Integration Doesn't Seem To Be Working

[Gran67]

"Census figures show white Britons are leaving areas where they are minority"
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2320002/How-rise-white-flight-creating-segregated-UK-Study-reveals-white-Britons-retreating-areas-dominated-ethnic-minorities.html

Would you leave your area if you found yourself in the minority?

[Ric.ror]

Don't bother with Indian or Chinese - they all speak English
I probably think Spanish is the way to go - certainly in the united states

[tamborine]

shari, the Indians & Chinese speak english as avidly taught abroad.

[jim360]

It's fairly arrogant to "not bother" because everyone else speaks our language. Some of them don't speak it very well, if it comes to that. And besides, it's respectful ifyou a re going to trade with or visit or work with another country to be able to communicate them without relying on their speaking your language.

I only speak, relatively modest now, French myself, having had no reason to speak it much for the last five years or so, but I would like very much to be able to speak more than just that.

Maybe this is half the problem, always expecting everyone to adapt to us.

[Sharingan]

Interesting point actually Ric.ror, one of my step sisters works for a large computer company and speaks fluent Japanese. They sent her to Japan, on condition she didn't let on to anyone there she could speak Japanese. Not too sure what's going on there tbh.

[Sharingan]

I'm fully aware of that Tamborine, so that is naturally a reason for us not to bother to learn their language? Frankly I find that a very embaressing English trait, assuming everyone else speaks English.

[tonyav]

Industrial spying probably, Sharingan !.

[China Doll]

No. Not having a white face doesn't mean someone isn't British. And having already lived and worked in a few areas where I guess I'd be considered a minority I can confirm I felt no concerns... one place I worked in Sydenham had a fairly typical english pub next door but with a Jamaican chef, jerk chicken, rice and peas with a cold white wine, don't mind if I do! :c)

[tamborine]

Jim blame the internet for making english common denominator on www. IF the middle east developed computer we would need to learn arabic.

[Sharingan]

Well we assume so Tony lol

[tamborine]

Shari, I speak market cantonese, hindi, malay, french, german & spanish from living in the countries. Its amazing what you learn when you have to.

[jim360]

Perhaps, tamborin. Either way it can't hurt to learn another language. And I'm impressed that you know as many as you do -- and somewhat jealous!

[FredPuli43]

tonyav, you say you have a supposition. What are the elements, the specific reasons or beliefs about immigrants, rather than about incoming non-immigrants, that constitute that supposition ?

[FredPuli43]

That's brilliant, tambo. Necessity is the mother of multilingualism ! If you have to trade with foreigners, you have to learn their language or at least the useful bits. This can go to extremes; Swahili is a mixture of languages but is a language now, in its own right, because of trade.

My daughter is fluent in French and Spanish;I have only French; and I am uneasy visiting Spanish speaking countries without her. Not sure how common that unease about language is. At the basic level, I feel everything is more expensive if you don't speak the local language adequately or at all, but I always feel that, without it, something is missed

[tonyav]

Sorry Fred, bored with it now.

[FredPuli43]

Ah well, tonyav. You're bored with it. Hope nobody makes any suppositions therefor.

[anotheoldgit]

sp1814

[i]Large areas of London are indeed becoming "No Go Areas" for the indigenous English people.[i]

/// Nonsense. ///

As a black person, how would you know?

Almost like a white person saying 'nonsense' to a black person who says he is constantly being pull up by the police, for no other reason than he is black.

[anotheoldgit]

sp1814

/// I'm in a minority, but would not leave my current area because of it. ///

it is all dependant on who one is in the minority with.

[mikey4444]

methyl....surely London has always been an international city ? Why are suddenly surprised by this ?

[anotheoldgit]

sp1814

/// Interesting point made by a level-headed Daily Mail reader: ///

Amazing how a Daily Mail reader suddenly becomes 'level-headed', when that particular person happens to be singing from the same hymn sheet as one's self.