Y TU? (Me presento, desde Argentina)

[mohawktipi]

For those of you that want Me presento, desde Argentina in both English and Spanish, let me say, I am not a big fan of bi-lingual anything.

Here in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, it is getting to the point that some sections of the city have no signs in English. They are either in Spanish, Korean, Vietnamese or some other language of about 11 enclaves of immigrants. These signs are designed to make the immigrants feel at home. The effect is to say that it is not necessary to learn English. It also says English speakers not welcome.

Even during elections bi-lingual signs abound. To vote you have to be a citizen. To be a US citizen, you have to speak and/or understand English. If this is true, why are ballots being printed in other languages?

Call me jaded, prejudiced, bigoted, miss-guided or intolerant but do it in English.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Y TU? (Me presento, desde Argentina)

I guess the point is that when someone is a GUEST here, and makes ANY attempt to speak English, I will bend over backwards to accommodate them. When I have traveled, that was how I was treated and it is just good manners to treat a GUEST with extra deference.
That said, when someone comes here to LIVE or WORK they have an OBLIGATION to at least try and learn our language. If they do, I go to the back bends again. I am as OFFENDED when a foreigner comes here and demands I speak their language as they are (justifiably) when we are in their country and treat them as if they were stupid because they didn't speak English (and I saw that A LOT in my travels! No wonder they called us "Ugly Americans").
We are a country of immigrants. NONE of our first ancestors started out here, whether they came across the border last night or across the Bearing Straights before recorded history. If you choose to live somewhere new, YOU have to learn THEIR customs and language. Bring the BEST of your culture with you, but YOU are joining THEM. If you want to bring where you were to where you are now, save everybody a lot of trouble and just GO BACK.
That goes for the U.S. citizens moving out as well as the immigrants moving in. Just remember, VISITORS are different than IMMIGRANTS. We need to cut the visitors some slack, and help the immigrant learn to become one of us.
Hank

Now I'm going to go out for some Mexican tonight, where I think it's perfectly OK for the waiter to speak Spanish. He helps me with my pronunciation, and I help him with his. Chile Relleno! One of the greatest things in Mexican culture!

OK, I like the music too.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Y TU? (Me presento, desde Argentina)

By the way, it isn't jaded, prejudiced, bigoted, miss-guided or intolerant to want English in neighborhoods in the United States. It is insulting to US that some people want to segregate themselves. You can't "melt" in the melting pot if you insulate yourself from your country.
Hank

[mohawktipi]

Re: Y TU? (Me presento, desde Argentina)

Mi Espanol es muy mal. Mi esposa es Mexicana media. I'm not against speaking Spanish. I'm against accommodating. That's why I started a new thread instead ranting on the other. I travel to Mexico a lot. Always try to speak Spanish unless the other person wants to try out their English.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Y TU? (Me presento, desde Argentina)

That's how you make REAL friends, and brush up your language skills. My only practice any more is in restaurants. The food is great, but my pronunciation is barely passable. Same for my Greek and Italian. Sadly the Russian restaurants here are all gone. No one even cares about using Yiddish in the Delicatessens any more. They are FULLY "melted in" and bi-lingual here.
Hank

[TonyL]

Re: Y TU? (Me presento, desde Argentina)

Gentlemen
I'm hispanic and I agree, when in america, speak english, that is the language. When on the internet be a little tolerant, since you're on the world community. This gentleman from Argentina may not be versed in our language. He asked for help on a specific technical subject in his native tongue which may be his only means of communication. Under the international code of etiquette, some forum members responded using different tools available to them, I commend this.
Sometimes speaking a language, is not enough, he might not be able to write our language, whatever the reason, he was welcomed and the courtesy extended. Now, because I speak read and write spanish, I try to translate. In this 21st century we have to adapt to the world community. Recently a friend from switzerland sent me an e mail, unfortunately, I didn't understand a word of German. He was going to a Flight simulator camp. I decyphered what I could, congratulated him, apologized for my lack of understanding and advised him that, I would make an effort to learn his language. Most discussion forums have threads in other languages, it's a sign of the times. Adaptation and Tolerance are good words, even better deeds. Now to Argentina.
He introduced himself, showed images of a reproduction aircraft but hasn't asked any technical questions yet. I choose not to include our national immigration and language issues to our Tcraft forum. If I can be of help, to him or to you please advise- TonyL - God Bless America

[mohawktipi]

Re: Y TU? (Me presento, desde Argentina)

Tengo conocimientos de españolas pobres pero cuando tengo para comunicarse con alguien en otro país utilizo los traductores disponibles en diferentes sitios de la web. Para este post he usado el traductor de Bing. No he querido interferir con la cadena original, por lo que me mudé a la rants de humor y raves. Si yo hice un post en un sitio de foriegn, se han traducido lo para el puesto. Creo que es la cosa curteous a hacer.

I have poor Spanish skills but when I have to communicate with someone in another country I use the available translators in different web sites. For this post I used Bing translator. I did not want to interfere with the original string so I moved to the humor rants and raves. If I had made a post on a foriegn site, I would have translated it for the post. I think that is the curteous thing to do.

[jim cooper]

Re: Y TU? (Me presento, desde Argentina)

This is like problems of democracy 101! Of COURSE we are a nation of immigrants, we all are well aware of that. LEGAL immigrants. In fact history tells us that at Ellis Island, years ago, one simply didn't stroll in off the boat to a welcoming committee. One was given a physical and if one did not pass, they were sent back on a return boat. One also needed to have a trade. We are now led to think that everyone was welcome and that is just not true. In 1986 Reagan allowed amenesty for 3 million and claimed that was it, no more. Hell , that was just the beginning! Its sort of like the current dilemma in the gulf (drill baby drill) it always starts out small, (a foot in the door) then it gets out of hand and finally the "Govmint" takes the rap and has to clean it up,( ie: Wall Street.)Its easy, no social security number that checks out? NO JOB! No access to emergency rooms without proof of citizenship. No other industrialized country operates like we do, NONE. "We have seen the enemy, and it is US!" (Pogo of comic strip fame)JC

[mohawktipi]

Re: Y TU? (Me presento, desde Argentina)

Really don't want to get in a debate about immigration. I don't have the time and there isn't enough space to do that here.

I just think that anyone making a post on a networking site, should first attempt to communicate in the language of that site and then ask for help in their native language. Part of the problem is the expected accomodation of us. That's what got us in the position we are in now. We make it easy for people NOT to assimilate and the problem grows.

[TonyL]

Re: Y TU? (Me presento, desde Argentina)

If you gentlemen want, I can send him a post, requesting he posts in english or use the translators, in order for the tribe to better assist him. Need your approval for this.

[mohawktipi]

Re: Y TU? (Me presento, desde Argentina)

TonyL. Te puedes perder el sentido de la discusión. No me importa qué idioma el cartel se utiliza para comunicarse. Sin embargo, debe ser la primera comunicación en un idioma que es entendido por el recievers. Debe pedir ayuda y solicitud de asistencia en un lenguaje que ambas partes acuerdan en. Argnetine español es diferente de español mexicano que es diferente del Castillion español, que es diferente de Spanglish (español/inglés).

Cuando abrí el post original, podría no entiendo. Mi primera reacción fue a ignorarlo. Creo que es comendable que hay personas que se podrían entender y comunicarse. Yo podría han respondido si el cartel había solicitado ayuda. Prefiero enseñar a alguien a hacer algo que lo haga por ellos.

Si usted desea continuar esta discusión, enviarme un correo electrónico privado y nos intercambiar ideas.

[TonyL]

Re: Y TU? (Me presento, desde Argentina)

Hi Mohauk Tipi
Incidentally, my Tcraft is a 1946 BC12D s/n9306 N94906. I'm all hyped up. I don't want to restore it, just want to fly it. Unfortunately the wings are not installed, recovering them. So restoration and patience must be. No taildragger time so, took the seminar with Jim Byrd at Brackett field a month or 2 back. That made me more anxious. My bird has an A75, and I'm rebuilding an A65 for standby.Had problems finding a carburetor. Bought a basket full of parts from Lake Havasu. Struck gold, thanks to the EAA guys there. Now, I have 4 extra carburetors, a set of case magnetos extra crankshaft, camshaft pistons, crankcase etc. Time to go work on the bird. Hasta Luego - oops - Until the next time. Good chatting with you.