Speak English?

[Jemisa]

Should foreigners who come here to live and work be able to speak English?
Evidently there's a new law that says YES and they won't be able to enter the country without a test.

Having said that, what about the Brits that go out to Spain to live without being able to speak a word of Spanish? Should Spain enforce this law too.?

jem

[pa___ul3]

I'd love to know how many of the people insisting on these foreigners learning English actually speak another language themselves.

[Sqad]

One emigrates to another country to either retire or work and the success of your lifestyle may depend upon to which country you choice and what you intend to do.

If you go to work in an an Arab country, the chances of you speaking Arabic is small.....phrases ....yes....and Arabic that pertains to your work, but that apart...........forget it.

Spain and the continent is slightly different in that if you intend to work, one must learn the language, although retiring can be quite successful without learning the language. As one gets older the capacity to lean a foreign language falls dramatically.

I am sure that the Indian discussed would be better off if he could speak English, but as it seems that he will play little or no part in the UK economy, speech will not be a factor.

Is it justifiable to allow one into the UK who not only cannot speak the language but will not contribute and may well live off benefits, is quite another matter.

[Ankou]

my wife would have provided no tangible benefit to the economy of saudi.

[Sqad]

ankou....right.

[Ankou]

.... so ?

[Safiya]

*If you go to work in an an Arab country, the chances of you speaking Arabic is small.....phrases ....yes....and Arabic that pertains to your work, but that apart...........forget it. *

whys thats sqad? do you mean the chances of speaking arabic (before you go) are pretty small or the chances of you learning it after you get there are pretty small.... or something else? excuse my stupidity im having one of those mornings

[Sqad]

safiya....both..... Arabic is a very difficult language to learn for the Westerner and even more difficult to write. I only know a very few Westerners who could speak fluent Arabic, but none that could write it.

Ankou........that was a statement.........I am not sure what you are looking for.

[237SJ]

If someone of workable age comes here then yes, I think they should be able to speak English. They`re not going to work and contribute to the economy if they don`t. If someone is retiring here (such as Granny from Mumbai) and she`ll be in the bosom of her family and community then she doesn`t necessarily need to speak the lingo. The same goes for people going the other way although personally I wouldn`t want to go to live somewhere unless I at least made an effort to learn the language before I went.

[Safiya]

ah im with you sqad..... just couldnt work out what you meant, also wasnt sure if you meant you wouldnt need to speak it over there......

It is a pretty hard language to learn......I can speak the Arabic I wanted to learn for salat and a couple of other bits and bobs.... theres no way i will ever be fluent in it simply because i dont need it..... my pronounciation must stink tbh...... and the only thing i can write in it is my name....though i do recognise some written arabic that i cant write... it is a very beautiful language to listen to though imo

[Sqad]

safiya...LOL....yepp, not the easiest of languages.

[Ankou]

sqad, if i wanted my wife to join me in saudi, should she have to learn to speak arabic and write it fluently enough to pass a test before she could enter the country ?

secondly, would my children have to do the same?

if it is extremely difficult for us to learn arabic, and probably gujurati - although i do know a little urdu - then why does everyone here assume it is so easy for them to learn english ?

english people would struggle to ask for a beer in the native language of many european countries, let alone further afield. as i said, its one rule for us and one for them.

[pa___ul3]

English must be a pretty difficult language to learn too, probably because of it's different roots and it's phonetics.
Most romance languages are pretty easy because they tend to follow set rules. English, often, just doesn't make a lot of sense!

[Sqad]

ankou...just guessing, but I assume that you were employed by an American, French or English company who would be responsible for the financial aspects of travel and healthcare.......in other words the Saudi Government would be clear of any financial encumbrances brought on by the arrival of your wife and kids.

Can we say the same for this Indian situation?

No, in your situation, it would not be necessarily for your wife or kids to learn to speak Arabic, particularly as, again i assume, that you would be living in a Western compound, all English speaking.


From a language point of view, this Indian gentleman should be allowed immigration into the UK.....but once here ......who looks after him?

[Ankou]

actually sqad, i was employed by a saudi company.

[Sqad]

ankou...OK.

[piggynose]

5 years in spain now, and still dont speak much of the lingo. Tried classes, even live with a spanish bird, but still only know the basics!!

[Sqad]

piggy....:-).....do you work?

[Ankou]

sqad, as i understand it, mrs chapti has a job. maybe he would be a house husband.

[Sqad]

ankou...could be!

I cannot think of another job for him.

[piggynose]

yes sqad, but not at the moment, i´m an english teacher and its the long summer break as you well know.