Immigrants and English

[proud2BlibKansan]

Many strive to learn it, but bilingualism grows

By EUNICE MOSCOSO
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 09/04/06
Washington — New to the United States? Want to learn English?

Get in line.

Ben Gray/Staff

With immigration approaching record levels, English instruction classes across the country — from California to Pennsylvania to Massachusetts — are full and have waiting lists up to 18,000 people long.

The demand for English-language instruction is evident on Spanish-language television, with an array of commercials for English-learning products, including the top seller, "Inglés Sin Barreras," or "English without Barriers," a video and audio program that reportedly sells 60,000 copies a year.

Immigrant advocates say the full classes and booming business in language products demonstrate that many immigrants are eager to learn English and assimilate.

"People assume that if you don't speak English it's because you are not trying or don't want to, when in fact, a lot of people are struggling to learn," said Holly Patrick, manager of language programs at Atlanta's Latin American Association, where about 500 adults are learning English.

more . . .
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[El Zopilote]

1. Who's the smartest?

One is not truly cultured unless he or she can speak a foreign language. Unbeknownst to many Americans, most "illegal" Hispanic immigrants CAN speak serviceable English. All of them can speak far better English than gringos can speak Spanish. As a matter of fact, gringos can't speak Spanish or any other foreign language at all. So who's cultured? Who's the smartest?

[alarimer]

2. Good point

Americans tend to think the world revolves around them (as a nation) so why should they bother learning another language? But it is a good idea, even if you never plan to visit another country. It is just a broadening experience, in my opinion.

[Momgonepostal]

3. Lots of "gringos" speak Spanish

I don't know "who's the smartest," but it's certainly not anyone one makes silly generalizations like "Gringos don't speak Spanish or any other foreign language at all." That's ridiculous. My gringo husband can speak Spanish circles around some Mexican-Americans I've known. I speak serviceable Italian. That certainly doesn't make us "smarter" or "more cultured" than other people with different experiences.

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. I think it is probably true

that a higher percentage of primary Spanish speaking people in the US speak English than primary English speakers speak Spanish.

[Momgonepostal]

9. In the US, sure!

For the record, I'm not one who is anti-immigrant or who thinks immigrants are being stubborn and not choosing to learn English. Almost every immigrant I've ever known has made an effort to learn English, the young through public school, the older through other classes, still others just by getting out there and getting jobs and slowly picking it up. The only exceptions I can think of are a few elderly people who weren't school age and weren't in the workplace.

And sure, in the US, I'm sure that more Latino/a immigrants speak English, than born here US residents speak Spanish. That certainly does not make those same Latino/a immigrants smarter and more cultured, it just means they felt the need to learn English, since they chose to move to an English speaking country. I can't imagine moving to Mexico, picking up some Spanish, and running around telling native born Mexicans that I speak more Spanish than they do English, therefore I am smarter and more cultured. :eyes:

You're a teacher, right? Is foreign language a requirement in HS these days, or just for college bound students? I took HS French, but lost what little I learned because I had no occasion to use it. I think a lot of us are in the same boat. I certainly don't think that makes me dumb.

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. I don't teach high school so I don't know for sure

But both of my own kids graduated from high school without having to take any foreign languages.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. Great point!

Welcome to DU :hi:

[Codeine]

19. Sanctimonious asshole.

Plenty of "gringos" speak Spanish quite well, and many more speak other languages. Your statement was racist as all fuck, buddy. :mad:

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

21. Ha ha.

The sanctimoniuous assholes who demand everybody speak English aren't the gringos who speak Spanish, and probably don't speak English very well either.

Or all that great at reading comprehension. Apparently.

[WinkyDink]

4. Oh, but American students are so booooooored, don't you know.

My school a decade ago eliminated Study Hall. I asked why; did all the students already KNOW Russian and Chinese? They had read the entire Britannica?
Eliminated time to go to the school library. Clever, huh?

[Deja Q]

5. Which language?

So many people coming in and most haven't the time to learn Mandarin, Hindu, and how many others that pour in.

I'd love to, because those of us who are English-only honkys are at a disadvantage to not get to understand in public what others are saying. (well, I do know Spanish...)

[kineneb]

6. my grandfather's family was bilingual at home

The great-grandparents spoke German right up until WWI, when they were forced to stop. This means- that side of my family spoke a non-English language in the US for some 60+ years (since 1851)!

[EFerrari]

10. If I had a nickel for all of my immigrant friends that I had to encourage

to practice on me when they felt hesitant or shamed or silly, I'd be rich. And all of them were working class people who still somehow managed the energy to care how they sounded in English.

The idea that Spanish speaking immigrants don't want to learn English is a wingnut talking point, and has nothing to do with the reality of these people's lives. It has everything to do with inciting xenophobia.

Great post.

:kick:

[proud2BlibKansan]

12. Yes most I know are very eager to learn English

We used to offer classes at my school for parents and they were very well attended. Then the state funding was pulled. Damn repukelican politicians.

[EFerrari]

13. Yeah! They cut the funding for language classes and then they claim

we don't want to learn English.

Boy, that sounds familiar!

[proud2BlibKansan]

15. We have an espression in education that fits here

"Setting them up for failure"

Perfect description for a lot of repukelican behavior.

[bumblebee1]

14. What the "English only" crowd doesn't seem to understand is

English is one of the more difficult languages to learn. Mandarin Chinese is the most difficult language to learn. It has something like 15,000 characters in it.

[AlCzervik]

16. i'm trying to learn Mandarin right now, i've been using cd's and a few

books and it is so difficult! My husband is having more success at it than i am but i'm not giving up.

[Cleita]

18. Of Asian languages I found Japanese easier to learn

than Mandarin. However, Japanese comes with it's own formalities as to how and when you use certain words and phrases and the etiquette involved.

[orpupilofnature57]

17. A couple more Indians and we would have all been speaking French

[El Zopilote]

20. Ha!

You gringos are all wasting your time fiddlin' around with trying to learn Mandarin and other exotic languages. Y'all better be trying to learn Arabic and Spanish as fast as you possibly can. Prepare yourselves and your children for the future!

[Cleita]

22. Since the Chinese own us, I think Mandarin is also appropriate. n/t