How Far Would Answerbanks Lovely Humanitarians Go?

[-Talbot-]

Would you learn Arabic or another language to help migrants integrate?

http://www.politico.eu/article/germans-should-learn-arabic-says-green-mp-volker-beck/


Good idea or just some idiot saying ...

''look at me, look at what a wonderful human being I am''

[naomi24]

Idiot.

[Old_Geezer]

I trust you mean Volker

[ummmm]

Just some idiot.

[naomi24]

Haha! Yes, of course.

[Lunol]

LOl! He IS saying ''look at me, look at what a wonderful human being I am'' imo.

It's generally a good idea to learn other languages but if Arabic,Turks etc.. are moving to another country then it is in THEIR interest to learn the local language,culture and laws as the intelligent of us do when we visit their countries. ( I do have friends who are Arabic,Turkish etc.. and haven't asked for their views on this but know they would 100% agree with me on this subject )

[vulcan42]

Why on earth should anybody learn another language just to "fit into" their own society? It's the immigrant's who should be learning to fit in.

[naomi24]

//Why on earth should anybody learn another language just to "fit into" their own society?//

The suggestion seems to be that Germans learn these languages in order to fit into other people's 'societies'. Stupid man! (Him - not you, Vulcan).

[andy-hughes]

Leaving aside the sarcasm built into the OP, I am in agreement with posters so far -

it is custom and practice for obvious practical reasons, that someone moving to another country will learn the language and customs in order to fit in with the society and culture in which they are living.

The notion that the citizens should learn - in this case Arabic seems to me to be a self-aggrandising notion based entirely on self-promotion.

I would have no time for it, and more importantly, I suggest that the majority of immigrants in any country would have no time for it either.

[hc4361]

Become fluent in Arabic and earn a small fortune as a police/court translator.

[Baldric]

Do we know what Languages Volker Beck speaks?

[maggiebee]

Think that some on here would just as soon put a bullet behind a migrant's ear than help by learning their language.

[hc4361]

I remember West Midlands paying for a handful of police officers to learn Chinese to help them police the Chinese Quarter.

[hereIam]

Who for example Maggie ?

[Togo]

I think I will learn Klingon...........I mean you never know.

[Lunol]

"I remember West Midlands paying for a handful of police officers to learn Chinese to help them police the Chinese Quarter. "

Wouldn't it have been cheaper and much more effective to just have employed Chinese police officers who know and understand the culture more than a british officer who still would have been viewed with suspicion by the Chinese when reporting crimes?

[EdmundD]

At the end of the article he seems to backtrack saying it's important to "learn, understand and speak German" but that it's different for policeman and social workers.

[ummmm]

Maggie....what planet are you on?

[hereIam]

I hope she answers you ummmm, she hasn't answered me.

[murraymints]

Togo is Nanu NANU klingon ?? dunno but I tried !

[Togo]

That is Orkan Minty, it means hello when accompanied by the "hand shake" or goodbye when you put your hand our head. Under no circumstances use the Orkan word Shazbot (^_*)