Fact is that the Southwestern US is often mostly Latino. The Latino population has been getting so much bigger over the years. We already make up more than 50% of the population in cities like L.A. So why are some Americans still too lazy to learn Spanish? There are many Mexicans who don't speak a word of English, so you're at a disadvantage if you want to sell to them, hire them or get a job.

I saw a news report saying most American public schools are making Spanish mandatory. It seems like if our kids are going to have to support half of Mexico, Mexicans should have to learn English
I guess in the future when American kids are robbed in Spanish, it will be safer to know the language.

Now I understand in california there's alot of mexicans but still do we really need that much of them ?

I'm moving to Brownsville Texas, and going to be on the Police Department. It's litereally the bottom of texas and there are a lot of mexicans (not to be racist, just stating a fact) there, i figure that if i learn Spanish, it'll help me out in my career. Any suggestions?

In the past I had a program that had 50 different languages that it could teach you, but I lost it. Does anyone know any other program that can teach me Spanish? Next semester I'm taking Spanish 1 and I would like to be up on the edge. Also there are a lot of Mexicans in our school and they play jokes on another, I want to know what they say when one of them freaks out.

Instead of the immigrants coming here to an English speaking country learning our language. Every other generation of immigrants were forced to learn English why can't all the Hispanics and mexicans do this too? Why are we labeled as intolerant and hateful for demanding this? Every other sane country does this why can't we

I've noticed a lot of Mexican-Americans (either born and raised in the US or came to the US as a baby) are damn good at Spanish and can downright switch from an American accent in English to a Mexican accent in Spanish. But do they ever get so good they can fake out real Mexicans?

The Spanish Media just repeat what Anglo media says... so don't worry about us.
We don't care about you. We are Mexicans, we watch soccer, go to church on sundays, play soccer, watch soup oears from Mexican TV stations, we work outrageously hard, we spend a lot of $$$ and send little bit to our fellows on poverty in Mexico, and we are here trying to learn about America and cecome part of your country, because we do all those jobs you citizens are so cool to do. Don't worry, we know must or you are brats who were born with a silver spoon in your mouth. But I just wanted you to remind you that Mexico is the largest producer of Silver in the world. We made all silver spoons you used amigos!
LOL

If I be a politician in your country, I would grant amnesty to my paisanos.
Wiyhout them.. our economies might collapse! You need them, they need you, so just lead with the example and grant them civil rights, justice and dignity!
They are America!
and
We are North America.
Cool eh?
In fact, Public education in your country need a Reform too... I know many kellow Mexicans who send their children to your schools are just used as scape goats to keep schools taking grants from your Federal government... hmmm.. education in USA is in " Only English".. that SKS! My paisanos are being deprived of their culture!
Estan en un proceso de desaculturizacion.
Da pena!
Monolingualism is retograde in a country which territory is on more than 50% Hispanic colonies.
I know you dont use silver spoons any more... I know no a days you use stainless steel from China.

Globalization is awsome isn't it gabachos?

I'm homeschooled online. I'm going to do the summer school program so I can get ahead and learn another language. I'm thinking Mandarin would be better for the long term, since China is overthrowing the United States economically and militarily. But I live in southern california, and there are alot of mexicans (unfortunately) here.

I hear people say that Puerto Ricans and many other Island Countries in the Caribbean speak the Spanish language in a "Ghetto" way as opposed to Mexicans who speak Spanish in a Clear and understandable way.

Can someone explain why people say this?

Please dont give me the dialect excuse. When a british person speaks to me, I can understand them, that is a dialect. A dialect is an accent, nothing more. Spaniards in SPAIN cannot understand most mexicans when they speak. I know this from personal experience having been to Madrid every summer since 2000 and that is what they have said, spaniards say not to call it spanish because its not spanish, its mexican. But even when you watch Mexican tv here, it looks more like a circus than it does programs. People wearing odd clothes and everything. Spanish is a beautiful language and Spain is a beautiful country with awesome culture, so why is it when mexicans talk it sounds like a bunch of chickens fighting?

I have some friends that speak Spanish because their parents speak it, but they feel uncomfortable because they grew up being discriminated against for speaking it.

Now that is political correct to speak it shall I force them?
Alorhali: It's not free will it's just some bad programming.

Calimecita: My approach consists on speaking only Spanish to them, and if they answer in English I tell them "Speak Spanish!".
Ok guys, first of all, thanks for answering and giving a fresh perspective.

For the ones that are answering to make them feel comfortable and to respect them and all of that, I understand that they feel uncomfortable because when they were kids maybe a teacher yelled to them "NO SPANISH!" or the kids didn't want to play with them because they were mexicans, or that they went through school feeling inadequate and discriminated... However, that was the past, they are not kids anymore they are grownups, and those days are gone, now it is politically correct to speak Spanish, so they should leave behind those memories... Do you have another point of view to refute that argument?
Cool Dr. Shorty, good questions:

1) Spanish is my favorite language.
2) I have many friends, some of them spent time in Spanish speaking countries, other have parents with limited knowledge of Spanish, and must speak well when we are by ourselves. They don't have that excuse.
3) Different places, what makes them more uncomfortable is when there are people that may discriminate them around, like what the other user posted.
4) I want to force them because it's more natural to speak it.

i was practicing my spanish with a chilean i met today and ive spoken with ecuadorians, mexicans, spaniards, and argentinians, and ive got to say chileans speak sooo fast why is that? or did i come across a rare case? thanks

Because when I vacationed in Florida all the Cubans there talked to me in Spanish without even asking me if I spoke it, while where I grew up the Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Ecuadorians and other "latinos", usually ask whether I speak Spanish before talking to me in that language.

I saw a sign advertising "Learn to speak English" geared towards the spanish-speaking population....I wonder if I could do this on the side. It would make me feel a whole lot better about Mexicans not knowing how to speak English while they live here, that at least they're trying...what do you guys think?
I don't mean to sound racist or anything. I just meant maybe I could teach English to those who need it for their jobs, citizenship, ect....
would I also have to teach people to write ? This sign I saw advertised to learn (English) for an hour per person.

During a recent evaluation my employer denied me a raise because I can not speak spanish, most of our labors are mexicans.

For some reason Americans only tell mexicans to speak english but its ok for muslims, chinese, portuguese and even spaniards to speak their language. WHY????

I am mexican and he is white. He says I sound sexy when I speak spanish. What can I say that will turn him on and that won't make me feel stupid?
The sad thing is that people with such bad vibes and energies took this question and made it a racial issue. Mexicans and Latinos are not bad or lazy and just because I am dating a white man does not mean that I am looking for a green card. I have nothing to explain to you, and I did report all of you who were vulgar. I am sorry that your minds are so closed. I happen to live in a place where people are open and loving of one another. So good luck people. And you did piss me off, but I can just imagine what you look like and what you do. So if mexicans are bad because were not trash or whores like your idols then that is your opinion. I know that not all people are like that so I thank those of you who did actually answer the question I wish that I could give all of you the best answers. Have a great day!

A Mexican-American colleague claimed that Mexicans are offended when non-Hispanic Americans speak Spanish. However, I was under the impression that Americans were criticized by the rest of the world for speaking only English.

How come Mexicans don’t want to speak English in America.Do they want to be Americans, or they want to be something ells?

You get Mexicans who've been in the US for several generations, do they still speak Spanish? Many are in Mexico. People like Robert Rodriguez and Eva Longoria have roots in the US for ages, do they still speak Spanish??

Why do Mexicans not lose their language, while all the Germans, Irish, Italians etc cannot speak those languages in the US?

I think if the Mexicans are going to come over here they need to learn English, we shouldn't have to learn their language. When we go over to Mexico, they don't have to learn our langauge.

I live in El Paso where the population is predominantly mexican, i have been trying to get a job for weeks, but every job i apply for i get turned down because im not billingual. i have two kids to feed and the bills keep coming. it makes me so angry. why cant they get out and live in thier own country? they could make it like america if they like it here so much. im sure mcdonalds would open up a chain down there.
i dont think you idiots understand that in america the official language is english. and just because mexicans invaded shouldnt mean that i have to learn thier language to work.

gimmick to get the Spanish vote? Would really love to hear what legal Mexicans and illegals think.

I couldn't believe it. in my city in california there was a recent change that i do not agree with. The people working at the bus terminal usually announce the bus line that has arrived so that people know and can get into the bus they need. But just recently they began to say it also in spanish. VERY VERY stupid. Numbrs from 1 to 20 should not be hard for any spanish speakers and specially since the spanish speakers here who are mexicans have lived here for years, spanish speakers from spain or europe are likely to already know english,, that's not even asking the people to learn english. it's just 20 numbers. I think it's the fault of the dumb bus station or government for that useless nonsense change. It's just making hispanics not want to learn english, cause they don't need it . I'm hispanic mexican and i can't believe they had to have translation for 20 numbers.

where i live our schools are making it manditory for all kids to learn spanish in order to graduate, why if they don't teach the native american languages and our people had to learn english do my children have to learn a language that is not in there history?
yea i have i didn't grow up in a barn and i do understand that i live in texas but it is a fact the native americans had their culture taken from them amoung other things and i beleive that my children should be allowed to practice their heritage and not the majorities, it is still america or did they take that too? i mean how many kids in the tribes will never know the true stories or our elders and how many will be able to tell you in spanish or german or french things they can't tell yoyu in their own language how would like to have your language taken your heritage taken and i never said i speak it just that i don't agree with my daughter and son having to learn something that was taken from our people
well they are usefull for if not for the navajo language we would be under rule of hitler even the spanish and mexicans and by the way i speak three languages german romanian and english i am educated and it was a simple question, to simply assume that i am uneducated shows how small minded americans have become and further more i never said i disagree with mexicans but that i disagree with the thought that the language has to be spanish for you see if you want to try and say that romainian is usless then tell the millions of children who were brought here and had their lives saved by the very same tax payers that pay school taxes, and if germain is useless then watch out for the police dogs for they understand more languages than most humans and last but not least i think this is why god made the tower of bable cause no one can agree what is a good way talk, even us uneducated folk you know , but hey it don't take much book smarts to put your life on the line no matter what the race!!
looks don 't make the heritage and yes i am! that is a very old pic and a out of focus one, but it shows how americans all go by looks, hmmm seems to me that some of us don't look their race either..... but you know like i said a simple question...... oh well guess america hasn't changed that much
ya well first off i misspell things due to a lack of sleep i work 12 hours a day and i don't have to prove myself to you or anyone else for one thing is true no matter the spelling the truth is the truth and SOME PEOPLE NEED TO REALIZE that in this world so few things are more important to a human than who they really are, so forgive me if i misspell because i had to support my family and that took more importance than being awake enought to spell and put things the way you say they should i speak german due to the fact that i owned a retired police dog as a teen and i had to learn his commands as for any thing else you may want to put a person DOWN FOR i will remind you that no race is above any other, and i never said spanish had no use. see you can type what ever you want into your computer but nothing changes the facts, they are written in stone, if i make mistakes that only means i am human. but you know IT TAKES ONE TO KNOW ONE!!!!

its sad cuz im puerto rican but i live n arizona n u only learn spanish da way mexicans speak it. so plz help i wanna go to mi country/state n a few years n want to learn it.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if you want to do business with another country, you should learn their language. (Chinese sell cheap crap to us, they know English) In the case of immigration, Mexicans are coming HERE to do business, so why are we being forced to learn their language? Wouldn't it make a lot more sense if we were forced to learn, lets say, Chinese? Hispanics provide cheap, dependable labor, and that's why we hire them. But really, aren't they taking advantage of us by making us learn their language? Spanish wouldn't be the best language to learn, in my opinion. There aren't nearly as many business opportunities for Americans in Spanish speaking countries then there are in Asia, and I really think we're wasting our time learning Spanish. Some of them have been in this country for YEARS and still can't speak fluent English. Why? Because we accommodate to them, and burn money on services to help them. When everyone came to Ellis Island, they were forced to learn English. Why is it different now?

This may seem over the top, but I think that some people don't want Hispanics to learn English because they wish for them to remain a permanent underclass. That way, they can keep hiring them to do work for 2 bucks an hour.
Yeah Obama would rather have us learn Spanish then them learn English. He actually did say this.

In the USA I mean. I don't think so at all. I believe that if the Mexicans want to come here, THEY should be the ones learning English and that Spanish shouldn't be mandatory in schools. What do you think?