Good idea or bad idea?

[bobman0330]

The Denver public library is planning to open Spanish-language branches:

link

Good idea or not?

My feeling is that it is not, as it will decrease the incentives for immigrants to learn the language as soon as possible, which is a very bad thing.

[mackthefork]

Fui a la biblioteca española hoy y éste era el único libro que tenían.....

Ay ay ay

On a more serious note, could they not use this as a way to incentivise them to learn English?

Regards Mack

[DVaut1]

[ QUOTE ]
My feeling is that it is not, as it will decrease the incentives for immigrants to learn the language as soon as possible, which is a very bad thing.

[/ QUOTE ]

My feeling is that it is a good idea, as it will help non-Spanish speakers learn the language as soon as possible, which is a very good thing.

[BruceZ]

[ QUOTE ]
Fui a la biblioteca española hoy y éste era el único libro que tenían.....

Ay ay ay

[/ QUOTE ]

Bueno, esa es lo que deba ser.

[FishHooks]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
My feeling is that it is not, as it will decrease the incentives for immigrants to learn the language as soon as possible, which is a very bad thing.

[/ QUOTE ]

My feeling is that it is a good idea, as it will help non-Spanish speakers learn the language as soon as possible, which is a very good thing.

[/ QUOTE ]

I dissagree I don't think non-spanish speakers will be flocking to this library. If anything I think it will reduce the motivation for Spanish speakers to learn English

[DVaut1]

[ QUOTE ]
I dissagree I don't think non-spanish speakers will be flocking to this library. If anything I think it will reduce the motivation for Spanish speakers to learn English

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, you actually picked up on what I was getting at.

Do you actually think anyone will be flocking to either library? In other words, who cares?

Think it over and you'll see why I think the OP's point is rather foolish;

Do we really think immigrants who don't know English would have learned English if the library system remained English-only?

I'm having a tough time imagining a Spanish-speaking immigrant who doesn't know English thinking to himself: "I had really planned on learning English, but now that the Spanish library is open..."

The "Spanish speaking library will deter immigrants from learning English" is just some silly faux justification. What the OP really means, IMO, is that he doesn't want tax dollars going to support a Spanish-speaking library.

[FishHooks]

Yea I'll agree to that, good point.

[mackthefork]

Heh, just my little joke. Nice BTW.

Regards Mack

[ptmusic]

Bad. Create big spanish sections in the libraries in existence. One of our goals should be to bring people together, not to separate them.

-ptmusic

[bobman0330]

Why the hell would I care how Denver spends its tax revenues?

If you exercise a little foresight, you can see that many of the same arguments in favor of a Spanish-language library could be applied to Spanish-language education, or a Spanish-language DMV.

Phrased more broadly, my "foolish" "point" (actually, a question about what people's opinions are) is whether discretionary government services should be offered in non-English languages.

DVaut's opinion is: no one cares about libraries. Anyone else have anything to offer? The bar is currently set very low, and just about any opinion could look good here.