If you want to move to Italy, you must learn the language

Italy makes immigrants speak Italian

Italy is the latest Western European country turning the screws on an expanding immigrant population by demanding language skills in exchange for work permits, or in some cases, citizenship. While enacted last year in the name of integration, these requirements also reflect anxiety that foreigners might dilute fiercely-prized national identity or even, especially in Britain's case, pose terror risks.

Some immigrant advocates worry that as harsh economic times make it harder for natives to keep jobs, such measures will become more a vehicle for intolerance than integration. Others say it's only natural that newcomers learn the language of their host nation, seeing it as a condition to ensure they can contribute to society.

Europe gets a lot of people seeking refuge, asylum or jobs, many of them from Africa and the Middle East.
There have been stories that many of these immigrants are slow to assimilate and cling to their dress, language and culture.

In North America, we see similar situations with immigrants from these same areas of the world, as well as immigrants from south of our Border.

To me, when you seek a new land to live, to raise your family, to find freedom or economic betterment, you should reach out to your new country and learn the ways of it.
You should be proud of your new country, while still retaining your roots from the old place you resided.

reply to post by DontTreadOnMe


Absolutely.

If your going to live in a new/different country then in my opinion it's imperative that you learn that countries cultures, customs and most importantly language.

The amount of hassle encountered on a daily basis in the UK (and many other countries I'd presume) that stems from people from other nations living here and expecting to behave like they do back home is beyond ridiculous...

S+F

I have no problem with that, when my Italian relatives came to the US in 1918 they had to demonstrate a working understanding of the English language (well, at least great grandpa because he would be the working).

Actually, in Italy, if you have living relatives in Italy you can apply for dual citizenship, however if you are of fighting age you are expected to do your military service, I think it is three years but it has been some years since I looked into it.

Immigrants coming to the Netherlands, are also required to learn Dutch.

It's a basic need. Without it you won't be able to socialize into a community, or find work that you like.
Problems with mail, ending up with problems you get from misunderstanding, miss communication, payments going wrong.

To blend in you must learn the language. To get accepted as immigrant, you must be able to blend in.

In addition will it create admiration and respect from the Dutch people around you.
We admire your efforts to learn our language, and people are more willing to help if they see your progress.

ps

I must add that some people will not be so nice, ever... It isn't you. They are racist bigots.

reply to post by DontTreadOnMe


They don't have 30 packs of beer there. It's OK to visit, but to live there, buying one beer at a time? No way!
I'm 50% Italian. Spent a lot of time there in the Navy. Wonderful people that will usually try to speak as much English as they know, as long as you display an effort to speak even rudimentary Italian.

It's nice to see a nation being logical for once. You want to move here? Prove that you're serious about it, and learn the language so you can integrate with the rest of us. I have no problem with this. Here in the U.S., we kick college students out of school for demanding nursing classes be taught in English, not Spanish.