Air traffic controlese has one other aspect worldwide beyond the English language: Every command for any specific purpose given to a pilot uses the same words in the same order and identifies the specific aircraft receiving the command. Furthermore every pilot receiving said command reads back the command with his flight identification also in English.
I would welcome not having to push 1 for English. Every health insurance explanation of benefits I get has two pages describing the translation options for non-English speakers. I would welcome not having 50 extra people working as translators on the payroll of the large regional hospital where I live. I have similar feelings about the additional teachers required in the public schools. They are discussing building a Spanish speaking high school in Dalton GA. Good grief.
Thank goodness English speaking is now required for commercial driver's licenses. I wish it were the same for a regular license. When I lived in Birmingham for a year, I had to take an Alabama written test. There was a Korean gentleman also taking the same test which took me about 15 minutes. The examining officer said the Korean had been working on the test for several hours. At least his English was better than my Korean.
Despite all of that, I agree with your comments on tolerance. But there is a cost.
English is the world’s lingua Franca, which imo is both a blessing and a curse. I find it enriches the cultural experience when travelling through Europe, to try to say at least some greetings or phrases in the local language.
I didn’t realize the US doesn’t have an official language. I think that’s actually unusual. Besides Europe, Canada has 2.
Air traffic controlese has one other aspect worldwide beyond the English language: Every command for any specific purpose given to a pilot uses the same words in the same order and identifies the specific aircraft receiving the command. Furthermore every pilot receiving said command reads back the command with his flight identification also in English.
Copy all. Read back is correct.
I would welcome not having to push 1 for English. Every health insurance explanation of benefits I get has two pages describing the translation options for non-English speakers. I would welcome not having 50 extra people working as translators on the payroll of the large regional hospital where I live. I have similar feelings about the additional teachers required in the public schools. They are discussing building a Spanish speaking high school in Dalton GA. Good grief.
Thank goodness English speaking is now required for commercial driver's licenses. I wish it were the same for a regular license. When I lived in Birmingham for a year, I had to take an Alabama written test. There was a Korean gentleman also taking the same test which took me about 15 minutes. The examining officer said the Korean had been working on the test for several hours. At least his English was better than my Korean.
Despite all of that, I agree with your comments on tolerance. But there is a cost.
English is the world’s lingua Franca, which imo is both a blessing and a curse. I find it enriches the cultural experience when travelling through Europe, to try to say at least some greetings or phrases in the local language.
I didn’t realize the US doesn’t have an official language. I think that’s actually unusual. Besides Europe, Canada has 2.