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01-24-2005, 06:14 AM | #1 | |||
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[EDIT: This thread is split off from the "North American Relations" thread and can be used to discuss the pros and cons or specifics of having one or more national languages.]
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That being said, the USA doesn't have the same reasons to want an (or two) official language. Plus, you do not currently have one, so why should you have an official language if Puerto Rico became a state? Everyone can still speak whichever language you want (this applies to Canada too) and government documents can still be written in whatever language is decided - English. Puerto Rico also won't have a language forced on it because of that.
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01-24-2005, 09:40 AM | #2 | |
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So - to put it bluntly - no - I don't think that the bilingual situation has worked out very well for you guys. Quebec thinks of themselves as being seperate from the rest of Canada and would still like to seperate (although the feeling seems to be less strong now). The less anti-Candadian feelings in Quebec might have to do with the fact that the last PM was a Quebecois.
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01-24-2005, 10:56 AM | #3 | ||||
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I know it's not a perfect system (I just wasn't going into details before), but it's part of our history. What else would we do - tell Québec not to speak French? There still is quite a feeling of wanting to preserve their language and by extension, culture. If we did away with official languages (which ensures the protection of the language), Québec would be pretty mad about it, even though there is less of an anti-Canadian feeling. Quite a bit less actually. I can understand them wanting to preserve the language, though I think some of the language laws go too far. Before I wasn't going to get into it, but this is as good a thread as any to talk about it, and this is very interesting too. Perhaps it's part of American history to not have an official language, as it's part of Canada to have two. Also, technically Québec does not want to separate anymore, because less than the majority of the population wants to now. There are a lot of cultural aspects that I don't understand as a western Canadian, and someone who hasn't actually been east of Alberta. But I think I have a decent picture of it. There are many positive aspects to dual-lingualism in our country, and without it, the problems that exist wouldn't go away.
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"I can add some more, if you'd like it. Calling your Chief Names, Wishing to Punch his Pimply Face, and Thinking you Shirriffs look a lot of Tom-fools." - Sam Gamgee, p. 340, Return of the King Quote:
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01-25-2005, 07:14 AM | #4 | ||
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By the way, people other than JD and I are allowed to join the current discussion.
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"I can add some more, if you'd like it. Calling your Chief Names, Wishing to Punch his Pimply Face, and Thinking you Shirriffs look a lot of Tom-fools." - Sam Gamgee, p. 340, Return of the King Quote:
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01-25-2005, 08:32 AM | #5 | |
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I couldn't resist splitting the posts into a new thread.
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01-25-2005, 08:47 AM | #6 | |
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i can see it both ways, in uk we only have english, whilst in ireland it is gaelic and english. i am only fluent in english, tho would like to learn more gaelic than pogue mahone
Last edited by Last Child of Ungoliant : 01-25-2005 at 08:56 AM. |
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01-25-2005, 08:51 AM | #7 | ||
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Nice split Eärniel. I was a bit surprised... "I didn't start that thread..."
You could combine them into one super language called Gerlemmian. Heh. I don't think English is the most common first language. Friendly bet that Chinese is. Unless you mean in the UK.[EDIT]Oh.[/EDIT] Speaking of the UK, how does it work with Wales? They are their own nation, but they're part of the United Kingdom. The reason I bring it up is Wales and English are both national languages - whether they are officially protected I'm not sure. Care to shed some light on that Chrys?
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"I can add some more, if you'd like it. Calling your Chief Names, Wishing to Punch his Pimply Face, and Thinking you Shirriffs look a lot of Tom-fools." - Sam Gamgee, p. 340, Return of the King Quote:
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Last edited by Nurvingiel : 01-25-2005 at 09:05 AM. |
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01-25-2005, 08:55 AM | #8 |
The Intermittent One
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because wales has a devolved gov't,
welsh is an official language within the principality although the same doesn't apply to scotland, for some reason, although fewer and fewer people speak scotch gaelic than they formerly did |
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