Eat Your Language, Sir
This morning I had the pleasure of sitting at a local IHOP with no other company than a wonderful waiter and one of my newest textbooks. I sat studiously taking notes, leisurely sipping at a coffee and eating my usual fruitful Danish crêpes. The textbook at my side during the breakfast has become a particularly new venture of mine, Spanish. I have always been enthralled by the language and culture but never ventured beyond the word taco language wise. And yes, I know, taco probably does not even count since I learned it at Taco Bell in the fifth grade.
Aside from my mother tongue of English, my foreign language background lies in French. As a teensy second grader, an old woman used to make the trip to the classroom I was in to speak French with us. The woman taught us the alphabet, numbers and some weather related phrases. My French studies, however, did not continue again until seventh grade where I stayed after school most days to keep my learning on going in hopes of one day being fluent in a language my family seemed to be rooted in, a handful of them anyway.
From middle school to about my junior year of high school, my French studies were quite solid. I had class every day, and stayed after school about two days a week. I traveled to Quebec for a long weekend in tow with two French teachers and about a dozen other students. We practiced our dicey language on the less than concerned natives. On that trip, I was also introduced to porn by a gothically dressed roommate and sat on. Consequently, my thumb was broken. However, none of that is even slightly relevant.
After graduating from my high school years, I took a two yearlong breather from the French language. Then, the spring before last, I decided to begin again. I continued on with my studies for two semesters, then decided against continuing for personal reasons.
My personal reasons went as follows:
- Although I had spent years tangling myself up in the French language, it did not seem to want to tangle itself up in me.
- I had no yearning plans to visit France or any other French speaking country, aside from Canada. And, as most know, English comes easy in Canada.
- There is no real use for French in America. Really.
The decision was then simple: stop taking French. Fin.
Now, I am studying Spanish. Why? I want to go to Spain, and because Ernest Hemingway has convinced me rather thoroughly. Conveniently enough, Spanish is also quite usable in America. So, Spanish. Hola.
Now that you have had a thorough and somewhat exact introduction to my language studies, I can begin the true story at hand. Foreign Languages and IHOP. I know what you’re thinking: This is going to be some racist rant about the wait staff. Oh, not at all.
As I was sitting doing my homework, an elder couple sat in the booth adjacent to mine. The husband of the couple noticed my Spanish textbook and proceeded to ask why in the world I would be studying such a language. I smiled, and laughed nervously as any polite young woman would. That was not a proper answer for him, so he continued on. His next reasoning for sighting that suddenly controversial Spanish textbook was that I would need to know the language fluently in order to get a job. I replied, “Well, no.” I assumed that would be the end of it.
After another small conversation with my waiter, the husband looked to me again. He was beaming with frustration at the sight of a white American girl learning Spanish. He found it ridiculous and proof that our country is crumbling. He asked what other languages I knew. I told him French. Then, he asked if I planned on learning anything else. I smiled, and for kicks went on to say Arabic. How nice it was to see the revolted look smeared upon his face. Quick thinking can be so fantastic.
For those who sympathize with this man’s frustration with Spanish becoming a spoken language among American citizens, let this be your perspective. I attend a nationally recognized University with students from across both the United States and the world. Of the mix that we are: 39% are Hispanic, 19% are white or Non-Hispanic and 18% are black. It is more than safe to say that our country is diverse, just by the judgment of one University. But, I am sure you have noticed that. Why haven’t all of us accepted it then?
This elderly man brings forth three questions. Was he afraid of the communication that could take place between the minority and the majority? Was he racist, or just in denial? Does he believe that all those in America should only be speaking the native tongue of English? Who knows, but stepping in to that IHOP with my Spanish textbook, I was not expecting that particular confrontation.
I digress. ¿Cómo se dice ‘Just eat your food.’ en español?
Related articles:
- Learning a foreign language: Now you’re talking (guardian.co.uk)
- Why Languages Matter (iaindale.blogspot.com)
September 25, 2010
Come One, Come All
These next coming days will probably be the only days I stick to a severely biased news network and do not mind doing so. Why? Well, because for once, they are beyond right and I cannot seem to do anything but nod in agreement with them. The network? Fox News… Now, please, stop shaking your finger at me. The issue? Immigration. I know, immigration has been so drawn out and chatted about it is almost unnerving. But, as long as there are border hoppers and illegal workers illegal immigration will always be relevant, so why not chat some more concerning it?
Everyone knows the deal with illegal immigration. I mean deal as in definition, so far very few parties have made out well in this illegal situation and I am sure you can guess by process of elimination that so far, America has not been one of them. In 2007, America’s immigrant population reached 37.9 million, this including both legal and illegal immigrants. This statistic translates roughly to one in eight of those residing in America to be immigrants. If one would like to go further and know how many of those immigrants happen to be illegal, it is about one in three. Where do many of them hail from? Nearly half of the Mexican immigrants in America are here illegally, along with one half of Central American immigrants and one-third of South American immigrants. It may sound like the singling out of an ethnicity, but it’s not, it is just a cold hard truth.
With this constant flow of negative statistics, a person has to wonder: why are these immigrants coming, and staying, illegally? Is it for the American Dream of that darling cape with a white picket fence? Ah, to have two full sized bathrooms and a breakfast nook. Or is it because they are safer here in the good ole’ United States? I mean, who really wants to stay in Mexico with this unending drug war? No hands? I didn’t think so. Then what is it?
If you could enter a country, nearly free of financial cost, send your children to school without having to pay taxes, and possibly receive government financial aid, wouldn’t you jump on that border crossing band wagon? Welcome to America, land of the free.
I know, illegal immigrants do participate in their share of work, and at a depressingly low cost. Remember, this low cost is generally paid under the table, tax-free. It is that cost that makes these illegal immigrants attractive, and so employable by corporations and small businesses alike. Actually, so employable that they are among the highest percentage of employed people residing in New York City today. Citing recent Census statistics, Mexicans, as the one of the largest immigrant groups present in New York City, are more likely to be employed than an actual New York City native. This employable nonsense is not something that is only harbored in New York City; it is spreading among the country too. Illegal immigrants are taking jobs that should rightfully be handed to those who live in America, legally.
If only the problem with illegal immigration stopped with those who have become employed over legal American citizens. There is also the crime to think about. First off, illegal immigration is a crime punishable by the United States government. A family of illegal immigrants crossing American borders and staying undermines America’s national security and puts a drain on national funding. Though, statistics can be found that illegal immigrants are less likely than an American native to commit a heinous crime due to fear of being deported, isn’t living in America illegally and forcing Americans to pay the way heinous enough?
If all of this is true, then why did Stephen Colbert appear in Congress fighting for rights of immigrants currently residing and working in the United States? He may like to speak out for those who are not usually heard, and fight for their rights but… Why would you give an illegal resident Constitutional rights? I may not have been there when the Bill of Rights was first drafted, but I am immensely confident that “We the People” meant Americans, and those legally residing in America.
Colbert’s show of meager intelligence and mockery was just that, nothing more. Essentially, his satirical notion came down to those illegal immigrants holding agricultural jobs. Colbert, before addressing Congress did participate in a day’s work to become a sort of self-proclaimed expert.
Farm work may be grueling, but does that mean a legal American would deny such a job? I would like to think the answer to that question would be a ‘no’.
Stephen Colbert’s appearance may have been nothing more than a headache inducer, but the Democratic Party seems intent on making illegal immigration more of an everlasting migraine. It looks as if Colbert may have had one thing right, many of them may be out of jobs come November.
This notion in turn brings me to The DREAM (Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors) Act. If I were to go with the nutshell explanation of what The DREAM Act really is, I would tell you it is amnesty for illegal immigrants between the ages of twelve and thirty-five. Oh yes, amnesty. How? By receiving credits in higher education or serving proper military service, those illegal immigrants previously in the United States for five years, can apply and be granted American citizenship. The cost? Well, that would mean American taxes paying for those four years of high school, and the possible years before that, required by any higher education institution. And an illegal immigrant participating opts to go in to the military? Those positions are paid once boot camp is completely. So yes, the Democratic Party wants to pay illegal immigrants to become legal.
Then, what does the Republican Party so desire within the realms of illegal immigration? Do not fret; this issue was rightfully addressed in their newest “Pledge to America”.
This whole debate may sound like it is leaking from a Conservative’s mouth, or maybe even a Tea Partier’s political leanings but isn’t it just common sense that illegal immigrants are illegal? This then striking the possibilities of a well-rounded education, employment opportunities and equal rights… Away? That is what I had though, but who knows, maybe it’s not common sense and somewhere along the way a large group of Americans forgot what “We the People” truly means. Or, maybe that meaning has just evolved in to more of a “Come one, Come all, here is my open wallet” type of interpretation.