Press 1 for English

I couldn't agree with you more. I remember walking into bank and asking for bank rep to give me a call. Just because of my name (not even close to Spanish), rep returned my call in Spanish. I don't speak or understand Spanish. I was very mad. Yes, I want all in English only. We habla everything in this country.

It is annoying on the phone but I think the what you speak...is such a small part of it...I just hate the pushing button after button to get a human on the line.As for the different languages it doesn't bother me at all.I come from so many different cultures and my mother spoke 2 languages and my dad many.I was not allowed to speak any language at home but english because my father's mother felt strongly about us acting like Americans ...but I got cheated..I could be fluently speaking 5 languages.Amera has been built on the sweat and tears of many people .I hope I haven't offended you,Emerald...just my thoughts. Cheers

in my opinion, I think US has got a diverse culture though. I think it's still good to provide several languages so everyone can participate in the same service though.

I agree adn I have wondered why we have to do that in our country as well. I hate those automated messages anyway. I just want to speak to a real person and in English and I wish they would just stop wasting my time with puching numbers. LOL

This is really a good subject! there was a play at the University I really wanted to see, the add was in English, but in small print it said, "read in Spanish by request" ARGH! Ok, it gets worse, a temp job I was doing, the supervisor would only speak Spanish, not English... made the job impossible. I thought I lived in America where English was the official language. EGAD.

I find it very frustrating every time I try to call a company and I get Press 1 for English.If I was in another country then I would make the effort to learn that countries language. Why should a country modify its language to suit someone elses needs. Thats not even touching on the subject of how much extra it costs to have to do things very multiple languages. We have to pay for people to be taught English. They should have learned it before they came here.

I have wondered about that too. If I moved to France the citizens would expect me to speak french. If I moved to Mexico I would be expected to speak spanish. So why do people move to the U.S. and expect everyone to learn their language? I know this is the melting pot but things have gotten ridiculous! If you're going to live here, for decency sake, LEARN ENGLISH!

hehehe. I like that. I agree with you to! I mean COME ON! I believe in a multi-cultural country but pick a language and stick with it - on a business level. If you want to still learn what ever language - fine but you should at least know English.

I think if the people that come to this country want to be here because it is a great country to live in, then they should make the effort to learn the language, which is English. They can keep their heritage and culture alive in their homes, in their friend/family circles, in their cultural stores, in their cultural specific places of worship, but it is a privelege to live and work in the U.S. -- if they want to retain their own countries rights, then they should not come here in the 1st place. One day the U.S. will become like all other countries that people are trying to get out off because it has been ruined by all those that do not respect where they are now living ~ and Americans are to blame as well for letting it all happen. Is that outspoken enough for you! lol

I get tired of the pushing "1" also. I do alot of telephone banking, etc. and that is how it always starts out. What makes it worse for my family is that my husbands last name is Spanish. His great grandfather was from Spain, so everyone that sends us mail automatically thinks we speak Spanish. LOL He doesn't know any Spanish at all. We get mail that is all in Spanish and who knows what it says!

I think it is good the government hasn't made English the official language.I like that it is open. In my neighborhood you can hear Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and even Arabic being spoken.Any new American still has to know some English. But there are still places where you don't need to know English.Some thing tells me if you want the majority to decide what language should be named the official lanuage of the U.S. in about 5 to 10 years it would be Spanish.

Oh boy you are so right. My grandparents came to the USA and learned to speack english. If we go to another county we are expected to speak their language.

I wholeheartedly agree that there should be only one language for the people of America. If you want to speak, read or write your own native language, fine, but to force it on the people of America in telephone recordings, billboards and the like is ridiculous! I have an 18 month old son and have to inspect the toys I buy for him to make sure that it is an English version. What lunacy! A lot of the toys that he was given for his birthday and Christmas have a button so you can switch it from English speaking to Spanish speaking. Some of the shows on TV are geared for teaching Spanish as well, I'm sorry, I don't think that my son needs to learn that. It is hard enough to get him to speak English properly, the last thing I need is for him to speak in both languages. I can understand tourist attractions needing to have more than one language if they are receiving visitors from around the world, we have to look out for thier safety as well. But in my opinion, if you are living here in America, you darn well better speak, read and write English like the rest of us. I don't go to France, Italy or Spain and EXPECT them to cater to me because I speak a differnt language, I don't EXPECT the signs in their cities to be in English so I can get around. I once got yelled at, in Spanish, by a gentleman who was furious that I couldn't speak or understand Spanish. Excuse me? I am an American living in America, where does it say that I am required to understand your language? Sorry for going off like that, this is subject that I have been upset over for quite a long time. Great topic by the way.

i wish they would too. i'll tell you what though-most of the time,if i just get a real human anymore,instead of a machine,i'm so happy i don't notice what language it's in LOL i've actually fallen asleep while waiting for a tech to come on line

Yeah I find it difficult when I come to America because even though you talk English it is a different vocab to Britain. We seem to use different words like lift for elevator. Or tea for a cup of tea. Tea for dinner, etc. I remember when I came to the States I asked this guy where is the lift please? He replied lift? I said yeah the lift? He said Oh you mean the elevator? We both ended up laughing.

if we went to another country and moved there permanently we'd be expected to adapt and learn the language if we did not already know it - why do we have to bend over backward more than double to make allowances for people who have moved here to live? its getting to a point now where people born HERE have to be bilingual in something to even get some jobs - I can understand that its helpful if you have it, but its becoming a requirement. sigh

I don't mind if other ppl want to speak their own language to each other but when they are out shopping or doing business with other ppl then they should know to speak English and speak it well. Half the time when I'm on the phone trying to get something fixed or needing info, I usually get someone with a very heavy accent that I can't understand and have to ask them to speak to their supervisor cause of that very reason. This is the US...speak ENGLISH and speak it clearly!!!!

To tell the truth I am amazed about this thread (only a little bit but still). I mean you all have a point when you say that English is the official language. It is and it should be used almost everywhere by default. I agree with that. But I don't see why it bothers some of you so much that some services are alternately offered in other languages. I bet very few of you have ever tried learning another language to see that it doesn't take you ten minutes to do that, especially if you're older. I definitely think all American residents should learn English. But until they do you want to refuse them some facilities such as the ability to withdraw money or even call an ambulance? I don't think that's fair. Oh and about other countries. You all say if I went to another country I were expected to know the language. Most countries I've been in offer alternate services in English especially for foreigners. And I salute that and I was glad of that because although I know quite a bunch of languages I cannot know them all. From that point of view also I don't see why it bother you offering alternate possibilities when other countries aren't bothered by that. I think the truth is somewhere in the middle though but some of people who participated in this discussion really need to be more permissive. Is not like some of their rights are annuled by this, it's just offering the same rights to other people. People who participate in the economy just like you.

Did you know that this country will give an ilegl a cell phone for free so that hey have a translater 24/7!? I am fed up with it all! My husband served this country and now we put polititions in place that want to form the "North American Alliance". This will remove all boarders and this country is no more. My husband believes that true Americans should be screaming for the roof tops for answers. Why do we not chalange the people that we elect? DO you beleive that they know what is best for us? Stand up and demand answers, protest, raise hell or our children will have no country to call their own!

I know what you mean I find the whole thing ironic---to be honest I hate the whole automated phone system to begin with---it's not only press 1 for English, but a whole mess of numbers you have to punch in to get where you want to be--and rarely does one get to speak to a real live person--oh, no heaven forbid!--I guess there is a courtesy thing involved since the usual thing is press 1 for English, 2 for Spanish since there is a large Spanish speaking community here in US--I suppose though if we were in Canada though it would be press 1 for English and press 2 for Parlez Francais--LOL