Japanese community concerned about Britain's plans for English tests

They would include all foreigners if they could but their is some EU law they would violate.

 

They would include all foreigners if they could but their is some EU law they would violate.

Thats my point. One sets of laws for these people an another for these people. Its stupid.

 

fokb12"Does any other EU country demand people to learn their language like they do in UK? Doubtful. Its not as if there are more immigrants in UK than in other European countries. I don't agree with this policy."
You do not know what you are talking about. All through the 1990's and up until the present the UK has admitted more immigrants than any other country on earth including the USA. The Home Office has admitted they have [on purpose] lost count of how many immigrants there are here. It is between 1 and 3 million and that is just in the last 10 years. So please check your facts.

"My point is. If eastern Europeans or French of Italians don't speak English then why should non EU citizens have to learn ENglish? UK can't kick out EU citizens. The flip side is if you want to get a decent job and life in your established new home it would help to learn the language but I don't believe in forcing people."
You have a deep understanding and love for British culture I can see, and you are not unique.
We can kick out EU citizens but are caught by the throat because of foreign EU legislation. A lot of people here are working very hard though for self determination like our Iraqi brethren. You dont believe in forcing immigrants to learn English when they move here but a vast majority of British people do I'm afraid. It is deeply offensive to move to someones country and completely ignore their culture and language. It seems that kind of thing doesnt bother you though. Might I suggest you try China, they love people like you.

 

At least I can pronounce names.

Is it Mark? No in Japan it's Maaku
Is it Rich? No it's Richie
Is it Burger King, No it's Baagakingu
must I go on...

Japanese, with 6 years of English (3 in junior high school, and 3 in high school) should not worry about the test. If anyone from my school in America were to study Japanese for 6 years, by dam they would be able to pass any test the Japanese Gov. could give to them.

However most working class people in Japan (western that is) put in 40 hours of work, still find time to study Japanese, and unlearn English, and for the most part get by in daily life with little or no problem.

Enough said

 

Wasn't it just recently that the Japanese Govt was talking about language reqs for foreigners? Basically, they're saying they want everyone who comes here to be able to speak their language, but they don't want to have to worry about the proficiency of their people when they go elsewhere. I just find this whole article amusing in light of that situation.

 

It's about time. That's why I don't hold any conversations with any Japanese. They can't speak fluent English. No one can understand them. They are just good as tourists, nothing else.

 

Do the same to them as proposed in japan for foreigners. Next all japanese must be fingerprinted at airports.

 

I think the Japanese government is against the UK English test because it would expose Mombusho's incompetence at teaching English for 6+ years (junior high, high school, and at least one in university).

If the business people are being sent for 'international experience' for only 2 or 3 years, then I bet the company has an 'international experience committee' that has set up a support system ("Here are the Japanese schools, Japanese-speaking doctors, and 'authentic' Japanese restaurants.") that inhibits any chance of the business person from either learning a foreign language or having an 'international' experience.

I think Japan should have this same requirement. Of course, then Japanese people would have to do all the dirty, dangerous, and whatever the third D is. jobs. Like, uh, teach English.

 

I think you're being a bit hard on people. There is a big difference between a Japanese businesssman taking up a 3-year posting in London, and a Pakistani being allowed to bring in his wife and six kids, have them learn Urdu or Punjabi, have the wife never interact with English people, and letting the mosques preach hatred. This is a fundamental problem with ther British these days; namely we're a bunch of cowards. If the above situation is the one to prevent, then introducing English language tests that could prevent Chinese and Japanese business people from beingwealth into the UK is downright stupid.

Britain has allowed itself to be taken over by immmigrants, and large chunks of the UK are now unliveable for so-called indigenous British people. But not because there are Japanese business people in the area with weak English ability who frequent their local sushi shop.

The UK should scrap this idea for anyone not atttempting to naturalize, should offer more working visas easily, the renewal of which depends on language advances, and should end naturalisation, or at least not give it to anyone who is deemed un-British. That for me includes all Islamics, although we can't express that opinion in England for fear that our Muslim friends will blow us up.

 

It is a just another way of getting control over immigration and it is increasingly being seen all over the world. It isn't being aimed at the japanese but they will be affected by it and this may make the population here think twice about the restrictions being ever imposed on the bright young, foreign things helping to internationalise their country.

I have my PR in japan and am literate and conversant in japanese. The talk here recently has been of Japanese proficiency tests for people seeking work and/or PR visa here.If the will is in japan to teach japanese to foreigners - then that is a good thing.

If you want to live and work in a country you should strive to learn the language (exceptions will be necessary and no doubt will be catered for).

and, at the end of the day. English IS the 900 pound gorilla in the room of global languages - any serious person is learning or has learnt Englsih - otherwise...welcome to the jungle.

 

a sou desu ka? They should've thought about it before introducing Japanese language proficiency as requirement for foreigners here, but that would only be fair.
Besides...if they can manage to speak cockney as good as some football stars, it would be good enough, don't they think?
(English still will bring the world to the dark ages)

 

ptrek: You do not know what you are talking about. All through the 1990's and up until the present the UK has admitted more immigrants than any other country on earth including the USA. The Home Office has admitted they have [on purpose] lost count of how many immigrants there are here. It is between 1 and 3 million and that is just in the last 10 years. So please check your facts.

Yes, please do check your facts. Even if you double Britain's immigration numbers they are still less than the number of legal immigrants in the U.S. and with the U.S. you could safely triple that number for the amount of illegal immigrants.

the foreign-born population of the United States increased by 6.4 million between 2000 and 2006.....http://www.migrationinformation.org/datahub/acscensus.cfm

fokb12"Does any other EU country demand people to learn their language like they do in UK? Doubtful.

Again, that is not correct.

In September 2007, the German Parliament tightened up requirements on citizenship. Applicants must now be able to prove they can speak and write German well, and that they are employable and haven't accessed the German welfare system. http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/assignment_7&id=5858726

Greece requires 100 hour of language lessons http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/news/content.asp?aid=78234

France, Italy & Spain are considering them and will likely pass legislation regarding language requirements within the next two years.

I'm not saying I agree or disagree with these policies, just that Britain isn't the only country with them.

 

Surely the upper-class English would not use "impact" as a verb?

The Japanese are the unintended consequences of the legislation. The legislation is not designed to keep out Japanese businessmen, but actually to keep out unskilled, uneducated Pakistanis and Bangladeshis (or similar) who are allowed in on working visas to work in restaurants, often with their extended family.

 

For instance, "Zissu izu a kurou". How hard is it to understand that?

I once ordered Hamachi in an eating, drinking joint. Waitress says, "Hai" and a minute later brought my bill. She though I had said, Hao machi?" Anyone can make that mistake.

After that I only ordered Hokei. I soon became known as Hokei Sensei.

Goodto ebuningu. See how easy that is. You only need to pay attention.

Saiyonarra and tata, all.

 

lmao... an interesting and educating thread til I read this... kudos to yall for the least informed and most meaningless quote. Well done!