Are you tired of pressing 1 for English?

Question

I love immigrants and if they come here legally, I welcome them with open arms. I don't, however, love having to push 1 for English every time I use an automated system, the ATM, on the phone, etc. America is a primarily English country, and I think if you want to be a citizen here you should take the time and make the effort to learn some English so that we don't all have to spend our time and our tax money accommodating the fact that you don't speak the language that is most widely used in this country. Other countries do not post everything in other languages for immigrants, and I don't think we should either. If I moved to France or Japan or something, I'd have to learn enough English to get by, so why can't immigrants here be expected to do the same thing?

I'm not trying to be racist or anything, I just wanted to know..

are you tired of pressing 1 for English?

Answer 1

Yes!  I'm sick of it.  But I'm also fed up with automated phone systems.  If they are voice responsive I will start speaking in German.  If they require a number to be pushed, I start pushing the O for Operator button.  I usually end up with a live person.

BTW:  did you mean to say "French or Japanese" when you said "If I moved to France or Japan or something, I'd have to learn enough English to get by  . . . ."

Answer 2

No, but I'm not lazy.  You're right about other countries though.  I live in Japan and everything here is in Japanese by default with an "English Assistance" button nearby.  That being said, I'm fluent and literate in Japanese so it doesn't matter to me.  Be careful what you wish for though.  Some experts are estimating that, by the 2010 or 2020 census there will be more Spanish speakers in America than English.  So perhaps in a few years you will be forced to learn Spanish because that's what most people speak in America.

As a sidenote, I do agree with you in principle, if you're going to move to another country you should at least try to learn the new language.  And if you can't, then you should make your children learn it at the very least.  Especially when you're talking about something as easy as learning English as a native speaker of Spanish.

Answer 3

no, i don't mind pressing a button

Answer 4

~~I think it's outrageous, especially when voters passed a proposition requesting only english be used. There are so many nationalities here, it's just not right to cater to one. I think if you want to live here you have to speak english. It is taught for free or nearly free in every city. It's just not right, if we want to be nation who welcomes new people from all over the world, then we need to stick with english being our nation language. If someone doesn't ant to learn it then they need to have a translator available at their own expense!~~

Answer 5

no i'm not. would you like to have to learn japanese just because you moved to japan for say 2 months?

when you live in a country long enough you'll learn the language whether you like or not, so this accommodation is obviously for newcomers and those who don't stay long enough. do you think it's ok if you moved to japan and couldn't have a phone line because you don't speak japanese?

there is nothing i hate more than a country that doesn't offer the possibility for strangers to speak in another language. it's just so obnoxious and the least you could do is WELCOME people.

besides spanish is the 2nd language and is the mother tongue of millions of people, quite arrogant of you to snub them don't you think?

and if you're so worried about your money and what 'useless' things you pay for with your taxes (i understand you there), why not go after that bloodsucking money-grabbing unjust and cruel war??!! it takes a lot to finance you know, a lot more than welcoming newcomers to your country!

it's not about expecting the country to accommodate you, it's just simple courtesy. you can't learn the language during the first week, which is precisely when you'll have to deal with a lot of people just to move there (phone, electricity, water...).

i would also learn the language if i had to move to a new country but you must a least give me a couple of months.