Press One For English? -- (There Ain't) Nothin' Wrong

Music video in response to linguistic intolerance in general and 'Press One For English' in particular.

For more on the USA's uniquely monolingual culture, check out http://www.speakingintonguesfilm.info/ , a new documentary brought to you by the good folks at Patchwork Films.

Props to A90six for his excellent Photoshop 'comic effect action' script -- which is downloadable for free at http://www.atncentral.com/download.htm


"NOTHIN' WRONG"

There's people on the internet who don't quite understand
Not everyone speaks English north of the Rio Grande
It seems so chauvinistic to grumble and to shout
So please don't go ballistic -- let's try to work this out

Now English is my language, it's the language I love best
But if Espagnol is how you roll, compadre be my guest
This continent is big enough why can't we get along
Cos if you're speaking in your native tongue you ain't doing NOTHING WRONG

My family's from Germany they grew up on the Rhine
America's been good to us and now we're doing fine
But when it comes to English I'm agreeing with my aunt
Ist sehr gut als du sprechen kann, und OK if you can't

English is my language, it's the language I love best
But if you speak Chinese well jeez louise I won't get distressed
This continent is big enough for us all to get along
And if you choose to use your native tongue well you ain't done NOTHING WRONG

And is it really such a problem, when all is said and done
It isn't gonna kill you -- [please press one for English] -- if they ask you to press one

Though English is my language and the one I love the best
If you communicate in Xhosa then color me impressed
This continent is big enough let's try to get along
And if you'd rather use your native tongue well I don't see NOTHING WRONG

We don't need an official language and that is why I wrote this song
If it ain't broke don't fix it -- and there ain't NOTHING WRONG

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Speaking
• in
• Tongues
• Patchwork
• Films
• English
• official
• language
• country
• parody
• USA
• America
• Americana
• rivoli
• revue
• patriotic
• memorial
• immigration
• ron
• kay
• Obama
• McCain
• borders
• veterans
• freedom
• heroes
• family
• Press
• one
• for
• tolerance
• xenophobia
• linguistic
• hegemony
• Marcia
• Jarmel
• Ken
• Schneider

[ChangingCharacter]

That song's greatXD

But the german aunt's grammar is cruelXD

Actually you would say:

Es ist sehr gut, wenn du's kannst, und OK if you can't.

Believe me, I'm from Germany;)

[szabo23]

Thanks for your comment -- I'm glad you like the song.

And yes, I believe you! I'm not really from Germany and I just winged it on the grammar ^_^

[rosebeeh]

I think all Americans should be multilingual. I just think one of them should be English. It's not about being mean to other cultures. It's not about race. It's about national sovereignty; it's about common culture and borders. It's about why folks come here - for all the benefits our culture offers, without becoming part of that culture. Folks who immigrate to America should become Americans. Is that asking so much?

[wokkitout]

@ma7799 // It should be "Get a high IQ test or get out", guess how many Americans would leave?

[ma7799]

Speak English or leave America

[ginagirl72376]

@lilaeven You must not have a job where you have to deal with non-english speakers all the time. Well, I do and it isn't a matter of just speaking slowly or repeating yourself. It gets to the point where I am having to play Charades and looking like an idiot. If I went to Mexico then I would have to learn their language, so the same should be true if they come here. At least learn enough to deal with the general public.

[ginagirl72376]

NOTHING is more frustrating than having to deal with someone (whether it be a drive thru window, the clerk at the grocery store, ect) that doesn't speak very good or no english and you can't understand each other. You want to come to this country fine but learn to speak the language here. If I go to another country I will have to learn that language right?

[upperkkut]

@STUCKER868 Ach, a bhunduin, nach raibh a fhios agat go bhfuil a dteanga fein ag na hEireannigh? Cinnte gur's buinneach amhain i do chloigeann!

[217ify]

@cokefueledrage But you haven't. you don't deal in facts, only your own prejudices, which you assume to be facts.

[217ify]

@cokefueledrage If English is the dominant language worldwide, there's not need to force people to speak it, is there?

[cokefueledrage]

I just love the comparison of some tiny little country to the US and the notion that if it works there it can work anywhere.

FACE THE FACT English is currently the dominant language WORLDWIDE, so we should at the very least expect out citizens to speak it.

[cokefueledrage]

Dbag, learn to read English and also try to remember you are on the internet and I could give a syphilitic rat's ass about grammar.

Facts are not something you are comfortable with and I am deeply sorry to have exposed you to them.