Another great LTTE from the "English-only" crowd

[skygazer]

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/opinion/15272746.htm

I just read the article about the hillside building ballot. People are complaining about the ballot not being in Spanish language. I think that all ballot should be in every language in the world. People who come here should learn the English language. If I went to another country I would have to learn that language. Why is that when people come from another country, they don't have to learn english? Would you work in a ammo or explore factory where people spoke different languages?

Tom Ziegler, San Jose

Oh, Tom! :banghead: Where did YOU learn English?

[DavidDvorkin]

1. He might be an immigrant

Who has managed to learn enough English to read a ballot written in English. I'd suspect that from his letter.

Disagree with his argument if you want, but don't be too hasty to condemn his English.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

2. Maybe he learned his english...

working in an explore factory.

[skygazer]

4. I will condemn his english because it is an integral part of his argument

The argument in question revolves around english and the difficulty of learning it well enough to understand the complexities of a ballot.

[DavidDvorkin]

6. Reading and writing in a second language are very different things

He might be entirely capable of reading a ballot in English and fully understanding its complexities but still very poor at expressing himself in written English.

[niyad]

7. he said, "if I went to another country", from which one might infer that

this happens to be his native country. he didn't say anything about managing to learn THIS language after moving here from another country.

[DavidDvorkin]

8. To me, it implies the opposite

That's the sort of thing an immigrant would say. I would say that, and I'm an immigrant.

[niyad]

15. so am I, and that is NOT the way I would say it. but then, this whole

"english only" is nothing more than BS.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

13. If that's the case

Then he shouldn't be so hasty to condemn those who don't know English yet. Why should they be denied an informed vote because they aren't as far along in their comprehension as he?

[DavidDvorkin]

14. I agree with you

I disagree with his argument, and I'm all in favor of having ballots available in various languages.

I was being disapproving of those who condemn the level of his English.

(That's assuming that my guess is right and he's an immigrant for whom English is not his first language. If English is his first language, then I'm as appalled as anyone else.)

[asthmaticeog]

3. Hartman's Law of Prescriptivist Retaliation:

"Any article or statement about correct grammar, punctuation, or spelling is bound to contain at least one eror."

That said, this LTTE writer is clearly an idiot. I like that they didn't clean up the grammar - papers usually do that.

[niyad]

5. I repeat, ANYBODY who is part of the "english only" or "english as officia

national language" MUST demonstrate competence in reading, writing and comprehension of same, starting with the chimperor. It is appalling/amusing how many in that group cannot ("moran" and "respect are country" are but two prime examples).

[MrCoffee]

9. Is the explore factory hiring? Sounds like a fun place to work.

Potluck day would rock!

[skygazer]

11. It does sound like fun, doesn't it?

And I'd love to work in an ammo factory with foreign language speakers - "Ivan, how do you say 'ballistic missle' in Russian?" Think of the cool vocabulary you could pick up? Amaze your friends, confuse your enemies. Or whatever....

[pinto]

10. Most communities have volunteer driven ESL tutor programs, Tom

ought to put his time where his mouth is - if he can keep it civil.

[MrCoffee]

12. Please, Tom, for the rest of us, DON'T travel abroad!!!

You'll just make us look worse. Stay here. Go to McDonalds. Turn up the volume on Faux News to drown out the sound of them dirty immigrants who cook your Big Mac. Just don't travel overseas.