM new
MrBusinessMan, the examples that you give are merely examples of custom and usage. I asked for a reference to a law, regulation or clause of the Constitution which designates in writing that English is the official language of the United States.
I do not believe that there is such a federal law or clause, and that is the point that krs and I are trying to make.
If there is no federal law or clause designating an "official" language or languages, then quite simply there is NO official language. Yes English is the majority language and has been for some time and it is always used, but has never been declared *quote* The Official Language of the United States*unquote*. Some countries have declared one or more official languages, the USA has not.
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MrBusinessMan
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posted on January 26, 2002 10:41:01 PM new
I do not believe that there is such a federal law or clause, and that is the point that krs and I are trying to make.
I know that is the point you're trying to make and it's an irrelevent point (hence the earlier crack about KRS and his irrelevent links).
The official business of the United States is conducted in English. Period. There are zero exceptions.
If a member of Congress wishes to introduce a bill, it will be written in English. No exceptions. It will be debated on the floor in English. No exceptions. It will be singed into law or vetoed in English. No exceptions. It doesn't get any more official than that.
[ edited by MrBusinessMan on Jan 26, 2002 10:52 PM ]
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krs
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posted on January 27, 2002 12:14:48 AM new
Guess these people are just chasing their tails then, huh?
http://www.us-english.org/index2.htm
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enchanted
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posted on January 27, 2002 05:26:08 AM new
Yep, krs LOL.
Maybe MrBusinessman's time would be better spent trying to convince that organization that their existence and reason for trying to get legislation enacted is ... irrelevant. 'Cause MrBusinessMan said so, it must be twue!
Still no reference despite asking twice... maybe because, there is no reference?
And yes, it does get "more official" than that. It's when a law or regulation is passed specifically stating that English is the official language of the USA.
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MrBusinessMan
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posted on January 27, 2002 10:03:21 PM new
Guess these people are just chasing their tails then, huh?
Not at all. Let them have their fun. As predicted, you have dug up another irrelevent link. English is and has been the official language of the US for over 200 years. Please cite ONE piece of official US Government business that was conducted in any language other than English. Just one Bill instroduced into Congress. Just one law passed. Just one official (original) government document. They're ALL in English, the official language of the US.
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