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Over the holiday, I went through some old family stuff. There is a certificate attesting to great-grandparents' marriage from a church in Indiana ca. 1881. The
by cafard 8y ago
Over the holiday, I went through some old family stuff. There is a certificate attesting to great-grandparents' marriage from a church in Indiana ca. 1881. The document is entirely in German. Both parties had been in the US for several years by then. Now, their children grew up speaking English (and Platt-Deutsch), and any of their grandkids who knew German learned it in school.
- toomuchtodo 8y agoInteresting from a historical perspective, but an anecdote doesn’t make for good input when setting public policy, especially with it being almost over 140 years ago.
- cafard 8y agoThe comment I responded to said: >> Many countries require you show proficiency in the country’s native language to acquire citizenship. The desire to assimilate as well as having the ability to communicate with your fellow citizens should be mandatory for those who a pursing naturalization. My point was that the use of Spanish/German/Chinese/whatever in conversation with other native speakers of that language does not per se indicate unwillingness to acquire English or communicate in it, or reluctance to assimilate. I did not intend to say anything about public policy.
- cafard 8y agoThe comment I responded to said: >> Many countries require you show proficiency in the country’s native language to acquire citizenship. The desire to assimilate as well as having the ability to communicate with your fellow citizens should be mandatory for those who a pursing naturalization. My point was that the use of Spanish/German/Chinese/whatever in conversation with other native speakers of that language does not per se indicate unwillingness to acquire English or communicate in it, or reluctance to assimilate. I did not intend to say anything about public policy, and really I don't see that I did.
- cafard 8y agoI also don't see how I posted twice, but let that be..