A serious question about Lebanese youth and work...

[LebanesePride]

Originally Posted by X

Liberte, those who speak Armenian are Lebanese Armenians, but those who speak English/French are not Lebanese English/French

Since we are talking about them (Lebanese Armenians) I think we should mention something about them, or better say Lebanese should learn from them, those people who were born in Lebanon, their parents were also born in Lebanon, but they still hang on with their grandparent’s mother language while the Lebanese who are in Lebanon prefer the English/French on their mother language!

But X i think there is a difference.
I dont want to get into the whole "are lebanese arabs" issue, but for example armenians have held on to their language as a basis for their ethnic and cultural survival, against what the turks did to them, and with their presence in arab speaking countries.
For lebanese, the threat has come from, well, arab speaking countries. Armenian is armenian. Arabic is not lebanese.
Its neither about lebanese ethnicity nor lebanese culture.
There is no cultural value for arabic in the minds of lebanese, it was a language that was imposed on us by invaders.
Just like some africans speak french as their mother language, but if an african doesnt do so, idnt go and tell him he gave up his culture cause it wasnt his.

[Comrade Bassam]

Very nice and interestig topic. Thanks Mr. Amerkani !

In my opinion, I think that the Lebanese mentality is somehow changing into accepting many things including work.
I already know many many of my friends who work in summer as well as in winter.

Concerning the type of work:
There are some types of jobs (most of the ones available) require full time work so it seems practically impossible to do them.
Plus, if you're at school until 4:00 PM afternoon, it is somehow impossible to manage your time between studying and working. It will be a whole mess.

By the way, the conditions of work in Lebanon are not very well watched so it will be psychologically very hard on a person to work in bad conditions...

I am much in favor of students working because it gives them much self confidence especially in knowing how to deal with each kind of people and in dealing with earned money. It gives great experiance and provides great PR relations ! W it help shaping a stronger personnality !

All what matters is PR in Lebanon. Whenever you have a strong PR, you're a millionaire and you have a strong position in society !
Plus, it's all about CREATIVITY. Whenever you get a new and nice idea, you're famous.


N.B: Don't forget the "dirty" industry growing nowadays in Lebanon. Don't think it's a joke because it is getting much serious than you can imagine !!! If you want we can talk about it...


BASSAM

[Superman]

Tazzzi, u didn't get my point!

liberte, to be honest, i read ur reply in brief and without concentration but come to think about it, i got ur point here.

About what X said of teenagers speaking french and english, i think he's right abt that, enno ahlon bi ghanjjouwon min hinneh w zghar, w bi siro don't know how to speak arabic. My little cousin is an example.
And about marketing MBA and this stuff, the kid should learn at shcool the language not stick it to him when he's still a little kid.
Ba3dein, mba don't need french, it needs english cuz marketing is given in english, but the freanch people started to translate it to french, ex: marketing becomes mercatique :? :?

Back to the topic, i think parents won't allow their children to work cuz of prestige, and the father who's supporting the family, maybe ma bye2bal 3a 7elo enno someone else in the family helps him with the income, especially if the children are under 18. I donno maybe.....

[Amirkani]

A quick note about languages used in daily conversations in Lebanon. I happen to think that being multilingual is one of the biggest assets that Lebanese possess. So I don't have a problem with people who regularly speak French or English. I do have a problem, however, with those who do it to differentiate themselves from others. In other words, those who do it to "show off' and to somehow imply that they are better, wealthier or more educated. We have to admit that this kind of "showing off" is not uncommon in Lebanon. I should add that while some people do it to actually show off, many others react and do it so they are not PERCEIVED as any less that those who show off. Also, many were raised speaking one language more than the other. So really, we cannot generalize.

I agree with X though that we shouldn't neglect the Arabic language. After all, it's the only language that joins us all (regardless of whether we consider ourselves "Arabs" or not).

As for the issue of work, I think that zix touched off on some real causes. I do agree with him that the prestige barrier (el-3aib) is the most prevalent one. It relates directly to 2 other important issues zix brought up:

- Lebanese people (in general) judge others based on their wealth

- Students in Lebanon who work tend to do it because of financial need, not out of personal responsibility or to gain experience or independence.

[LebanesePride]

A lot of people now work in college. I dont think anyone sees it as wrong at the college level anymore, whether it is work on campus to get financial aid or work off campus. The majority work or wouldnt mind to now.
As for school, its different. I didnt work in school, and to be quite honest, i didnt want to either. I was not yet in the mindset of taking responsibility, most my peers werent so i admit itd have felt awkward, and looking back, there are very little available jobs.
Noone will pay you here to babysit. MCdonalds, burger king, crepaway has all lebanese students working there, there just isnt enough of those places.
The school schedule doesnt allow any sale jobs.
Youd have to be a waiter at nights, at best. I personnally hate the idea of waitering, plus id guess that when your at school, waitering at nights doesnt fit the schedule either.

[liberte_toujours]

people started to translate it to french, ex: marketing becomes mercatique

wallaw? It's common knowledge that the french educated lebanese are the elite of this society, and this is ur impression abt it ?!

And so what if we learn another language than arabic when we're young... Have u seen my patriotism or my sense of work go down the drain? Am I more french than I am lebanese?

What are u talking about laken?! ana badde a3ref the one who doesn't know french nor english chou btetla3 ma3o marketing?! w badde a3ref the one who only speaks french and english at school during class hours kif bi sir 3endo good carrier.

I totally disagree with u on this point.

Call me spoiled, snob, or frenchy, I just find it ridiculous that u find it bad if someone learns another language than arabic while he's growing up.

[Phoenician]

In response to previous posts, What is wrong with speaking French?

I agree that French should come second to Arabic, but we are after all a Francophone country, and it helps us to know many a language, especially on the European and World stage. Just as we have promoted Arabic, and have improved it (despite being a small country that only adopted the language), we can do the same with French.

[Lubnaniyat]

I know that each time you learn a new language, a door opens to you, & you get a new perception in your life, & a new way of thinking even. After all, language is just a way of communication betweeen people, & maby once a long time ago it was just one language, & maby one day it will be again..
In the same context, work is also a key to the real life, & the soonest you start working, you actually start growing & assimilating all that real life is about. I personaly started working from 11 or 12 years old in summer to help my mother with expenses. & although I consider I didn't have a real & happy childhood, I feel good that I took responsibility so early & think that better be happy & mature enough now than being a spoiled kid who will never know the real value of everything.

[Superman]

ana badde a3ref the one who doesn't know french nor english chou btetla3 ma3o marketing?!

Btotla3 ma3o teswi2 :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

U know something liberte, the sentence u quote has nothing to do in what u said. Plus i find it ridiculous that parents starts to talk foreign languages to their children when they're still young. Enno they have time to be teached at school.

Ba3dein, think about it, if u had kids and started to talk to them in french or english, they won't be able to talk arabic, which brings us to what X already said.

Ba3dein he doesn't have to speak foreign languages in public to have a good carrier, or even starts to talk foreign languages when he's a little kid to have a good carrier.

It's common knowledge that the french educated lebanese are the elite of this society, and this is ur impression abt it ?!

im never interested in french, cuz its not an important language worldwide. U have english at first and then spanish. Thats my opinion and its not going to change.

Plus, don't u think we're getting out of subject here????
I don't know if u heard about this, but the richest guy in the world said that his daughter is working in mcdonald, and he also said that this helps her to have responsabilities in life.

[liberte_toujours]

Ba3dein, think about it, if u had kids and started to talk to them in french or english, they won't be able to talk arabic,

TU MCHERCHES? ;) (u talkin to me? u talking to me? u tokinto me?)

no really, what is the problem with that?!!! 3an jad! enno sert a bad person just coz I never talk to my mum in arabic...

Ba3dein he doesn't have to speak foreign languages in public to have a good carrier, or even starts to talk foreign languages when he's a little kid to have a good carrier

no, but there is a minimum to be required when applying for a certain job.

anyway ur right it's out of the subject here... but plz guys, chilo men rasskoun enno anyone that speaks french or english before arabic is spoiled...

"Call me spoiled, snob, or frenchy, I just find it ridiculous that u find it bad if someone learns another language than arabic while he's growing up."

w Call me spoiled, snob, frenchy and even shallow, I wouldn't work in macdo!