# Do you speak spanish?



## newguy07 (Sep 22, 2007)

Do you speak spanish or feel the need to learn spanish? If you learned spanish do you think it helped your business or job?


Let me know.


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## MattCoops (Apr 7, 2006)

Why stop at learning spanish?
Why not be forced to learn other languages as well.

Let me ask you this...

If you went to another country to conduct business, would they learn English for you?

The day I see the constitution written in spanish is the day I start to learn it.


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## K2 (Jul 8, 2005)

newguy07 said:


> Do you speak spanish or feel the need to learn spanish? If you learned spanish do you think it helped your business or job?
> 
> QUOTE]
> 
> Si, Si Si. Nesisito practicar mas.= Necessary I practice more. pretty simple.


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## K2 (Jul 8, 2005)

MattCoops said:


> Why stop at learning spanish?
> 
> 
> Let me ask you this...
> ...


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## Tscarborough (Feb 25, 2006)

I do, I don't have to though.


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## Cole (Aug 27, 2004)

I know enough to tell guys what to do etc...

Do I want to learn more, no!


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## camaroman2125 (Apr 13, 2006)

> Do you speak spanish


sí, tuve que tomarlo en highschool= yes I had to take it in highschool



> If you learned spanish do you think it helped your business or job?


no realmente, sólo útil cuando quiero en cuss en alguien = not really, just usefull when I wanna cuss at someone


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## Kent Whitten (Mar 24, 2006)

My signature says it all. SHOULDN'T have to, but it's a fact of life now. But like said earlier, why stop at Spanish? Why not french? or portuguese (like in this neighborhood of Boston) how 'bout american indian? russian, japanese, chinese?

I don't recall that Italians who immigrated here to the US had a problem learning english to assimilate into our society. They still speak Italian to other Italians, and clear recognizable english to the english speaking people here.

Hispanics sure seem like they don't want to bother learning too much english. They learn just enough to get by and that's only some of the time.

I'm fed up with this multilanguage on the side of boxes and products. english, spanish, french. why not the other 100 or so languages in this world?


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## Susan Betz (Feb 21, 2007)

I took French in high school. Just one of the useless decisions I made in my life. I wish I had taken Spanish. I would have found a use for it, especially here in Florida.

Remember, not all Spanish speakers are illegal. And when the Europeans came here, in most cases they didn't bother to learn the native language. It may be time to suck it up and acknowledge that a large proportion of our nation's population speaks Spanish. 

They deal with two languages in Canada fairly well. Most Europeans speak more than one language. It's just not that big of a deal.


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## daArch (Jun 8, 2007)

No, I know no other language but American English - although some classes in French, German, and Latin have a lingering effect on me. I do not travel, therefore I have no need to learn a foreign language.

It is rude (and Americans are notorious for it) to visit another country and expect them to converse with you in your native tongue. 

Many point to their forebearers who arrived in this country and learned the language of the land. Sorry, but many of our forebearers landed amongst the Native Americans and DID NOT learn the language of the land, we invaded and forced the inhabitants to give up their culture. The white Eupopeans conquered this land and its people. The Spanish did it in Western North America, Central America, and South America. The Portuguese planted their flag in parts of South America (if I have my history essentially accurate). When the United States took CA, NV, CO, UT, AZ, TX, & NM from Mexico (OK, "won" it) did we graciously allow and encourage the population to keep their culture and language? 

Well, now we are being invaded by a number of cultures. Many are not interested in being assimilated, they are attempting to INVADE and CONQUER, just like my forebearers did to the Native Americans. 

Sorry to say it, but North America has a history of being invaded. 

And I do not like the shoe being on another foot.


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## Flacan (Aug 28, 2007)

MattCoops said:


> Let me ask you this...
> 
> If you went to another country to conduct business, would they learn English for you?


As a matter of fact, stop and ask directions in English anywhere in Europe, and chances are you'll get a response in English. 

Some of us Americans are starting to sound quite stuck-up, just like the French. :clap:


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## ruskent (Jun 20, 2005)

I have spanish guys. I flat out told them that i would NOT learn english to accomadate them. Most of them having improved since working for me.

I just got a call from a guy who was looking for work. Moved here 9 years ago. Speaks fluent english and spanish and has a DL! Sounds to good to be true.


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## daArch (Jun 8, 2007)

Susan Betz said:


> They deal with two languages in Canada fairly well. Most Europeans speak more than one language. It's just not that big of a deal.


Not sure I've heard too many reports that Canada deals fairly well with two languages. Unless of course the never ending attempt of Quebec to become a sovereign country is your idea of "fairly well" .

The (French-Canadian) Qubecians refuse to speak English, unless they realize you are a US citizen with money to spend.


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## K2 (Jul 8, 2005)

ruskent said:


> I have spanish guys. I flat out told them that i would NOT learn english to accomadate them.
> 
> QUOTE]
> 
> your doing pretty well


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## d-rez (May 16, 2007)

I know very little spanish and only speak to my guys in english. I do not think it helps them if I spoke spanish to them. Sometimes when I am talking about something or am pointing at something, they will say it in spanish to me, as if I am trying to learn, I tell them 'NO' and say the word in english. They say they want to learn and I have even had one insist several times he is going to take classes at the local cc. Never happened. Not suprized.-Chris


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## Kent Whitten (Mar 24, 2006)

ruskent said:


> ......that i would NOT learn english .......



:laughing:

Oh..we all know what you meant....señor


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## dlcj (Oct 1, 2007)

framerman said:


> [I'm fed up with this multilanguage on the side of boxes and products.] You dam right! Look how much paper we could save on the instruction booklets that come with products if they where just in english!


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## airborneSGT (Feb 19, 2007)

Im Filipino and Spanish but I speak English. Heck we spoke in English in the Army just fine and we all managed to jump from planes, invaid Afghanistan and Iraq, plus survive in a GP medium tent with 9 guys for nearly a year at a time.

Seriousy though, this is America - SPEAK ENGLISH! In the 13 or so other countries I have been to I dont recall many of them changing their laws or language to suit other people. 

If you are from another country and you come here to work and live then you better learn the language. If I moved to Germany and I wanted to work and live there I guess I would learn to speak German.


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## Susan Betz (Feb 21, 2007)

daArch said:


> Not sure I've heard too many reports that Canada deals fairly well with two languages. Unless of course the never ending attempt of Quebec to become a sovereign country is your idea of "fairly well" .
> 
> The (French-Canadian) Qubecians refuse to speak English, unless they realize you are a US citizen with money to spend.


Secession hasn't really been a legal issue since 1998. The rest of the country is pretty indifferent to the dual-language requirements. It's just something that's done, not argued with. 

There are parts of Miami and southern Florida where there's no English spoken, unless you have money to spend. Hmm... 

At any rate, I predict that eventually, accomodating Spanish here will be something that's done, not argued with.


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## tinner666 (Nov 3, 2004)

No need since I only hire English speaking people.


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## Cole (Aug 27, 2004)

RizzoMaryland said:


> "SHED-N-DECK" David Davis
> 
> 
> I am not saying people shouldn't learn english here in the US or anywhere else in the world for that matter. English is the language that all international business is done in (except between countries that share official languages). And so english is a necessity for all businessmen/women now regardless of where you live. I have traveled to over 20 countries myself and can vouch for this.
> ...


:thumbsup:


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## Celtic (May 23, 2007)

Susan Betz said:


> Puerto Ricans, for example, are as much US citizens as anyone ....


Not exactly...


> The people of Puerto Rico do not vote in national elections. They are represented in Congress by a Resident Commissioner who has a voice in the House of Representatives but no vote. Most federal taxes are not levied in Puerto Rico. No federal income tax is collected from island residents on ordinary income, except in cases of Federal employees.




http://www.boricua.com/facts.htm


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## Susan Betz (Feb 21, 2007)

Celtic said:


> Not exactly...
> 
> 
> http://www.boricua.com/facts.htm
> ...


Those facts are because Puerto Rico is a territory, and not a state. Its inhabitants are still US citizens. They can carry US passports.


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## farmboy555 (Aug 13, 2006)

NO Don't speak it and don't plan on the need for it. I have a labor force of good old Red Neck Country Boy's


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## tinner666 (Nov 3, 2004)

Susan Betz said:


> Great post.
> 
> Most people who react to Spanish language being spoken in America are reacting to stereotypes. Specifically, if they speak Spanish, they are illegal. It's just not the case. Puerto Ricans, for example, are as much US citizens as anyone white contractor here on this board. Spanish is spoken in Puerto Rico, and when they come to the mainland for work (and they come, because there's a lot of poverty in Puerto Rico), they are perceived as illegals. Is that fair?



I know a few Puerto Ricans and they all speak Spanish. But they all speak English to me.


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## tinner666 (Nov 3, 2004)

:thumbsup:


RizzoMaryland said:


> "SHED-N-DECK" David Davis
> 
> 
> I am not saying people shouldn't learn english here in the US or anywhere else in the world for that matter. English is the language that all international business is done in (except between countries that share official languages). And so english is a necessity for all businessmen/women now regardless of where you live. I have traveled to over 20 countries myself and can vouch for this.
> ...



That's the meat of my unspoken sentiments. :thumbsup:

I was stirring the pot a bit though.


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## Celtic (May 23, 2007)

Susan Betz said:


> Puerto Ricans, for example, are as much US citizens as anyone ....
> 
> 
> celtic said:
> ...


Well the FACTS do not support your comments....how ever which way you want to spin it.


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## GSE (Aug 24, 2007)

Celtic said:


> Not exactly...
> 
> 
> http://www.boricua.com/facts.htm
> ...


It is intresting to see how may have the wrong information, but yet post it to be fact, plenty of google, but not much upstairs, from stored knowladge from actual life experances.

No other groups comming to this country, demanded to have the street signs, or the crazy change in printing, voting information in their language, these not people that want to be part of our country, they want to remain apart from from our union.


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## Celtic (May 23, 2007)

GSE said:


> It is intresting to see how may have the wrong information, but yet post it to be fact, plenty of google, but not much upstairs, from stored knowladge from actual life experances.
> 
> No other groups comming to this country, demanded to have the street signs, or the crazy change in printing, voting information in their language, these not people that want to be part of our country, they want to remain apart from from our union.



I couldn't understand what you were attempting to write there...


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## airborneSGT (Feb 19, 2007)

Speaking of English...when I was training with the Royal Parachute Regiment one of the instructors / NCO's was from Wales or Scotland. I had a hard time understanding him!

Then there came the British Army trying to teach me how to throw a grenade. The instructor gave me a period of instructions to which I just removed thumb safety, pulled the pin, and FRAG OUT! He then said yeah you could do it that way also.  I still have that lucky grenade pin in my kit somewhere.


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## send_it_all (Apr 10, 2007)

A couple of quotes from comedian Doug Stanhope. not verbatem, but as close as memory can get right now..

"Nationalism does nothing except teach you how to hate people you've never met, and take pride in accomplishments you had absolutely no part in"

"These people cross the border with no education, can't speak the language, most don't even have shoes on their feet, and you're worried about them stealing your job??? If these guys are qualified to do your job, you're a loser of such epic, humiliating proportion...."


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## Tscarborough (Feb 25, 2006)

The simple fact that a discussion of speaking a second language is associated with illegal immigration indicates a certain degree of bigotry in and of itself. 

When I lived in Lafayette, Lousyana, I learned pidgin French. I didn't Have to, but it certainly made me more successful. I began learning spanish because I fished in Mexico and Guatemala. I guess I could do what most stupid gringos do and just yell in english, like that makes it clearer.


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## Tscarborough (Feb 25, 2006)

This thread is about speaking spanish. The thread about illegal immigration is 2 doors down and to the right.


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## eagleandbaby (Oct 13, 2007)

send_it_all said:


> A couple of quotes from comedian Doug Stanhope. not verbatem, but as close as memory can get right now..
> 
> "Nationalism does nothing except teach you how to hate people you've never met, and take pride in accomplishments you had absolutely no part in"
> 
> "These people cross the border with no education, can't speak the language, most don't even have shoes on their feet, and you're worried about them stealing your job??? If these guys are qualified to do your job, you're a loser of such epic, humiliating proportion...."


Nice.


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## ModernStyle (May 7, 2007)

The whole reason anyone would have to learn spanish would be to accomidate illegal aliens who dont care to learn english, because I am yet to meet a citizen of the United States who could not speak english. So I would say that if Americans are learning spanish to be able to communicate with people living in the United States then those people more then likely are illegal, and that would tie the learning of spanish to illegal aliens. I dont mind being called a ****** or a gavacho, but go and call an illegal alien a mojado and watch them call you a racist. I know a little spanish, from my cousins and their husbands and from my best employee who happens to be a legal resident alien from Mexico. He teaches me words to kill time at work, not because I need to learn it for his sake, he speaks english perfectly.
I will never hire, work for, or do any kind of business with illegal aliens, and I dont ever plan to franchise my company and open a branch in Mexico, so I am cool with not ever learning spanish.


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## Tscarborough (Feb 25, 2006)

"The whole reason anyone would have to learn spanish would be to accomidate illegal aliens who dont care to learn english" Modernstyle

You don't travel much, do you? Spanish has been spoken here for 500 years, english for 200.


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## Tscarborough (Feb 25, 2006)

For that matter, they spoke German and Czech as the primary language in this area in many schools until the 1940s.


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## camaroman2125 (Apr 13, 2006)

> The whole reason anyone would have to learn spanish would be to accomidate illegal aliens who dont care to learn english, because I am yet to meet a citizen of the United States who could not speak english.


No the reason I learned spanish is cause it was offered in high school. The other reason is cause I wanted to learn a different language. A closed mind is a empty mind. Both me and my brother have taken spanish it has opened numerous doors for him and has givin him a great career in law enforcement for the government.


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## Nathan (Jul 21, 2003)

OK, I removed all the political crap and moved it to the politics and religion forum. If you want to talk politics go there. I don't want to see this thread turn into what it did before.

Lets stick with the original question...



newguy07 said:


> Do you speak spanish or feel the need to learn spanish? If you learned spanish do you think it helped your business or job?
> 
> 
> Let me know.


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## Second Look (Jan 13, 2007)

MattCoops said:


> Why stop at learning spanish?
> Why not be forced to learn other languages as well.


Who is forcing you to learn other languages?


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## Second Look (Jan 13, 2007)

I recently bought a subscription to Rosetta Stone and am learning Latin American Spanish. I'm glad there is such resistance to learning a second language, it will make my language skills all the more valuable.


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## Michaeljp86 (Apr 10, 2007)

I would like to, no I dont need to but I think in the future the way things are going this country will be 50% spanish. Not just contractors or people in construction will need to know spanish but all americans.

I know a few words because I would hear them say it and laugh, they were calling me cracker and white something.


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## shed-n-deck (Sep 25, 2007)

RizzoMaryland said:


> "SHED-N-DECK" David Davis
> 
> 
> I am not saying people shouldn't learn english here in the US or anywhere else in the world for that matter. English is the language that all international business is done in (except between countries that share official languages). And so english is a necessity for all businessmen/women now regardless of where you live. I have traveled to over 20 countries myself and can vouch for this.
> ...


I'm not trying to come across as closed minded. I don't have a problem learning to speak another language, but sometimes if feels as though I'm being pushed to learn another language. My sons school sends home correspondence in Spanish, and not English. It doesn't happen all of the time, but it happens....It's not offensive, but it is irritating. I realize that a lot of my problem is an unwillingness to accept such a major change and having nothing to do with the decision to make that change myself. I've wasted more time in the self checkouts at King Soopers telling the stupid machine what language I speak. Twenty years ago, it was a given, now I have to identify myself as an English speaker. It's irritating. 

I realize that this discussion has nothing to do with illegal immigrants, however, it is largely because of such a large wave of illegal immigrants that our language system is moving towards a 2 language system, and that's irritating. So basically, I'm being forced to make a major lifestyle change(not literally) because 11,000,000 people were told that it was okay to break the laws of the land.

I'm not closed minded though, not completely. I encourage my children to learn Spanish. I am intelligent enough to realize that their life will be a lot easier if they learn early on to conform, or at least make up their own mind about it.


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## works4me (Sep 1, 2007)

Newguy,
It depends what you are going to be doing (of course I don't think it would HURT you to always learn more in anyway). It sure would have come in handy for me today. I had a home inspection that took me twice as long as usual, I had to wait for the Realtor to translate everything after I said it.


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## Tscarborough (Feb 25, 2006)

20,000,000 (not eleven million) of 300 million can not make you change your ways. Speaking more than one language is simply good business.


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## dougchips (Apr 23, 2006)

Second Look said:


> I recently bought a subscription to Rosetta Stone and am learning Latin American Spanish. I'm glad there is such resistance to learning a second language, it will make my language skills all the more valuable.


Are you learning Spanish for the fun of it or do you have Spanish clients? I use to speak French well enough to carry a simple conversation but since I moved away from Northern VT I forgot most of it. Every time I travel I see the Rosetta Stone ads and start to think about taking up a second language. Here's the problem, my client's all speak English......the Italians in North Providence speak English, the Asians & Spanish in South Providence speak English, my Jewish clients on the east side ....the list goes on.

Does any of your marketing focus on people with a different language? Since I use my website for marketing, is Google/Yahoo available in other languages? 

Learning a second language is fun but if I don't use it I will forget it.


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## shed-n-deck (Sep 25, 2007)

dougchips said:


> is Google/Yahoo available in other languages?


Yes. http://www.google.com/intl/es/

Plus hundreds of other languages....Yahoo too I think, but I don't use Yahoo, so I don't know.


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## daArch (Jun 8, 2007)

Nathan said:


> OK, I removed all the political crap and moved it to the politics and religion forum. If you want to talk politics go there. I don't want to see this thread turn into what it did before.


First: Thank-you Nathan. That must have been a tough call, we are all walking a tight rope here.



dougchips said:


> Does any of your marketing focus on people with a different language? Since I use my website for marketing, is Google/Yahoo available in other languages?


Doug, bablefish will translate websites:
http://babelfish.yahoo.com/

I'd like to learn another language, but it ain't my forte. I just would hate to be forced to do so to be politically correct.

Many years ago, I had a job in a Hispanic section of Boston. I felt *I WAS* the rude invader not knowing the home owner's native language. "When in Rome......" Luckily she spoke English well

Made me laugh when some "activists" wanted the election ballotys written in some obscure Chinese dialect. At which point does it stop ? I guess that's why countries have "official" languages. It just makes it easier and safer for everyone to be able to communicate. 

Can you imagine how much time in your life could be saved if you did NOT have to "press 1 for English" ?


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## Kent Whitten (Mar 24, 2006)

Tscarborough said:


> You don't travel much, do you? Spanish has been spoken here for 500 years, english for 200.


Last I knew, Jamestown was landed in 1607 or something, but yes, the Spanish got here before the English. But then an Italian got here before both of them.....then the Indians were here....who knows how long. And before them?

I get a little ticked off at this stuff with the different languages on the side of boxes. We should stop, or put all of them on the side of the boxes.

Hispanics I think have been singled out because I think number one, they are the major minority (oxymoron?) and in general, they don't seem to care to assimilate into our society, they want to make their own in our country.

I don't see many other foreign born workers on the corner waiting for work like Hispanic. They are an easy target for discrimination.

Italians, Asians, Europeans, Russians....all seem to have assimilated here decently and without much fuss, so why the bigotry towards Hispanics? I just don't think that they are trying to assimilate and that rubs people the wrong way. It does to me. 

If you want to come here and live and make a life, great. If you want to come here just to make some money so you can live a better life back in your homeland later on, then I think you are taking advantage of the situation and people will abuse that situation...on both sides.

I do agree with what you said though, it does make good business sense to learn it, they are cheap labor force and all the big businesses are doing it with the Chinese. I'm thinking screw learning Spanish, learn Chinese. Or learn both.

Who knows anymore?


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## Putty Truck (Oct 6, 2007)

dougchips said:


> ...Does any of your marketing focus on people with a different language?....


As a matter of fact, during my last year in SoCal, my ads read:

"YES! WE SPEAK ENGLISH!"​
It was a great pull and eliminated many unwanted calls.​


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## SPCarpentry (Feb 12, 2007)

Never have. Never will. :no::no::no::no::no:


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## ModernStyle (May 7, 2007)

camaroman2125 said:


> No the reason I learned spanish is cause it was offered in high school. The other reason is cause I wanted to learn a different language. A closed mind is a empty mind. Both me and my brother have taken spanish it has opened numerous doors for him and has givin him a great career in law enforcement for the government.


He work for Immigration ?


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## camaroman2125 (Apr 13, 2006)

> He work for Immigration ?


No actually he doesn't. He works for the FBI


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## ModernStyle (May 7, 2007)

camaroman2125 said:


> No actually he doesn't. He works for the FBI


Moulder and Scully never spoke no stinkin' spanish.


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## K2 (Jul 8, 2005)

Ah Blow espanol.


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## K2 (Jul 8, 2005)

Come on. Spanish section with Tom R for mod. No takers.


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## airborneSGT (Feb 19, 2007)

K2 - Amen!!


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## concretemasonry (Dec 1, 2006)

If you only speak one language, you are at a definite disadvantage!!! - Chose your own second language.


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## nadonailer (Nov 15, 2005)

concretemasonry said:


> If you only speak one language, you are at a definite disadvantage!!! - Chose your own second language.


Not if the one language you speak is English.......


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## ModernStyle (May 7, 2007)

Tscarborough said:


> "The whole reason anyone would have to learn spanish would be to accomidate illegal aliens who dont care to learn english" Modernstyle
> 
> You don't travel much, do you? Spanish has been spoken here for 500 years, english for 200.


I dont time travel, so I have no idea what they did 500 years ago for sure. I did hear that people used to wipe their a$$ with pine cones before toilet paper was around, but I aint gonna try it. 
If we are gonna go by the oldest language I think that clicking stuff they do over in parts of Africa is the oldest language, so lets all go learn that.


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