Have you ever had a verbal fight with a friend of loved one only to learn later that it was all a big miscommunication?
The ability to communicate with someone is important – a key to understanding and trade. Communication issues lead to frustration, suspicion, and or a downward spiral to the end of a relationship or worse. Proper communication is needed when you desire to spread information, influence a decision, thank or praise someone, or prevent harm to yourself or others. It is a fundamental tool necessary towards building any relationship.
What brought this to mind?
A friend of mine came over today and mentioned that he was not thrilled with a measure that is being pushed by some in Nashville, TN.
Here is the official summary presented on the ballot:
- English is the official language of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee.
- Official actions which bind or commit the government are required to be taken only in the English language.
- All official government communications and publications are required to be made only in English.
- No person shall have a right to government services in any other language.
- All meetings of the Metro Council, Boards, and Commissions of the Metropolitan Government are required to be conducted only in English.
- The Metro Council may make specific exceptions to protect public health and safety.
- Nothing in the amendment shall be interpreted to conflict with federal or state law.
It really boils down to three main reasons:
– money – costs more to translate everything into every language or just to deal and accommodate multiple languages & there is a potential where if a government provides multiple languages, it must provide a level of care for all languages people involved speak.
– incentives – if every language is catered to — there is less incentive to learn English
– goals – if the goal is to have a melting-pot, where cultures mix & grow into something better – the ability to communicate is a key
And really, for me that last reason is the main one.
Look at a football game, what does the home fans do when their team is on defense? Try to prevent communications by being as loud as they can be. Look at war, what is one of the primary objectives? Make sure your side can communicate without the other side knowing, and present the other side from communicating. Look at a love letter – one party is attempting to use words to express the views, feelings, and desires he or she has for the other … could a love letter be written if the two parties don’t speak the same language?
If your goal is to promote understanding, a common language is necessary. If you want to help people, a key step is to set a common language.
What makes America great is the strengths of the people. We have such a heart to help people and use out collective and individual strengths for good, but part of what made us strong was the ability to learn form one another. English is different from what it use to be because people would come here, learn the language (if they did not already know it) and add to the mix, that is why I have issues reading British English, they have evolved differently due to the immigrants & cultures brought back by people traveling. All that should continue, but if you want change, the good type based on learning & growing, then making sure the incentives are correct, or at least the best they can be, is a good step in the right direction.
