Make “American” our official language
I’ve heard and read a lot about making our national language English.
While most people in this country speak a common language may I suggest we call this language “American"? I have acquired several dictionaries that span decades. Many new words have been added in that time and many are no longer used (or are misused). Many of them are foreign in origin and have been assimilated into our own language. So while we may be amused or offended by the unique and often unfamiliar words and pronunciations of the British, Mexicans and many others, let us not forget that we have many dialects and nuances in a very flexible American language that now have been accepted as part of it. Let’s make American our official, common language.
This letter has not been edited.
That's right, lower the bar by creating an "official" language that does not rely upon historical constructs. All part of the dumbing down of America.
I vote for esperanto.
Posted by StupidIdea on October 9, 2007 02:46 PMENGLISH is the official language of the United States.
Let's not screw with it. This IS NOT Mexico, despite the ass kissers, coward politicians and business people of this country's attempts to do so.
Posted by c on October 9, 2007 04:09 PMc,
English has been "screwed with" for centuries and will continue to change and adapt. Here are the first 11 words of Lord's Prayer as written in the southwest of England about 1000 years ago:
Faeder ure, thu the eart on heofenum, si thin nama gehalgod.
Or this from the Caterbury Tales:
What that Aprille with his shores sote,
The droghte of Marche hath perced to the rote.
There is Latin, French, German and all kinds of other, some unrecognizable, languages in those writings. Try reading Roger Williams or Thomas Paine and you'll see the words and meanings change again and seem almost foreign to us. Go to New Orleans or the mountains of eastern Tennessee. You'll pick up on it eventually.
All I'd like to see is a common language so people (yep even the hated Mexicans) can learn a language that helps them to communicate. Maybe we can get rid of duplicate ballots and forms and learn how some of people are getting ripped off or dying because someone doesn't understand what they are trying to say.
By the way C, English is NOT the official language of the United States. The U.S. does not have an official language but some states do. Some have two languages. Louisiana, Maine, and New Hampshire recognize French in addition to English, Hawaii has two languages, neither one is standard U.S. English (Hawaiian and Hawaiian-English patois). Last, the CIA recognizes both English and Spanish as the U.S. languages in it's comprehensive World Factbook
Posted by Edmond on October 9, 2007 05:25 PMI vote for pig latin. Because Americans are pigs, we live in a theocracy, and latin is a church language.
Posted by Ixnayontheanguagelay on October 9, 2007 05:38 PMWho needs language?
Posted by The ghost of Marcel Marceau on October 9, 2007 05:40 PMHow many people know the Colorado Constitution was originally published in English, German and Spanish?
Posted by on October 9, 2007 05:41 PMActually all patriotic Mercans speak Merican. We don't need no fancy vowels to start our words!
Fancy vols and spelin r for fancy pants librul trayturs!
Posted by on October 9, 2007 05:44 PMNO ENGLISH = NO JOB = NO PAYCHECK!
CAPICHE?
Posted by Hank on October 9, 2007 06:27 PM"I vote for pig latin. Because Americans are pigs, we live in a theocracy, and latin is a church language"...................
Hugo is that you??????? Or is it the great Adminhijad???? Why don't you go back then if you don't like America......
Posted by Heather on October 9, 2007 06:28 PMTime someone started editing letters.
Posted by Gene on October 9, 2007 07:42 PMBetween you and I, most Americans don't speak English to good - it's grammar is two hard apparently.
Posted by Liam on October 10, 2007 01:28 AMthat would be 'too well' but thanks for the clever demonstration of your point
Posted by Oliver on October 10, 2007 05:54 AMLet's stop getting "fancy".
Stan B- How many thousands of years ago were these languages spoken here?
This is 2007 and for centuries English has been the language of this land.
Quit screwing with it.
Posted by c on October 10, 2007 07:29 AMIs it Mexican in Mexico?
Posted by on October 10, 2007 07:33 AMMr. Broyles,
English is already sub categorized by UK and US versions. So, if you're saying we should make US English the official language, I agree.
Posted by John II on October 10, 2007 07:34 AM'All I'd like to see is a common language so people (yep even the hated Mexicans) can learn a language that helps them to communicate.'
that wont happen here in America as the dums have voted down a common language as being racists. they dont want to offend their new voting block, the illigals from mexico, as they really need their input to finish of the America we have know for 200+ years.
Thanks for that reminder 7:37. Harry Reid declared that making English the official language is "racist".
Posted by John II on October 10, 2007 07:46 AMReading this line of postings, it certainly appears that those most concerned about the "dumbing down of America" are the ones who support the adoption of the idea.
Of course! This would bring everyone else down - way, way, way, down(!) - to their level.
Just imagine. A whole website full of 05:44 AM anonymous. Genuinely illustrative of true Republican/"conservative" . . . "thought"(?).
Nice to see that John II agrees. The dumber one can make the populace, the greater the opportunity to regress; even all the way back to the 18th Century, maybe.
Posted by Old Grouch on October 10, 2007 08:42 AMOld Grouch,
I couldn't quite extract a position from your last post. Are you for or against making US English the official language of this country?
Posted by John II on October 10, 2007 08:46 AMNice try John II. Playing the words games, again. You're already way in over your head. Keep digging.
Posted by Stan B on October 10, 2007 09:09 AMStan B.,
What are you talking about? What word games am I playing? I'm agreeing with you.
Posted by John II on October 10, 2007 09:13 AMJohn II.. it would appear that even though you are using English, stan can't understand. Maybe we should start speaking stanland lingo.
KISSES!!
Posted by Sheila on October 10, 2007 09:40 AMUS English?? That's a laugh. Maybe we should all speak Klingon?
Posted by on October 10, 2007 10:07 AMStop cowering from J2 all the time, Stanley!!
Posted by Mary on October 10, 2007 10:08 AM"US English?? That's a laugh. Maybe we should all speak Klingon?"
That's an odd statement. Are you denying the differences between US and UK English? Even language programs like Rosetta Stone offer two versions of English instruction. English is not the only language with variances specific to a country. For example, Spaniards look down on Mexican Spanish.
Posted by John II on October 10, 2007 10:28 AMWe're 230 years past the domination of England in our nation. I am, at least, a 7th generation American, not British. My ancestors came from many parts of the world, including this land before there were any Europeans. They came or stayed here and became Americans.
I believe we should acknowledge and embrace our common language and the many cultures which have contributed (and continue to it).
Gracias, madame.
Posted by Stan B on October 10, 2007 10:50 AMWe're 230 years past the domination of England in our nation. I am, at least, a 7th generation American, not British. My ancestors came from many parts of the world, including this land before there were any Europeans. They came or stayed here and became Americans.
I believe we should acknowledge and embrace our common language and the many cultures which have contributed (and continue) to it.
Gracias, madame.
Posted by Stan B on October 10, 2007 10:52 AMjust one question?
what is the language that Congress speaks?
Hear, hear, Stan B. Let's make US English our official language.
Posted by John II on October 10, 2007 10:55 AMOld Grouch ---
"...Just imagine. A whole website full of 05:44 AM anonymous. Genuinely illustrative of true Republican/"conservative" . . . "thought"(?)."
Sorry I was just "funnen" with An American and Keith; I don't belong in your category of "Republican/"conservative" . . . "thought"(?)."
Just wanted to straighten that out before someone takes it serious and is offended -- sheesh, it's gettin' hard to josh on this forum!
Posted by Gro on October 10, 2007 11:36 AMComments herein remind me of the Redneck comments generated by a letter: I kept the comments: Here is my comment on official language so brilliantly reduced to your screen:
I ghost wrote some pleadings for my daughter appearing before Fed. Dist. Ct. Judge Kane who said to her: (I have the transcript)
"America has an official language; it is the language of law. Everyone can come into a court of law and be understood." Judge Kane
Whereas, only lawyers, et al in that category, understand this official language: And the affiant sayeth naught.
I will opt for English as the official language and dispense with: "Click here for English; click here for Spanish." Again the affiant repeats himself.
Deicide Corner: “It took me years, but letting go of religion has been the most profound wake up of my life. I feel I now look at the world not as a child, but as an adult. I see what's bad and it's really bad. But I also see what is beautiful, what is wonderful. And I feel so deeply appreciative that I am alive. How dare the religious use the term 'born again.' That truly describes freethinkers who've thrown off the shackles of religion so much better!” -- Julia Sweeney
Posted by Richard Grimes, Deicide r22037@yahoo.com Free copy of FreeThought from ffrf.org on October 10, 2007 11:50 AMWell, Mr. Grimes, if Julia Sweeney says so, then by golly I'm giving up my religion!
Posted by John II on October 10, 2007 11:55 AMI agree with Stan we need a true American language. And not one from any other country. So which Indian tribe do you want to use?
Posted by larry on October 10, 2007 12:18 PMlarry,
That's what I'm trying to get at. My great grandmother (mothers' side) was part of the Sioux nation and my great great mother (fathers' side) was part of the Cherokee nation (in North Carolina). They speak the same native language but they both could speak (but not read or write) a type of American they both understood. I do wonder if a person from Britian could have understood their broken American. The American language is in a constant state of change and some of the new words and usages are hard to adjust to. butgettinuze tupeeple mispeling and losypuncation onthisblog ain'tbeen eazyeither.
Posted by Stan B on October 10, 2007 12:47 PMSorry, my recent ancestors did NOT speak the same native language. I screwed up while editing. Mia culpa.
Posted by Stan B on October 10, 2007 01:06 PMWe absolutely must preserve our English language heritage. I was sitting at the rodeo the other day who a friend who lives on Alameda. He said that Colorado was heavily influenced by hispanics. I denied this, suggesting that maybe it was that way in California, Nevada, Florida, Montana and other states, but not here. Maybe some towns like San Francisco, Sante Fe, and Los Angeles will to sully English with foreign words, but not here. Colorado is 100% English all the way, from Aguilar to Pueblo.
Posted by Neal5x5 on October 10, 2007 01:16 PMThanks John II: I have received several kudos for my Deicide Corner. If you feel the need for snake oil I recommend Allah who has created virgins without menses, stools, or urine for his male slaves and like Separation of Church and State is implicit in out godless Constitution, it is implicit that in spite of the wear and tear on the virgins they are never deflowered. Enjoy, man, enjoy.
Posted by RG on October 10, 2007 01:26 PMNeal5x5,
There's nothing wrong with introducing new words into a language. It happens all the time. The word Colorado is Spanish. We also borrow heavily from the French language.
In terms of having a shared common language, these variances and new introductions are inconsequential. The important thing is to make sure we all understand the core fundamentals of the English language.
For example, since I moved to Colorado, I noticed many people refer to soda as pop. This cracks me up. But, it didn't create any real problems for me. What is truly important is that people understand to read and write using proper English grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization.
Don't be confused by Stan's confusing call for a "American" language standard. Whether he realizes it or not, he's simply calling for America to standardize to US English.
Posted by John II on October 10, 2007 01:33 PMjust one question?
what is the language that Congress speaks?
Posted by on October 10, 2007 10:53 AM
Answer: they speak with fork tongues and mostly out of their butt.
Posted by Pam on October 10, 2007 01:36 PMStan B.
Every white guy that has told me he has "Indian" blood always says they have "Cherokee" and the Ward Churchill types always say it's "Sioux" Indian.
When they say Sioux or Cherokee it's always a great grandmother and not the grandfather.
It's more acceptable for a white man to bed a squaw than the other unthinkable way to claim your phony heritage.
As a Navajo, Hopi Indian and a little Spanish we have the great grandfathers and grandmothers as ancestors.
Most guys like you are usually closet racists and liars about having native American blood.
Besides how can every white person that claims to have Cherokee blood have it when you whites killed off the majority in the Trail of Tears and in Oklahoma.
Give me a break! See at the Pow Wows Indian of the Paleface tribe.
English, both that of England and that currently spoken in the United States, is a living language. As such, it continues to grow, and is constantly enriched by words from other languages; just as, in turn, it enriches them with today's technical terms that are not to be found in their original lexicons.
An example of adopting an "official language" may be taken from France. There, the Sorbonne must approve ANY AND ALL words, or phrases, that might "creep in" to "polute the purity" of the language. At one time, French was the diplomatic language of the world. Today, it's nearly as "dead" as Latin, or any other lnaguage that has become fossilized into "official" status.
Which, of course, brings up the question: "Who decides if a word, or phrase, is "allowable" in the "official language", when invention, or discovery, happens?
Let's keep English ALIVE.
John II,
Does that help explain my earlier posting? Or is it still beyond your 18th Century apprehension; where you want the Nation to be?
Posted by Old Grouch on October 10, 2007 02:09 PMOld Grouch,
How is it possible that an old man such as yourself can be so foolish? I thought old age was supposed to bring wisdom.
The act of making a language official does not kill the language. How could that be? French and Latin are irrelevant because France and the Roman Empire are irrelevant. French was popular because France once owned many lands outside of Europe. Latin was popular when Rome dominated Europe.
English is now popular because of the enormous global influence of Great Britain and the United States. Eliminate GB and the USA and English will become as irrelevant as Latin.
A strong and powerful culture keeps a language alive. When the culture dies, so does the language. This is why the battle against Islam is a cultural battle. We are fighting for the continuance of our culture over their's.
Posted by John II on October 10, 2007 02:33 PM1:46,
As a Navajo and Hopi you surely must realize that squaw is a derrogitory word from the French language, at least with the eastern and central tribes. I don't consider myself "white" and I'm no phony although I think I've met a few. I'm a human, Heinz 57, kind of person. If you wish to insult me, have fun. I knew my mothers grandmother and was held by, but don't remember, my fathers great grand mother and I have pictures of both. Grandma French did not do "the Trail of Tears" but she and her group held out in the Smokey Mountains of eastern North Carolina, even through the Civil War. Did you know that not every Cherokee believed the Government's promises? Well, they didn't. I'm not sure which specific tribes my recent ancestors belonged to, but I believe they were what they claimed they were.
My great grandmother called herself Dusky (as did everyone who knew her). Her real name was Helen, but because people made fun of her as a child for being a "half-breed", she called herself Dusky - with pride. She also cracked me up one day when her son-in-law (my grandfather) asked us to bow our heads to say grace. She pointed to the sky and said, "I don't know why you all bow your heads. The Lord's up there!"
Posted by Stan B on October 10, 2007 02:53 PMOkay, class, settle down. Here's your American Language vocabulary list:
Awesome!
Biatch
Cool (see Kewl)
D'oh!
Duh
Dude
Google
Hel-lo!
Infomercial
Infrastructure
Kewl (see Cool)
McJob
McMansion
Reagan
Skank
Uh...
Uh-huh
Wazzup
What-EVER!
WiFi
Yahoo!
Yeah
I understand this is part of the citizenship test now.
Beautiful!
Posted by Stan B on October 10, 2007 07:00 PMJohn II,
If age is supposed to bring "wisdom", I wonder just how old you really are.
To the point of the question, neither Latin nor French is irrelevant. They are illustrative.
You may hold that that the "culture" is irrelevant; and in many ways that is true. But for Latin, that ignores the Roman Religion - a large part of the vestigal "culture" of Rome - which still lays claim to being "Catholic", i.e. "Universal"; and still - at least by way of its bureaucracy and Pontifex Maximus (Supreme Bridge Builder to the Pantheon) - claims even Civil Suzreainty in the world today. And where, by way of example, the Roman Religion's bureaucracy - in the form of it's purple and red nightgowned middle management members - still meddles in the political affairs of every nation on earth, including the United Staes.
But, that aside. You are positing a form of "chicken/egg" argument - the "which came first" variety - from the standpoint of territorial possession, or perhaps "conquest".
French was the world diplomatic language long after France ceased to "own" territories outside its borders. It became a "dead language" - or if you prefer, an illustration of a dying one - at the time it decided to have an "official" standing that upheld its "purity", and fossilized it at a point in time.
In truth, England - or, if you prefer, Britain - is totally irrelevant today, from the territorial possession and global influence point anyway. As a language, however, the English form - or British, if you prefer, or "Island" for greater simplicity's sake - remains alive; and this is not all that "cultural", since the cultures of many areas speaking the Island form of English have long since departed from the Island "culture" - if they ever adopted it to any great extent in the first place.
And then, there is Hebrew. A very definitely "dead language" - other than for religious worship - ressurected for the purposes of "cultural" identity. It is an "official" language; but, outside the artificial "culture" itself it is almost totally useless - again making exception for its religious status.
Considered from the standpoint of history, the establishment of an "official" language signals the decline of both language and "culture". And, usually, a fossilized language survives mainly as a religious idiom, and preserves a museum setting for parts of the "culture".
Let's do our best to keep our English language ALIVE, by not attempting to fossilize into "official" status.
Posted by Old Grouch on October 11, 2007 09:38 AMOld Grouch,
You still have not explained how a language can become irrelevant by standardizing it. The French still speak French despite standardization. Outside of France, any nation can modify or add to the language as it pleases. France cannot dictate how the rest of the world speaks it's eponymous language. So, from this fact alone, we can see that standardizing a language does not kill the language.
Obviously, there are larger reasons why a language fades away. There's a salient reason why this nation of 300 million people speaks English and not Cherokee. Your reference to the Catholic Church is a case in point. Latin is preserved by relatively few people as a form of nostalgia; a connection to the traditions of the past. It is not necessary to read/write/speak Latin to be a Catholic. This is evidenced by the numerous translations of the Bible into English, Spanish, French, etc. The Biblia Sacra Vulgata has become a linguistic novelty item for most of the world.
By the way, similar standardization helps to promote computer languages as well. Creators of new computer languages strive to receive standardization recognition by organizations such as ECMA and ISO. Standardizing does not mean a language can never change; it simply makes sure those changes are documented and understood.
Posted by John II on October 11, 2007 10:27 AMJohn II
English as the official language is unacceptable to the "open border" people. It has nothing to do with standardization or any other intellectual issue. It is strictly to benefit the illegal immigrates and support their illegal existence in this country.
What proof? Go back and research all of the people that backed the illegal immigrates and then compare that list to the people objecting to English as the official language
Posted by jgd777 on October 11, 2007 12:48 PMOG,
I have an idea that I've thrown out there about the fall of the Roman Empire. Besides all the laborous declensions in the Latin language, have you ever tried to divide MCMDLVI by CLXII?
Posted by Stan B on October 11, 2007 01:03 PMGood point, jgd777. That's why Old Grouch's reasoning behind his objection to standardizing English baffles me. He managed to twist himself into a pretzel to justify his objections.
It also surprises me to see Stan B. as an advocate for making US English our official language. I'm sure he also wants open borders. I think his idea of an "American language" is some kind of amalgamation of equal parts English, French, Spanish, Swahili; a true global language. Otherwise, why bother writing a letter to a newspaper about foreign words incorporated into the English language? I don't think he realized that English is already split by UK and US versions. Why not just state that he desires English to be the official language?
Posted by John II on October 11, 2007 01:13 PMJohn II,
You make too many assumptions. I'm not an advocate of open borders. Indeed, I'm vehemently opposed to the idea. Also I was advocating making American a very flexible national language and leave the English out of it. I do not support fossilizing the American language. It's part of our heritage and, I think, our future.
Posted by Stan B on October 11, 2007 02:04 PMWell, Stan B., I'm pleasantly surprised to hear you are vehemently opposed to open borders. But, the rest of your comment just threw me for a loop.
"Also I was advocating making American a very flexible national language and leave the English out of it."
What on earth are you talking about? Leave the English out of it? How do we do that? Aren't we typing in English right now?
"I do not support fossilizing the American language. It's part of our heritage and, I think, our future."
What on earth are you talking about? Fossilizing the language? Are you and Old Grouch smoking pot together up there in Idaho Springs?
Let me get this straight:
You want an American language with no English in it to become our "official language" in order to avoid the fossilization of our supposed non-English English language.
Here's a pretty safe assumption: You're a nutjob.
Posted by John II on October 11, 2007 02:38 PMActually John II, I'm writing in American. You can call it English, if it makes you happy. I don't even come close to proposing "no English" in the American language, just the ongoing additions of other American (many of them from foreign countries) words.
Old Gouch and I have never met but I liked his use of the term fossilized.
And if you want to assume I'm a nutjob, well, coming from you, that's a compliment. Your 'pretty safe assumptions' haven't been very accurate, so far.
Posted by Stan B on October 11, 2007 04:20 PMStan the Man said:
"Also I was advocating making American a very flexible national language and leave the English out of it."
and also said:
"I don't even come close to proposing "no English" in the American language, just the ongoing additions of other American (many of them from foreign countries) words."
Fair enough, Stan. Keep telling people you speak American.
Posted by John II on October 11, 2007 05:50 PMStan B.,
Old Grouch doesn't want to make English the official language because of a supposed fear of "fossilizing" the language. You want to make "American" the official language yet you also agree with Old Grouch's fossilization concept. How do you reconcile the two concepts?
Posted by John II on October 11, 2007 08:51 PMMaking English the official language does not stop the language from evolving. It is a simply making a statement that Americans will not sit back and let Spanish (Mexican) become our official language. Many of us are damn tired of having to press 1 for English. You want to become a citizen learn our language, you want to vote learn the language, you want a drivers license learn our language.
Let's cut through the garbage, the truth is if I wanted to live in Mexico I would move to Mexico and I sure as hell don't want Mexico moving here. There are some 20 million illegal immigrates currently in this country, the majority of which are from Mexico. That 20 million is more than the total of immigrates from all other countries since the founding of this country. No country can maintain their culture with this large percentage of immigrates from one country, especially when that group chooses not to assimilate.
English is our language if you don't want to learn it then leave.
Posted by jgd777 on October 11, 2007 09:21 PMjgd777,
Was your last post written in American or English? I can't tell...
Uno para Espanol
Two for English
Three for American
John II
它被写了用中文
John II
it was written in American English, not in British English
Posted by jgd777 on October 11, 2007 09:56 PMjgd777 said:
"它被写了用中文"
Your comments have now been incorporated into the American language. Thank you for not fossilizing the American language.
Posted by John II on October 11, 2007 10:17 PMJohn II
My pleasure, we definitely don't want the American language fossilized.
Posted by jgd777 on October 11, 2007 11:19 PMNow, if only I could figure out how you type "它被写了用中文" on an American English keyboard. It looks like, if we are to take Stan the Man seriously, that we need a few extra keys on our keyboards.
Posted by John II on October 11, 2007 11:27 PMStan B. , Your great gandmother sounds like a person I'd love to meet. That was hilarious.
My kids and I got into a discussion on what other countries speak English.
It was because we were watching, Are you smarter than a 5th grader?
The question was ,What is the official language of Australia?
My kids right away said English. The lady did not know it.I think she had to be the stupidest adult I've ever seen on the show.
Her first question was, How many consenents are in the word , " vowel" without showing the spelling of the word , Her answer was , 2. she spelled vowel, voul.
I though my spelling was bad.
My kids and I love the show because it gives a chance for 5th graders to show they are smarter than adults. It's hilarious. One guy didn't know the very 1st, first lady of the U.S.
My kids are screaming, Martha and he's using a cheat.This guy is a senior at USC and scored 1380 on his SAT's.
I think our whole teaching system is in trouble.
Having American declared our official language seems the least of our worries.
Posted by Can I get an AMEN! on October 12, 2007 07:47 AMJust a question here, for all you, we want "American" for our "official language" fanatics:
Why then, all the fuss and furor from you about the CSU editorial, and the use of good, old fashioned, plain, simple, down to earth "American" in reference to Bush?
Are we really supposed to take you people seriously?
Posted by Old Grouch on October 12, 2007 08:36 AMFirst of all, Old Grouch, I think Stan B. is the only one clamoring for a non-fossilized, non-English American English ("leave the English out of it.") language.
Also, the use of vulgar "American" words in a newspaper headline is a matter of taste. I, personally, do not care what the headline said. But, I think it's silly of you to suggest any word deemed American is appropriate for a newspaper.
Posted by John II on October 12, 2007 08:51 AMCan I get an Amen,
Maybe if we were using our Educational funds to teach more English, History, Math and Science and less Spanish in our school some of these problems could be solved.
And don't those Australians understand that by making English their official language, they just fossilizing it.
Old Grouch,
Why don't you just admit you are against making English the official language because it would make it more difficult for your illegal immigrate friends to stay here.?
Posted by jgd777 on October 12, 2007 09:45 AMIs it just me or do these Snorg Tees advertisements border on child porn? Their slogan is "Groin grabbingly good tees" as they show pictures of girls that look barely 18.
Posted by John II on October 12, 2007 11:05 AMJohn II,
It's your fantasy that I am making such a suggestion, as usual. By now no one expects a straight answer to a simple question from you. And no one really thinks you even know how to give one. But, make yourself happy. You will deliberately mis-interpret, and intentionally mis-quote, anyway.
So, if anybody else out there wants to, he, or she, can answer my question - which actually pertains to all the fuss and furor over an "American" word, that would be included in an "official" form of "American" as language in this Nation, were the Right-wingnuts and loose screws - who, so far anyway, appear to be the ones making most of that fuss - to have their way.
Posted by Old Grouch on October 12, 2007 04:39 PMBased on Old Grouch's argument regarding English as our official language there should be no difference in putting a picture of a young child playing in a playground and a picture of a naked child on the front page of the newspaper. Have we reached a point in our society that there are no longer any standards for decency? They are both just pictures.
I will suggest again that anyone undecided about English being made our official language check back on the people fighting against it. You may be surprised to see the majority of those people also support open borders and amnesty for the illegals currently in this country. The main goals in defeating this, is making it easier for their illegal immigrate friends to stay in this country.
English as our official language would require citizens to actually learn English or American English what ever you prefer to call it.
Posted by jgd777 on October 13, 2007 10:04 AMjgd777,
As usual, YOU are inventing what YOU think is my position. Then you add YOUR imagination about what others are supposed to believe, or hold, concerning YOUR particular hobby-horse as a sort of "pole" upon which to hang up the straw-man YOU have created in the first place.
It's too bad you are unable to actually aprehend the written words as they are there; which is in the form of a question concerning all the fuss and furor being made over a particular American word, which fuss and furor is coming directly from those who want to make "American" an "official language".
But, that's to be expected. You, as with John 2, James Jones, and so many others, are so caught up in YOUR OWN imaginations, that you are totally unable to deal with a matter that requires an answer in the REAL world.
And, that's what makes the forum fun.
Posted by Old Grouch on October 13, 2007 02:33 PMOld Grouch,
Your comments are more confusing than usual. First you say:
"Why then, all the fuss and furor from you about the CSU editorial, and the use of good, old fashioned, plain, simple, down to earth "American" in reference to Bush?"
I respond with this:
"the use of vulgar "American" words in a newspaper headline is a matter of taste. I, personally, do not care what the headline said. But, I think it's silly of you to suggest any word deemed American is appropriate for a newspaper."
You follow with this:
"It's your fantasy that I am making such a suggestion"
and then this:
"So, if anybody else out there wants to, he, or she, can answer my question - which actually pertains to all the fuss and furor over an "American" word"
jgd777 adds:
"Have we reached a point in our society that there are no longer any standards for decency?"
Old Grouch responds:
"As usual, YOU are inventing what YOU think is my position."
"which is in the form of a question concerning all the fuss and furor being made over a particular American word, which fuss and furor is coming directly from those who want to make "American" an "official language"."
Are you suggesting that any word which is part of an official language is appropriate to use in any circumstance?
John II
Old Grouch will constantly attempt to evade the real reason he objects to English becoming our official language. He knows when it happens his illegal immigrate friends will find it more difficult to stay in the US. However I am sure we can expect some long winded response that will make little or no sense, something like it will fossilize the language.
Posted by jgd777 on October 13, 2007 09:59 PM