Comments on: Onion: Idaho erklärt Englisch zur einzigen Sprache, die sie kennen http://fredericiana.com/2007/05/20/onion-idaho-erklart-englisch-zur-einzigen-sprache-die-sie-kennen/ the english sententia fredericiana Sat, 30 Aug 2008 00:12:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Fred http://fredericiana.com/2007/05/20/onion-idaho-erklart-englisch-zur-einzigen-sprache-die-sie-kennen/#comment-88967 Fred Mon, 28 May 2007 00:14:08 +0000 http://fredericiana.com/2007/05/20/onion-idaho-erklart-englisch-zur-einzigen-sprache-die-sie-kennen/#comment-88967 Hi Jenny, thanks for your comment! I'm surprised to see you commenting on my German blog, yet you are very welcome to! Let me first make clear that the article cited by me came from the satiric newspaper "the Onion", so it was not meant seriously. However, thanks for refering me to the actual bill (<a href="http://www3.state.id.us/oasis/S1172.html" rel="nofollow">no. 1172</a>, I assume) which indeed makes English the Idaho state language. I do agree that this is pretty short sighted, for one reason: I got to know America as a country that is more diverse than any country I have never seen. Its cultural heritage is the fundamental point making the US special, and English has "just" been a lingua franca, or the smallest common denominator for people to communicate there. Now, by declaring this the "only true" language, they deny this cultural background. In other words, they are simply burning their most important cultural asset due to their fear of the unknown. But on a side note, I agree that isn't quite connected to the illegal immigration problem and doesn't mean that shouldn't be solved. Hi Jenny, thanks for your comment! I’m surprised to see you commenting on my German blog, yet you are very welcome to!

Let me first make clear that the article cited by me came from the satiric newspaper “the Onion”, so it was not meant seriously.

However, thanks for refering me to the actual bill (no. 1172, I assume) which indeed makes English the Idaho state language. I do agree that this is pretty short sighted, for one reason: I got to know America as a country that is more diverse than any country I have never seen. Its cultural heritage is the fundamental point making the US special, and English has “just” been a lingua franca, or the smallest common denominator for people to communicate there.

Now, by declaring this the “only true” language, they deny this cultural background. In other words, they are simply burning their most important cultural asset due to their fear of the unknown.

But on a side note, I agree that isn’t quite connected to the illegal immigration problem and doesn’t mean that shouldn’t be solved.

]]> By: Jenny http://fredericiana.com/2007/05/20/onion-idaho-erklart-englisch-zur-einzigen-sprache-die-sie-kennen/#comment-88966 Jenny Sun, 27 May 2007 19:54:05 +0000 http://fredericiana.com/2007/05/20/onion-idaho-erklart-englisch-zur-einzigen-sprache-die-sie-kennen/#comment-88966 Idaho utilizes a citizen legislature which typically means that the representation is not the most sophisticated. This short sighted resolution was in response to the high number of Mexican illegal immigrants now living in Idaho. The legislature is offended that English is a second language and several of the state, county and municipal government offices that provide services offer bilingual forms and directions. America is a land of immigrants and apparently the Idaho legislature has forgotten it takes one to two generations before English will become the primary language in a family. That all being said, solving the illegal immigration problem is a whole different matter. Idaho utilizes a citizen legislature which typically means that the representation is not the most sophisticated. This short sighted resolution was in response to the high number of Mexican illegal immigrants now living in Idaho. The legislature is offended that English is a second language and several of the state, county and municipal government offices that provide services offer bilingual forms and directions. America is a land of immigrants and apparently the Idaho legislature has forgotten it takes one to two generations before English will become the primary language in a family. That all being said, solving the illegal immigration problem is a whole different matter.

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