Thread: Speak English, Get Ahead

Speak English, Get Ahead
by Michael Reagan
Posted 11/23/2007 ET

It's no secret that in America knowing how to speak the English language is the basic requirement for success -- if you can’t speak the language everybody else speaks, you are back at the Tower of Babel wondering what everybody around you is trying to say.

For any youngster starting out in life, knowing and speaking the common language is the first step in moving up the ladder. And in the United States, English is the common language, and has been from the beginning. The Constitutional debates were conducted solely in English. Only English is spoken in Congress and in the world of business, not only here in America, in most of the world.

Bill Cosby recently spoke about the vital necessity of youths learning and speaking English.

"They're standing on the corner and they can't speak English,â€

Good one!!!
We be tight and all dat...
One.
Sounds silly don’t it... but that’s English
I think it means we are friends and Thanks Ill see ya later... Ebonics, Good stuff …

It seems to me, today in this The United States of America if you don’t speak English and are pushing to have some other language or what not to be spoken then you have some other Groups agenda in mind. I will never understand the point to the speaker of the house waiting Americans to speak anything other then English in the work place unless she’s going after another county votes in the up comings. I personally am tired of other Non American Groups telling America what we should do and having the Democrats back them up. This time I don’t think Just saying this is America is going to get this one done. We need to set out an three alarm action in to putting a stop to this kind of Stuff.
My dad who is a Korean War Vet. Reminded me that even when America goes into another country and does what it is we do that those people try and learn English the most spoken Language on earth. It just makes things easier and two he seem to think one reason that the other side didn’t want to learn English is they had something to hide.
Now I’m all for diversity and my children are learning Spanish I took some French in high school. Both with plans, and dreams of going to those countries, and visiting some day. . Its like I told my Childs Principle the other day and I think he agreed with me. Language is the most important thing a child learns these days to Go to college and Get a Job have a family all evolve being articulate and speaking clearly openly and honestly. If ten people are out side playing on the play ground and little jimmies mom and dad said he doesn’t have to pledge to the flag and jimmy doesn’t have to pray before lunch and little Jimmie is learning his spelling words German while all the other children are learning in English the parents have made that child life harder them it needs to be.
One he can’t speak well enough to explain his answers to the rest of the class, two, he wont here the announcements, three, I cant think of one Job that a child coming from my school will take in life that doesn’t need the English language to function. The Bone heads are doing this as a way to set the rest of the Dems amnesty plan up, simple as that. If they can get the work place law passed then the will have a open door to pass other laws to make this law suit that one so the Aclu and those types can have what they want .
Honestly this is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard come from that side yet. Its a requirement to be able to communicate in the work place, no mater what the Job. If I’m wrong then any one person go in to work for a few days and start talking in some other languages and see how far it Gets you.

While I agree ebonics is a less than pathetic version of English, let's not stop there. There are plenty of Americans of all races who have a very poor to non existent grasp of proper English and can't spell for that matter, right here on this board. I'm beginning to sense a lot of racial undertones in a lot of the posts on this board. There is good and bad, right and wrong, dumb and dumber in people of all races.

Americans with poor language, reading and writing skills tend to lack education.

The fact that you said:

"Sounds silly don’t it... "

Is a prime example. You should have said:

Sounds silly "DOESN'T IT?"

So what category does that put you in?

Originally Posted by WhatMattersMost

While I agree ebonics is a less than pathetic version of English, let's not stop there. There are plenty of Americans of all races who have a very poor to non existent grasp of proper English and can't spell for that matter, right here on this board. I'm beginning to sense a lot of racial undertones in a lot of the posts on this board. There is good and bad, right and wrong, dumb and dumber in people of all races.

Americans with poor language, reading and writing skills tend to lack education.

The fact that you said:

"Sounds silly don’t it... "

Is a prime example. You should have said:

Sounds silly "DOESN'T IT?"

So what category does that put you in?

Darn are my key board battrys goin dead again...

Good point...


Following that kind of thinking in America
I go in what ever category you put me in.
I cant spell but my puter can. now what catagory did I go too.


I’m sure I’m known here as one of those low leveln less learningn straw Grasping hill jacks that could never have had a proper learnin as a child but the fact is no one, except one or two even know what color I am or where I went to college. Fuuny thing is those two went to college with me.



As I agree that the literacy problem in this country falling on the lack of execution of what is supplied by the states to teach in our children’s education systems.(It differs from each, some drastically ) It is the parent’s, the educators and society that has allowed the system to fail. (on all levels, in all states). That’s why all children and adults of all races... red, yellow, black or white use Ebonics in any form to communicate.

I think society and ones environment dictates the laziness people employ.
If I where to say to you. I have been highly educated by one most aesthete people I have ever had the pleasure to have taught.
Where did I come from? who am i ?
But if say to you she learned me that down at the malt shop day before yesterday.
Where did I come from? who am i ? or

I had one of my students teach me that.

where did I come from . who am I ?


If I was on the phone and said that cool man or if I said, bet… those wouldn’t leave much information on me either would they. But people assume they do.

I believe that’s society’s biggest fault. I beleive that no mater what your race no mater what walk of life you come from If Yor are in America you should do the best that is possible for yourself. Somebody is always going try to bring you down, why give um any ammo.


I do not take offense in being called a rasist by anyone, because Im not.
Sometimes I have a problem in making a point, and I type out loud.

I'd way rather hear "aint got no" or Ebonics ANY day over spanish.

Originally Posted by WhatMattersMost

While I agree ebonics is a less than pathetic version of English, let's not stop there. There are plenty of Americans of all races who have a very poor to non existent grasp of proper English and can't spell for that matter, right here on this board. I'm beginning to sense a lot of racial undertones in a lot of the posts on this board. There is good and bad, right and wrong, dumb and dumber in people of all races.

Americans with poor language, reading and writing skills tend to lack education.

The fact that you said:

"Sounds silly don’t it... "

Is a prime example. You should have said:

Sounds silly "DOESN'T IT?"

So what category does that put you in?

But at least you understood what he said and that is the point.
If he would have wrote "esa is muy tonto, verdad? would you have understood him?
Americans come from all walks of life and different levels of education. We have different accents depending on the state we are from as well.
Word useage also varies.
I don't reckon it's such a big deal as long as we can figure out what each other is a tryin to say.
The point is that it's still english and we can understand what is being said.
I've studied other languages and that is the first thing you need to learn, you need to understand what is being said and be able to reply with a understandable answer, without that there is no communication.

you need to understand what is being said and be able to reply with a understandable answer, without that there is no communication

.

I had to deal with an Indian customer service rep recently. I would explain the problem with the bill (the account was paid off and closed 2 years ago) and she would repeat back to me the amount I owed as listed on the statement. I finally asked that she connect me with a supervisor who spoke English. She got very offended and insisted she was speaking English. I pointed out just what you stated above. She spoke English but she was parroting the words not having a conversation. Reading the statement to me was not going to get the problem corrected. Guess what came next. Another very pleasant voice but this one with a very thick accent. I hung up.

Originally Posted by GREGAGREATAMERICAN

Originally Posted by WhatMattersMost

While I agree ebonics is a less than pathetic version of English, let's not stop there. There are plenty of Americans of all races who have a very poor to non existent grasp of proper English and can't spell for that matter, right here on this board. I'm beginning to sense a lot of racial undertones in a lot of the posts on this board. There is good and bad, right and wrong, dumb and dumber in people of all races.

Americans with poor language, reading and writing skills tend to lack education.

The fact that you said:

"Sounds silly don’t it... "

Is a prime example. You should have said:

Sounds silly "DOESN'T IT?"

So what category does that put you in?

Darn are my key board battrys goin dead again...

Good point...


Following that kind of thinking in America
I go in what ever category you put me in.
I cant spell but my puter can. now what catagory did I go too.


I’m sure I’m known here as one of those low leveln less learningn straw Grasping hill jacks that could never have had a proper learnin as a child but the fact is no one, except one or two even know what color I am or where I went to college. Fuuny thing is those two went to college with me.



As I agree that the literacy problem in this country falling on the lack of execution of what is supplied by the states to teach in our children’s education systems.(It differs from each, some drastically ) It is the parent’s, the educators and society that has allowed the system to fail. (on all levels, in all states). That’s why all children and adults of all races... red, yellow, black or white use Ebonics in any form to communicate.

I think society and ones environment dictates the laziness people employ.
If I where to say to you. I have been highly educated by one most aesthete people I have ever had the pleasure to have taught.
Where did I come from? who am i ?
But if say to you she learned me that down at the malt shop day before yesterday.
Where did I come from? who am i ? or

I had one of my students teach me that.

where did I come from . who am I ?


If I was on the phone and said that cool man or if I said, bet… those wouldn’t leave much information on me either would they. But people assume they do.

I believe that’s society’s biggest fault. I beleive that no mater what your race no mater what walk of life you come from If Yor are in America you should do the best that is possible for yourself. Somebody is always going try to bring you down, why give um any ammo.


I do not take offense in being called a rasist by anyone, because Im not.
Sometimes I have a problem in making a point, and I type out loud.

You go in the same category you were in during your first post. I'm sure you know which one I'm referring to.


Mountaindog ITA.

Originally Posted by WhatMattersMost

While I agree ebonics is a less than pathetic version of English, let's not stop there. There are plenty of Americans of all races who have a very poor to non existent grasp of proper English and can't spell for that matter, right here on this board. I'm beginning to sense a lot of racial undertones in a lot of the posts on this board. There is good and bad, right and wrong, dumb and dumber in people of all races.

Americans with poor language, reading and writing skills tend to lack education.

The fact that you said:

"Sounds silly don’t it... "

Is a prime example. You should have said:

Sounds silly "DOESN'T IT?"

So what category does that put you in?

I like how you used the word, "version". The grammatical structure of Ebonics is purely West African. So you automatically know that because of that fact, it is a form of ignorance (to some people).
What black Americans have done with English is no different than what Jamaicans did to English to create patois, although some variations exist.

Professor John McWhorter explained much of this in his book, "Winning the Race: Beyond the Crisis in Black America".

Originally Posted by Nimrod

Originally Posted by WhatMattersMost

While I agree ebonics is a less than pathetic version of English, let's not stop there. There are plenty of Americans of all races who have a very poor to non existent grasp of proper English and can't spell for that matter, right here on this board. I'm beginning to sense a lot of racial undertones in a lot of the posts on this board. There is good and bad, right and wrong, dumb and dumber in people of all races.

Americans with poor language, reading and writing skills tend to lack education.

The fact that you said:

"Sounds silly don’t it... "

Is a prime example. You should have said:

Sounds silly "DOESN'T IT?"

So what category does that put you in?

I like how you used the word, "version". The grammatical structure of Ebonics is purely West African. So you automatically know that because of that fact, it is a form of ignorance (to some people).
What black Americans have done with English is no different than what Jamaicans did to English to create patois, although some variations exist.

Professor John McWhorter explained much of this in his book, "Winning the Race: Beyond the Crisis in Black America".

Thank you Nimrod. ITA with you. The same comparison can be and is made with regard to the grammatical structure of white northerners vs. white southerners.