Radio Times Prize Crossword 20 Sunday...
Crosswords0 min ago
When In Rome...
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There's always an argument for immigrants / visitors etc to the UK to adapt to our culture, but with such diversity do we even have a defined way of doing things that should be adhered to? How many of us Brits abide completely to a traditional British way of living and are in a position to argue against different cultures' dress, language and faith?
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The phrase 'When in Rome ...' is an utter nonsense, and looks very silly when used in the context of imigration.
How many Brits moving abroad absorb the langauge and culture of their adopted homeland to the degree that some people expect our immigrants to do?
Expecting people to simply delete their language, religion and culture and replace it with ours is not only utterly unreasonable, it is cruel.
How many Brits moving abroad absorb the langauge and culture of their adopted homeland to the degree that some people expect our immigrants to do?
Expecting people to simply delete their language, religion and culture and replace it with ours is not only utterly unreasonable, it is cruel.
It should be compulsary for immigrants to at least learn the language.
When I was in hospital in July there were two Asian women on my ward who must have lived here for at least 30 years and neither of them spoke a word of English.
They were allowed to have hordes of relatives with them at all times, but that is a separate gripe
When I was in hospital in July there were two Asian women on my ward who must have lived here for at least 30 years and neither of them spoke a word of English.
They were allowed to have hordes of relatives with them at all times, but that is a separate gripe
I think many Brits used to suffer the illusion that immigrants were, perforce, Anglophiles, who had, perhaps, spent their youth listening to the World Service, learning immaculate English and coming here out of sheer love for our way of life or because they despised their impoverished surroundings or small-minded compatriots.
Errr, nyoh. They're only here for the money* and, furthermore they have every right to behave just as the British Empire-wallahs did: - bring their culture and customs with them and flaunt it in the faces of the indigenous population.
At least they've had the decency to not conquer us, militarily, first.
Errr, nyoh. They're only here for the money* and, furthermore they have every right to behave just as the British Empire-wallahs did: - bring their culture and customs with them and flaunt it in the faces of the indigenous population.
At least they've had the decency to not conquer us, militarily, first.
I really do not understand where this notion that immigrants are compelled to adopt our language and cultuure has come from.
Why do immigrants have to conform in this way? Other countries do not make such demands on us - indeed, part of the insularity we experience is because we are never in need to learning another langauge because the world speaks our language.
If I interact abroad and do not speak the native language, I would not expect to be regarded as some kind of insugent interloper who is willfully not integrating with the indiginous population - yet this seems to be the national perspective - move here, learn our language and culture.
So I repeat, where has this superior dictatorial attitude come from? Is it a hangover from the days of Empire?
Why do immigrants have to conform in this way? Other countries do not make such demands on us - indeed, part of the insularity we experience is because we are never in need to learning another langauge because the world speaks our language.
If I interact abroad and do not speak the native language, I would not expect to be regarded as some kind of insugent interloper who is willfully not integrating with the indiginous population - yet this seems to be the national perspective - move here, learn our language and culture.
So I repeat, where has this superior dictatorial attitude come from? Is it a hangover from the days of Empire?
You may think that rocky, but you will find anywhere abroad, as here - immigrants gather together in like-minded communities which is perfectly natural - some will learn languages, the children especially, some will not - the older people especially.
Why does Britain think it has a right to be so pompous about its language and culture?
Why does Britain think it has a right to be so pompous about its language and culture?
I agree with Rocky, if I moved to live in another country I would feel it was disrespectful not to learn their language. Otherwise it would be *I'm so arrogant that I expect you all to change just for me*. Just because we used to do this in our old colonial days is no excuse for us or others to do the same. Nor does it mean that in learning their language am I deleting my own or my culture, on the contrary I am enriching mine.
Anyone who opts to live in a different country to their birth has a duty to fit in by accepting the culture as well as the opportunity. It's just plain politeness. It is neither pompous, superior, nor dictatorial. One can understand folk keeping their own language in their own house, but anyone who comes to stay should be decent enough not to make natives citizens of their adopted country feel that they are the ones that moved. Both the host country and the immigrant had responsibilities to be reasonable and polite and if one decides to be a citizen of a culture/country making the effort is what should be expected. It's not as if there are bans of religion or anything, at least in this country which is more than liberal in such matters.
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