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Foriegners and English


Renegade

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Should people who wish to immigrate to the UK have to be able to speak English or agree to take compulsory English learning courses when they get here, before they are allowed to come in? The Spanish have this system and I think it would be good in the UK too.

Edited by Renegade
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Depends on their level. If they're in demand (top scientist/engineer/doctor etc) then get them in no matter what. Short-term? Doesn't really matter. Looking to come over, stay for a good few years, then should be making a contribution to society, so, yeah, then.

There are immigrant tests now. Pretty sure they must be taken in English, Welsh or Gaelic (may be wrong there but I don't think I am). I'm sure you can see them somewhere online. The questions can be pretty ridiculous as regards what it means to be a British citizen. I remember a colleague who was sitting the exam asking me how many countries were in the Commonwealth. I guessed about 20. Without looking, what's your guess. I'll post the answer later.

Obviously EU countries can come in no matter what but then we can also go to theirs without restriction, so fair enough. I'm also in the Middle East and do short-term work on places in Africa and the former Soviet Union. No language restrictions there (although a long-term work permit has pretty much the same restrictions as in Western countries).

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I believe ALL people coming to this country should be fluent in english. That way we stop creating posts such as Interpreters in for example hospitals etc at ?30 per hour. Its disgusting! Same with schools! If you cant speak the lingo...tuff...go somewhere else.

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I believe ALL people coming to this country should be fluent in english. That way we stop creating posts such as Interpreters in for example hospitals etc at ?30 per hour. Its disgusting! Same with schools! If you cant speak the lingo...tuff...go somewhere else.

Smee do you believe it should also be the same the other way, there a huge number of Scots working in Non English speaking countries throughout the world, I was one of them when I went to Romania I could speak no Romanian. Do youthink that brits should not go abroad to work if they cant speak the lingo

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difference is stevico.....most of people from here, over in eastern european arent doing it for financial gain or general improvenment in quality of life. I think you find most arriving on these shores are doing it for them very reasons. And we certainly arent putting a strain on the resources in these countries

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Why do you think British people go to Eastern Europe, SMEE?

Is it to help people there? Are we furthering the the cause of justice and democracy? Are we enriching these places by installing good British values into the vacuum left by the heathen commies?

Perhaps not, i would suggest that the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe has provided us with rich pickings for what the British have been doing for centuries - raping the resources of poorer countries for our own material gain.

And no, i don't think people should be forced to learn English in order to come here and take back some of what has been stolen from them.

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I think there's a differnce between the VSO and other volunteers, along with TEFL teachers, who are there for the experience. I've currently personal reasons for living abroad but most jobs I do internationally pay at least as well as UK jobs. Same for most professionals. We do them as the host country doesn't have the expertise. There are added factors like travelling, seeing the world etc etc but it's no charity.

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I believe ALL people coming to this country should be fluent in english. That way we stop creating posts such as Interpreters in for example hospitals etc at ?30 per hour. Its disgusting! Same with schools! If you cant speak the lingo...tuff...go somewhere else.

And where are you going to put all those native Brits who fall a long way short of fluency in English? :rotflmao:

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Should people who wish to immigrate to the UK have to be able to speak English or agree to take compulsory English learning courses when they get here, before they are allowed to come in? The Spanish have this system and I think it would be good in the UK too.

There are more brits emigrating each year than migrants to the UK. How many of those bother about the language?

Pig-headed arrogance if you ask me. :rotflmao:

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Should people who wish to immigrate to the UK have to be able to speak English or agree to take compulsory English learning courses when they get here, before they are allowed to come in? The Spanish have this system and I think it would be good in the UK too.

No they dont. I have friends and relatives living and working in Spain. None of them speak Spanish.

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Should people who wish to immigrate to the UK have to be able to speak English or agree to take compulsory English learning courses when they get here, before they are allowed to come in? The Spanish have this system and I think it would be good in the UK too.

There are more brits emigrating each year than migrants to the UK. How many of those bother about the language?

You've got to look at where most of these folk go though. Australia, New Zealand, America, Canada must all be pretty high on the emmigration list.

Should people who wish to immigrate to the UK have to be able to speak English or agree to take compulsory English learning courses when they get here, before they are allowed to come in? The Spanish have this system and I think it would be good in the UK too.

No they dont. I have friends and relatives living and working in Spain. None of them speak Spanish.

Must be something Zapatero wants to bring in then, cause I'm certain that I heard that there was talk of it coming in.

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To turn it on it's head, my Arabic is really poor but I do try. I do know plenty of ex-pats that don't. It's pretty sad really as they miss out on so much. Why would you not want to learn at least some of your host country's language (except if you're only there very short-term)? Isn't it part of it all?

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To turn it on it's head, my Arabic is really poor but I do try. I do know plenty of ex-pats that don't. It's pretty sad really as they miss out on so much. Why would you not want to learn at least some of your host country's language (except if you're only there very short-term)? Isn't it part of it all?

Yes I agree, I can now speak Romanian but couldnt speak a word of it when I arrived over there

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Tough question - I think it depends on the individual's situation on why they want to live in that country - family, marriage, work, short-term etc but having the basics of the country's native language is extremely important

I have worked in several foreign countries now and always try to learn the basics of that language even though in my work environment English is always the common language used - not easy for someone who is linguistically challenged but I am with starchief on this one

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I think it should be the same all round i.e. if I go to spain I should be able to speak Spanish and anyone coming here from Spain should be able to speak English.

Personally, I would hate going to another country and not speaking the language.

I can get by with 'dos cervesa por favor' and one or two other phrases but to say that someone should be able to speak the language of the country they visit is downright stupid. I've been to russia, iceland, denmark, holland, germany, spain, france, mexico, panama, japan, malaysia, indonesia, greece, turkey. To follow your reckoning I'd be the most multi-lingual person on the planet before I stop travelling.

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If I were to move to a non-English speaking country, I would try my best (even though I'm useless at languages) to learn the lingo. Even a few phrases to get by is a better thing to do than nowt.

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And where are you going to put all those native Brits who fall a long way short of fluency in English? :rotflmao:

I blame the quality of teaching these days. It seems like teaching is just an inconvenience to a lot in the profession, many seem to have their fingers in a lot of different pies thus making them even less dedicated than you would expect.

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Should people who wish to immigrate to the UK have to be able to speak English or agree to take compulsory English learning courses when they get here, before they are allowed to come in? The Spanish have this system and I think it would be good in the UK too.

Looks like your English could be better . Are you a " Foriegner " ?

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Reported in today's paper....

Players joining British teams from outside the European Union will be given a year to learn English and pass an exam on the basics, under new immigration rules which come into force this autumn. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has given the scheme his backing. (Times)

Wonder what happens after a year if they still can't order a family meal at McDonalds.... :rotflmao:

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Should people who wish to immigrate to the UK have to be able to speak English or agree to take compulsory English learning courses when they get here, before they are allowed to come in? The Spanish have this system and I think it would be good in the UK too.

Looks like your English could be better . Are you a " Foriegner " ?

Or perhaps he's even a foreigner............................pots and kettles dalneigh

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