I'm already 72 and I don't want 30 more grandchildren. Are hispanics from Guatemala or Salvador any different?

yea my parents and i have a very weird relationship,
they dont speak english and i dont speak spanish, they can understand english and i can understand spanish but thats it. we understand eachother just fine though is that weird ive lived like this my whole life am i the only one? i lived just outside of dallas my whole life and never really had use spanish in school or to my friends so inever used it. im just wondering is there a generation of hispanics that dont know how to speak spanish very well.

Did any Conservatives here see UFC fighter Cain Velasquez come out waving the Mexican flag on Saturday, even though he was born in the United States.

Is he the example that Liberals talk about when they say most Hispanics in the U.S are assimilating.

You don't see any American born UFC fighters of W.A.S.P background come out waving the flag of England.

No, I'm not one of those "ignorant Americans" who thinks that Spanish and Italian are the same language. In fact, I'm half-Swiss and German is my native language along with English. I learned Spanish for some time and then I took up Italian because I was inspired by a trip to Italy. I have noticed countless similarities between the two languages- similar vocabulary and similar grammar/structure. I like Italian better than Spanish but can't learn them both because I'll just confuse the two (which I've already done!). Besides, if I learn Spanish, that's an invitation that all those illegal Mexican immigrants in the US are better than me (analogy: if a guy kills himself over a girl, then that's an invitation that the girl is better than him). I'm actually hoping to move back to Switzerland, so Italian would be better. So, can the Hispanics/Spaniards understand at least the "gist" of an Italian conversation? I'd like input from native Spanish speakers, preferably.
OK, I'm sorry if I offended anyone with the comment about illegal Mexican immigrants. It's just that I feel the US is being invaded by them and we're learning Spanish to communicate with them since they don't know much English. So, if I learn Spanish, those illegal immigrants will be happy and I'll be forced into doing something I don't really want to do. However, I should consider the legal immigrants as well, and I have used a little Spanish with them. On a slightly different note, Italy is a country I'd want to visit over and over, but a vacation to Latin America or Spain is the last thing on my mind in terms of vacation ideas.

It makes it hard to live when everyone groups you together as illegal weither you have papers or not.Why do people think that all hispanics are Mexicans? And hey if you didn't know the language is Spanish not Mexican too.

It doesn't matter where they are from, they (not including hispanic americans) always ask them if they are mexican or what part of Mexico they're from. Now, if they tell them first " I'm from-------" some of them will actually say: So, what part of Mexico is that at? Or Do you speak puerto rican, mexican, etc.?
Now remember, this also includes Americans stationed or living abroad in Europe. Some visit Spain are kinda shocked that spanish is spoken their. And still they ask hispanics there if they are Mexican.

in English? I've noticed that this group of foreigners are very actively disturbed when you speak Spanish to them? I speak Spanish better than most AMericans and have lived long periods of time in Latin countries. Why is this? I have seen them get down right angry about it?
Anti sucks: Yeah, I kinda got that impression myself. They think they have something over on us. Ha! Littld do they know. Just another point. I complained in a social group when a couple of our well bi lingual hispanics started chatting it up in front of the rest of us in Spanish. I tolde them in Spanish, we live in the USA, please speak English for the rest of the goup. They laughed and agreed. But someone else who was a Latin LaRaza type hit the ceiling because I had asked for this consideration from my friends. Turned into quite a hoopla. Thankfully the crazy Latin isn't around anymore. Maybe she went back to Mexico ..I can hope.
Tita: Latin friends are not the problem. It's those who one doesn't know. While I agree with you generally, I have found Latins (mostly Mexican) who do not know me, to be very hostile when I attempt Spanish with them, as if it is an insult. They have no problem speaking it to each other however. Seems kinda like they have this special ability they share and when a Gringo comes along and has it too, they don't like it. Almost feels like racism to me perhaps?

Should Mexican people have to learn the English Language?
Are you all tired of this English as a SECOND language, in schools?
Should mexicans have to speak English to get a drivers license, public aid, food stamps, wick program, public aid, etc.
Many, many good points by all. A lot of thinking was going on.
Bye Busterd no more Yahoo account.
Blueberrymuffyn you are not even a citizen of the USA and speak out about your "free education and phony IDs"
and how you "took the US taxpayer"
Dont answer questions that real people put thought into. Your thought is how can I skate on others money.
Noel I am not referring to Hispanics, or cant you read English. I am referring specifically to Mexican people who only speak Spanish. You say they have no time to learn the English Language, but complain about poor wages, high crime rates, and gangs? You will never be a success outside your own neighborhood, if like most people you dont have time to go to college, and learn the US language. After all dont every one of us have little free time?
MAKE IT!

I always use the term mexican-american for myself because I can't just say mexican because I'm not from Mexico. I can't say just American because in everyones eyes that means Anglo. I am a 5th gen. American on my mothers side and on my fathers side we can trace back 8 gen. here in Cali, back to the Mexican-American war days. Everyday I get people talking to me in spanish and when I say I don't speak spanish they are all surprised and ask a bunch of questions like "why don't you speak spanish"? and other stupid questions. They act like they are so amazed! Some think I don't speak it because I don't like it. It's annoying sometimes-they are so ignorant. If I knew it I would speak it but I don't and if I wanted to right now I'm sure I could take classes and learn but it's not a main focus in my life right now. Some will say - You turned your back on your culture and crap but I'm proud to be chicano and know my history. Why is it only hispanics who make a big deal of his. Other races don't

If you speak Spanish, you can communicate with almost 500 million people worldwide!

Spanish is the world's third most spoken language, after Mandarin Chinese and English, and ranks second in terms of native speakers.

Spanish is the mother tongue of approximately 350 million people in 21 countries (Mexico: 98 million, Spain: 39 million, USA: 39 million, Argentina: 35 million, Colombia: 36 million, Venezuela: 22 million, Peru: 20 million…) It is also widely spoken in many more where it is not an official language.

Spanish is the second most used language in international communication, and an official language of the UN and its organisations.

The US Census Bureau reports that the nation's Hispanic population is expected to jump to 49.3 million from 38.2 million by 2015. The 39 million Hispanics currently living in the USA make up 12.5% of the total population. This population growth has increased demand for Spanish language media: radio, television, newspapers, magazines...

When traveling in Mexico, I smile when I meet a Mexican National with perfect non-accented English. In contrast, I still meet American-born Hispanics with heavy Spanish accents. Someone told me that learning English at an early age (even as a second language) breaks that accent carryover. Is that true?

Do you know or personally know any Mexicans (or any Hispanics in general) that speak out against illegal immigration?

I would like to hear from some hispanics who love a particular cookbook I can buy that would be in English (hopefully). Anyone can respond. It is that the American written "Mexican cookbooks" seem to taste too much like Betty Crocker, if you know what I mean. Thank you so much for some idea's.

I don't know why but I always get filipino and mexican guys that flirt with me. (I mean like filipino and mexican born/american immigrant) It's always so different that when I get hit on by other guys. I always get charmed and flattered by these guys. Only thing is that because I'm so used to getting rude/disrespectful comments and techniques from (blacks and well we'll say most americans in general. I'm black but its not only black guys that are rude) that I don't know how to respond to guys that are actually being respectful. I usually end up keeping my mouth shut and laughing a lot. I'm never quiet and if the constant laughing creeps me out, i know it has to creep the guys out. I never did like the nervous laughs. And the whole culture thing doesn't help. I don't know how to respond to a filipino my own age since the only time I've been around filipinos are the teachers at my school. I'm around mexicans/lations/hispanics all the time but that doesn't beat the mexicans who talk to me most of whom barely speak english with heavy accents at that. Oh yeah, can't study spanish until next year. P.S. I am in my late teens.............Help????

This is the type of non-sense Im talking about...PR's and Mexicans dont even like each other..This silliness of lumping non-homogeneous groups together is ridiculous..

If you hadnt noticed every "hispanic" obama promoted was puerto Rican or Domincan. His WH policy director is a black domincan "hispanic".The majority of hispanics are Mexican, you see clearly see the disparity