Suffragette1 Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 The question is about speaking the native language, which presumably doesn't help them converse with people, just as your experiences illustrate: I have a friend who's an ESL teacher and she encounters a significant number of women, some who have been resident for 20+ years, who do not speak a word of English, and some of whom are unable to read and write in their native tongue. A friend of mine's mother has been living in Sheffield for 50 years and speaks no English, apparently she doesn't 'need to'. I do think that this should be discouraged, it cannot be in their best interests surely to be unable to communicate in the language of their adopted country? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conrod Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 I agree with you, anyone coming to this country should be doing so because they want to adopt our way of life, be productive and contribute, not just for what they can scrounge. The first question should be "What have you got to offer this country?" Unfortunately, 99.99% of the matter is what this country offers them. We should have looked inwards many years ago and made a serious (and expensive if needs be) effort to help, educate and train our own society's lower echelons to make them productive rather than keeping so many people on the wastepile and encouraging immigration to this tiny island. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boyfriday Posted October 4, 2010 Author Share Posted October 4, 2010 I have a friend who's an ESL teacher and she encounters a significant number of women, some who have been resident for 20+ years, who do not speak a word of English, and some of whom are unable to read and write in their native tongue. A friend of mine's mother has been living in Sheffield for 50 years and speaks no English, apparently she doesn't 'need to'. I do think that this should be discouraged, it cannot be in their best interests surely to be unable to communicate in the language of their adopted country? Totally agree, which is why on balance I'd support compulsory pre entry tests, it was just that some posters believe this is a problem that only we encounter with immigrants who come to live here, yet I don't know many British ex pats who have fully embraced the native culture in the countries they go to live in or can even get past ordering a baguette and glass of beer! With regards to the foreign women who've never embraced or had the opportunity to learn English, I genuinely believe this is a generational thing, younger spouses settling here will have a higher expectation of integrating or at least being able to speak to their neighbours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truman Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 How many British ex pats do you think there are in France who can't speak French? I have no proof but would suspect most of the ex pats working there have a command of the French language... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassman62 Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 With regards to the foreign women who've never embraced or had the opportunity to learn English, I genuinely believe this is a generational thing, younger spouses settling here will have a higher expectation of integrating or at least being able to speak to their neighbours. But surely they also learn from the examples set by their parents, if they don't see both parents make attempts to intigrate then maybe this is the underlying cause of dual loyalty that many of the Asian community display. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassman62 Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 Unfortunately, 99.99% of the matter is what this country offers them. We should have looked inwards many years ago and made a serious (and expensive if needs be) effort to help, educate and train our own society's lower echelons to make them productive rather than keeping so many people on the wastepile and encouraging immigration to this tiny island. Yes I feel you're quite right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boyfriday Posted October 4, 2010 Author Share Posted October 4, 2010 I have no proof but would suspect most of the ex pats working there have a command of the French language... ..and most of the foreigners working here have a command of the English language. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truman Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 ..and most of the foreigners working here have a command of the English language. I was answering your question .......I don't think I've said otherwise.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boyfriday Posted October 4, 2010 Author Share Posted October 4, 2010 But surely they also learn from the examples set by their parents, if they don't see both parents make attempts to intigrate then maybe this is the underlying cause of dual loyalty that many of the Asian community display. You've lost me Bassman, of all the ethnic minorities, I encounter Asians more than any other, and this integration thing isn't one way, I don't see many people knocking on the doors of their Asian neighbours and asking them round for tea & biscuits. ..and again, what is so threatening about dual loyality? The vast majority of Brits I know who work abroad still feel British, and their children are citizens of their native country, but still have a soft spot for their parents home country too..it's not rocket science. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boyfriday Posted October 4, 2010 Author Share Posted October 4, 2010 I was answering your question .......I don't think I've said otherwise.. ..and I wasn't claiming you were wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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