Portuguese Spoken Here
Over at Wonderdawg Blog
http://www.wonderdawg777.blogspot.com/
Kerry Woo has written that Nashville Metro Council has voted to make English the official language. I applaud them. Too many US government agencies have bent over backwards offering every official government document in every conceivable language. It is an expense that is unnecessary and inhibits the integration of immigrants into the culture.
Here in Brazil, everything is in Portuguese. When I took my driver's test, it was in Portuguese. There wasn't even a Spanish version available. When I have to visit the Federal Police (our INS) I can't ask for a translator. No Brazilian government documents are translated into English (or any other language) unless they are specifically for tourists or international business. Until 10 years ago when DirecTV came to Brazil, there was no English language television in the country.
This has made Brazil a true melting pot. People who immigrate here become Brazilians. I have neighbors and friends that are from Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay, Germany, Holland, Switzerland, Sweden, etc and all of them have one thing in common. They speak Portuguese because you can't function in this country without learning the language.
This compels immigrants to integrate themselves into the culture.
Years ago I met an American who was married to a Brazilian woman. He decided to move to Brazil but refused to learn the language. For two years she translated everything for him, including television programs (it was something to see). Finally they returned to the US because he said he couldn't adapt to the the culture. The real reason was he refused to adapt by simply learning the language.
A couple of years ago we went to Atlanta to visit a Brazilian church there. For three days we ate Brazilian food in Brazilian restaurants, shopped in Brazilian markets, watched Brazilian television and spoke only Portuguese. I was absolutely amazed and how they had transplanted their own culture there. Most of them spoke no English and had no desire to.
I find this type of mentality detrimental to a culture. Language is one thing we must hold in common. It has worked wonderfully here in Brazil. My hope is the US will do the same.
Thanks Nashville Metro Council for making a stand.
http://www.wonderdawg777.blogspot.com/
Kerry Woo has written that Nashville Metro Council has voted to make English the official language. I applaud them. Too many US government agencies have bent over backwards offering every official government document in every conceivable language. It is an expense that is unnecessary and inhibits the integration of immigrants into the culture.
Here in Brazil, everything is in Portuguese. When I took my driver's test, it was in Portuguese. There wasn't even a Spanish version available. When I have to visit the Federal Police (our INS) I can't ask for a translator. No Brazilian government documents are translated into English (or any other language) unless they are specifically for tourists or international business. Until 10 years ago when DirecTV came to Brazil, there was no English language television in the country.
This has made Brazil a true melting pot. People who immigrate here become Brazilians. I have neighbors and friends that are from Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay, Germany, Holland, Switzerland, Sweden, etc and all of them have one thing in common. They speak Portuguese because you can't function in this country without learning the language.
This compels immigrants to integrate themselves into the culture.
Years ago I met an American who was married to a Brazilian woman. He decided to move to Brazil but refused to learn the language. For two years she translated everything for him, including television programs (it was something to see). Finally they returned to the US because he said he couldn't adapt to the the culture. The real reason was he refused to adapt by simply learning the language.
A couple of years ago we went to Atlanta to visit a Brazilian church there. For three days we ate Brazilian food in Brazilian restaurants, shopped in Brazilian markets, watched Brazilian television and spoke only Portuguese. I was absolutely amazed and how they had transplanted their own culture there. Most of them spoke no English and had no desire to.
I find this type of mentality detrimental to a culture. Language is one thing we must hold in common. It has worked wonderfully here in Brazil. My hope is the US will do the same.
Thanks Nashville Metro Council for making a stand.
2 comments:
dude, I'm impressed with what you wrote, and glad too! I'm brazilian and lived in Manchester (a few miles from Murfresboro) as an exchange student! I love that place and also the people who lives there! my host father came to my house here in Brazil (Florianopolis, Santa Catarina) in the last january. He loved so much that he is trying to spread brazilian culture at the school he works for! He also wanted to learn Portuguese, but I'm having a hard time being so far. Can you give me a tip about that?
again, congrats about you blog!
Not sure where to post this but I wanted to ask if anyone has heard of National Clicks?
Can someone help me find it?
Overheard some co-workers talking about it all week but didn't have time to ask so I thought I would post it here to see if someone could help me out.
Seems to be getting alot of buzz right now.
Thanks
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