Re: Serious question: Why is it only the Spanish speakers that can't learn English in America?

Brian Ahearn

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Feb 27, 2013, 11:37:20 AM2/27/13

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Tom P wrote on Tue, 26 Feb 2013 23:42:23 +0100:

> As my Mexican and Peruvian friends point out, gringos tend to confuse
> their anglophone country with America when referring to themselves. The
> entire population of The Americas is of the order of 900 million, and
> only a minority speak English as a first language.

My apologies. Thanks for the heads-up as I wasn't aware of the sensitivity
to the use of "America" for "USA".

To be clear, I'm talking about the "United States" of America, where most
people speak (Am) English, yet, where the variety of immigrants is legendary.

Of all those immigrants, it appears only the Spanish-speaking ones are
the ones who can't seem to learn the language.

I don't understand what's different. It isn't the language. It isn't
even the demographics because the Asian immigrants far outnumber the
Hispanics 20 to 1 in some communities.

So, it must be the culture.

But what is it about the Hispanic culture that makes them unable
or unwilling to learn basic (Am) English? That's what I don't get.

Dev

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Feb 27, 2013, 2:16:29 PM2/27/13

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In article <kglco0$uqs$1...@news.albasani.net>,

Forgiven the slowness of my understanding but why has this been posted to
uk.culture.language.english? It seems impertinent.

--
Dev

Om Namah Shivaya | Om Pashavimo-chakaya namaha

John Briggs

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Mar 2, 2013, 10:44:11 AM3/2/13

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Please don't feed the trolls.
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John Briggs

Ildhund

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Mar 10, 2013, 7:07:55 PM3/10/13

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Dev wrote...

> why has this been posted to uk.culture.language.english? It seems impertinent.

When is an antonym not an antonym? This looks like a good example of a word apparently having the opposite meaning to another in fact meaning something quite different. I agree that the question is /not pertinent/ to this newsgroup, but that doesn't mean that it's /impertinent/ (within the meaning of the act). A material that is not flammable is most certainly not inflammable.
--
Noel

Dev

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Mar 11, 2013, 8:46:59 AM3/11/13

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In article <khj3m2$rbk$1...@dont-email.me>,

Might I humbly suggest that you consult a good dictionary? ;-)

--
Dev

Om Namah Shivaya | Om Sarwagnyaya namaha

Ildhund

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Mar 31, 2013, 7:16:57 PM3/31/13

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Dev wrote...

>
> Ildhund wrote:
>> Dev wrote...
>>
>>> why has this been posted to uk.culture.language.english? It seems
>>> impertinent.
>>>
>> When is an antonym not an antonym? This looks like a good example of a
>> word apparently having the opposite meaning to another in fact meaning
>> something quite different. I agree that the question is /not pertinent/
>> to this newsgroup, but that doesn't mean that it's /impertinent/ (within
>> the meaning of the act). A material that is not flammable is most
>> certainly not inflammable.
>>
> Might I humbly suggest that you consult a good dictionary? ;-)

http://www.learnersdictionary.com/search/impertinent
--
Noel

Dev

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Apr 1, 2013, 9:50:51 AM4/1/13

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In article <kjag37$hq7$1...@dont-email.me>,

Tsk!

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/impertinent

;-))

--
Dev

Om Namah Shivaya | Om Bhujanga-bhusha-naya namaha