Not every immigrant learned to speak English. It was quite common for them to live in same-nationality enclaves and left it to their children to speak English and translate as needed.
Ann Arbor, Michigan, had German-language newspapers until (IIRC) World War I.
And there's this:
That's highly doubtful. The facts are that it usually took one to two generations for english to displace the former language. There were still norwegian newspapers into the 20th century in many parts of the upper midwest, and my grandfather (whose grandparents immigrated) grew up speaking primarily norwegian until he entered school.
Likewise with german immigrants in the pennsylvania area, and italian immigrants in NYC.
I see nothing different with modern immigrants, although the english as a second language programs in modern schools is shortening the process.
Are you sure your ggparents learned English more than a few words? Especially your ggmother?
How long did it take them? How long have Thomas's neighbors been in the US?
It's absolutely not your place to say such a thing. They haven't done anything wrong except not speak English, like millions of other good immigrants.
Where were your ggparents from? Ireland?
Both WWI and WWII resulted in suppressing the German language. The family German Shepherd became a 'police dog' for the duration although that wasn't his job description.
We not only have a language, we have many languages, and not one of them is an official language.
From Google: There are five countries in the world that do not have an official language. These countries are the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Costa Rica, and Eritrea. English is the primary language spoken in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
I heard the British Royal Family was German stock, except the Greek guy who passed not long ago.
You do realize the House of Windsor was invented 105 years ago? It had been the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha which was an offshoot of the House of Wettin. Prior to Victoria it was the House of Hanover. There is some dispute over whether George I could speak English, George II was bilingual, and George III was a nutter known to speak in tongues. George IV was a drunken doper that screwed everything in sight. William IV left a horde of bastards but no legitimate heir so Victoria got the throne. She married her first cousin Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and so it went.
Yes. People like that seem to have doubts about how good they and their family really are. Or they woudln't feel the need to attack others.
Immigration if a process of self-selection, where the most ambitious are the ones who leave their homes and come here. They and their children, who learn the same positive qualities, strengthen the US.
In the 19th and early 20th century, all one had to do was get to a city with ships headed for the US, pay $5 or 10, and ride for 6 days to get here. It still required ambition to move to a new country where you didn't have a job or know the language, etc. But the people coming through our southern border now have had to show much more determination to make the far longer, far more arduous, far more dangerous trip that they do. In another 20 to 30 years we will see many of them accomplishing a great deal that benefits the US.
And of course this bothers some people who have never done anything outstanding.
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