I believe that the Spanish language should be taught in all schools across the United States; spanish speaking individuals should be able to have access to their own language and the ability to speak it where and whenever they please. The authors of the article claim that one New Mexican supermarket was denounced for disallowing it's employees for speaking Castilian in the store. This idea is completely ludicrous. In the 1700s, in Pennsylvania, many different languages and cultures were accepted, including Dutch, French, and German. Why can't we accept another person's language or nationality when it was wildly popular in Pennsylvania hundreds of years ago? A journalist by the name of Vanessa Ruiz was born in Miami, grew up in Colombia and lived in Spain. She claims that being bilingual benefited her in the situation she was in astronomically. Being able to speak spanish was extremely important to her. Speaking spanish in America today is incredibly important, as America is quickly becoming a predominantly spanish speaking country. One of the things I find confusing about this statistic is Donald Trump's ability to argue against it. In the article, it was noted that Trump put down ex governor Jeb Bush during the 2016 presidential race for giving a speech about latino rights in spanish. Bush was discussing his negative view on the store manager that disallowed Castilian to be spoken in his store. This is obviously quite a positive political move, yet Trump believes that only English should be spoken in the US. This is a flawed, egocentric idealism that contains no evidence to back it up other than people being "uncomfortable" around a new language. People will get used to the bilingualism in any country given time. A country that contains 55 million latinos should not get rid of such a necessary language as spanish. In Arizona, there is a law that prevents bilingual teaching in schools. This law is entirely flawed, as 60 percent of children in Arizona's schools descend from some hispanic country. Timothy M. Hogan, the executive director for the Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest, claimed that the main reason for this law was that many english speaking Americans felt threatened by having a new language introduced. They felt as though eventually, Hispanic Americans and Spanish speaking people would take over. This is completely falsified and supremacist like thinking. Howard Zinn wrote in his book "A People's History of the United States" about the different viewpoints of the masses of people, Irish workers, Natives, and black slaves, for example. The moral of this fact is that ignorant bigots like the english speaking people in Arizona need to consider the viewpoints of those other than themselves. Many individuals in the US simply do not consider that there are others around them who would benefit exponentially for not being turned away from and left to die because of things as far fetched as language differences. The United States was founded on the ideals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. If people who want to speak spanish aren't even allowed to, the happiness factor cannot be met by every individual in the US. Spanish should be embraced and accepted as one of the main languages in the US, and people who want to speak it should have the right to do so, all the time.
Specifically arguing the point of the 1700s and Pennsylvania. I think that they were forced to accept it because all of those people fled from their countries in search of a better life and had no other alternative. Here we as a nation believe that everything should be done our way, whether its our language or anything in general. I don't agree with this but that is what causes all the problems that weren't around in the 1700s we can live a sheltered life where we here our own language and our own dialects but in the end the real world comes and we have to deal with everything that comes with it. Which includes other languages we aren't used too.
One argument I agree with most is the one about Donald Trump. Jeb Bush was appealing to 38 million people (roughly 12% of the United States population) by making a speech for Latino rights. Trump is destroying his own campaign by wasting 12% of the votes he could possibly get. Another point I agree with you on is that the schools in Arizona shouldn't be banned from the ethnic studies class. Although this class shouldn't be mandatory, it being an elective would appeal to over half of the student body.
I do concur Dan that it is in fact quite ridiculous to be denied permission to freely speak another language in a population of mostly Hispanic descent. Speaking in terms of the school, it quite negatively impacting the student body and is further explanation as to why the U.S. population if so ignorant. We are brought up sheltered from other culture's and convinced that ours alone is the greatest.But I must also agree with Sam that the use of various languages in the 1700s was much more necessary and hard to compare to. Yet we still as a nation should accept Spanish and integrate it into our own mainstream culture.
I have to agree with you. Anybody, from any culture, should be allowed to speak the language that they want. Of course, without any restrictions. Also the attacks Donald Trump makes are crazy. I mean attacking someone for giving a speech is Spanish is cruel. That should be praised not made fun of. Millions of people in America speak Spanish and it's about time we get on board and try as hard to learn their language as hard as they've worked to learn ours.
Learning Spanish in schools should be mandatory because of the rising amount of Hispanics in the U.S. If someone goes on vacation to New Mexico or Nevada, where there is a greater population of Hispanics, it'll be easier to communicate with everyone. Also it's benefical to know Spanish when applying for college or a job. Many people are impressed when they meet someone who is bilingual.
I don't think it should be mandatory because honestly yes there is a large amount of Spanish speaking people and that number is growing but maybe Spanish doesn't interest someone. Maybe, they want to learn French, German, or Latin. So i think they might get more out of it if they pick their foreign language.
I agree with Sam that learning Spanish should not be mandatory. Yes the Spanish population is growing and yes Spanish is the second most spoken language on the planet, but like Sam said it may not interest them. If someone is travelling to France or maybe even the French language interests them, they shouldn't be forced to learn Spanish. I get the premise of where you are coming from though: students should be required to learn a foreign language.
Sam and Isaac have it right. Students shouldn't have to take Spanish. If Spanish was mandatory, then some kids would take it, hate it, and not be able to get out of it. they would just sit there, bored, and fail. Spanish courses should be encouraged, but not forced.
I agree with you guys. Allie, the facts you mentioned are right, the population of Hispanics and Spanish speakers are growing every day in the US, it may even surpass the amount of English-speaking Americans in our lifetime. I agree that students shouldn't be forced into taking a specific language, some may have aspirations of traveling to or living in another country, for which knowing their language would be mandatory. I agree that learning a foreign language, no matter what it is (even though Spanish is quite a logical choice), should definitely be heavily encouraged, but not required in high school. Some people just don't learning a language, I have friends that have quit their language after a year or two of suffering through it. It turns out that for many people, if they have no choice in what they have to take, they will fight it as much as possible in whatever means necessary, switching schools or purposely failing if they feel that is what they need to do. I personally agree that taking Spanish is beneficial for all of us, and if not Spanish definitely another foreign language, but everybody is different and you can't force anyone into it.
Spanish has become a controversy in the United States, whether it be the pronunciation of words, or speaking the language in general. This controversy has split our nation into separate groups for years, and it is finally time to address this issue. Many people in the United States, mainly in Arizona, critique others for pronouncing words in different ways in Spanish and also for not translating Spanish into English in the United States (such as when saying the "Pledge of Allegiance", or even just having a conversation in public). Journalist, Vanessa Ruiz states that she has grown up speaking two different languages and has lived where Spanish is pronounced differently, so each person should have the right to speak Spanish the way they want and know how to, and should not be criticized for doing so. The pronunciation of Spanish is an issue in itself, while yet there is still the issue that arises about speaking Spanish in the United States at all. The United States has become home to many different languages and cultures due to the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness that it offers (many have emigrated into the U.S.). Although the U.S. has become an assimilation of many different cultures and languages, some still refuse to accept it. A New Mexico Market was denounced because it did not allow its workers to speak Castilian/Spanish, and Donald Trump was publicly disconcerted when he contended with former governor Jeb Bush on whether the employees at the New Mexico market should be allowed to speak Spanish. Trump is completely against the idea of assimilation and bilingualism in the United States. He believes that only English should be spoken in the U.S. and nothing else. Trump's opinion is absurd, seeing as what he has said is analogous to France saying that people can only speak French there. It is ridiculous. If a country wants to thrive, culturally and industrially, they need to be accepting of other languages and cultures. According to another article from CNN, Trump has been bolder about preventing Spanish in the United States. He critiques Bush again, in saying that while in the United States, Bush should only speak English (CNN-Trump). With the United States vastly growing population of Hispanics (55 million), becoming the second largest country to speak Spanish, it is essential that we accept the different language and culture and not prohibit bilingual learning like the state of Arizona did. Although some may feel threatened by a new language, the French and Spanish may feel the same way, as English becomes a common language in other countries. The ignorant people of the United States need to stop thinking just about themselves, but in terms of the nation as a whole, and all of the diversity it encompasses. Many of the "lower-class" jobs of today are filled by immigrants from other countries that speak different languages, mainly Spanish. If we don't allow these employees to speak their own language, we as a nation may lose a lot of industry. In order for the advancement of our country and culture, we need to accept what is already upon us, and recognize that our country is not just filled with people who speak English, but is filled with diversity, which is what makes the U.S. unique. For example, in literature, we have not yet found the Great American Novel, because one book cannot capture all of the diversity, qualities and the "cultural definition" of the United States, and in reality, we have trouble defining ourselves because we, as a nation, cannot accept all of our differences, but if we are able to, we become a much more strong, independent country. The bilingual teaching of Spanish in American classrooms should be offered due to the rising percent of our population that speaks Spanish. If our nation is able to accept and learn Spanish, we will become a more stable, welcoming and capable country.
I concur with the fact that a country must respect and acknowledge other languages and cultures in order to thrive in a growing global market. I know that Miles stated that the US actually has no official language, and so I agree wholeheartedly in the mindset that we should be more culturally and linguistically accepting. I believe that if we, as a country, come together and accept bilingualism, it will be a giant step forward in returning as one of the world's greatest powers, if not the greatest power. The negative, bigoted mindset most Americans have is only leading our country deeper into a pit of no return, and if we can take the step of accepting bilingualism and multiculturalism, we will have taken one more step out of said pit.
I agree that this has split people into different groups unfortunately. It's sad because like Dan said, the US has no official language. With this it should be accepted that people will speak different languages and we should all learn parts of different languages if we can. More people in the US need to become more accepting of other cultures, including the spanish language because more and more people are speaking spanish primarily.
I agree that in order for a country to thrive, it needs to be accepting of other cultures and languages. Donald Trump says that France should only speak French but this simply would not work. If countries were to only speak their country's language, they would have no way of contacting other countries for resources and such and could only survive off their own land for so long. Sure, there's apps for communication now but I don't think that would be sufficient in this bigger picture. This lack of communication could also lead to more wars (events that normally occur when two or more countries misunderstand each other and can't find a common ground). As for the countries that naturally share the same language, they could easily form alliances muchlike WWII.
Miles Cramer I think that it doesn't matter which language or dialect you speak. The United States has no official language (really!), so nobody should discriminate based on language. Spanish is one of the most commonly spoken languages in the world, so it is useful to know. Castilian is still Spanish, isn't it? Saying you can't speak Castilian Spanish is like saying you can't speak with a southern drawl in English. Before I knew any Spanish, I traveled to Arizona and Utah, and half the people there spoke Spanish. probably 2/3 of those didn't speak English. I couldn't understand half of what anybody said. Spanish will most likely become one of the major languages in the US, like Italian and German used to be. And those languages died out, as there don"t seem to be many German- or Italian-speaking people left in the US. With every big wave of immigration into the US, Americans have always been xenophobic. this new hatred for Spanish-speaking immigrants will probably die out once we get used to them. Spanish should be offered in every school in America so that we will be able to communicate with all of these new people and their ideas and culture. Since the US is the second-largest Spanish-speaking country on earth, we should not fear Spanish, but embrace it. Politicians rant about how speaking Spanish is "destroying American culture." In fact, Latin-American culture will probably merge with our typical "American" culture, like with every other immigrant group. It shouldn't matter which language you speak or where you come from, you should be judged on your character, not the color of your skin. All languages should be accepted in the United States, or we are not truly the land of the free.
I agree one hundred percent. You shouldn't be discriminated for what language you are speaking or dialect of that language. The way you pronounce the words shouldn't allow people to judge you it should be the words you are saying and your actions that dictate who you are.
This is relevant Miles. Discriminating based on the accent the person speaks with is ludicrous, and is basically setting us back 50 years when the Civil Rights Movement occured, only trying to make everyone accept Hispanic people this time around
With what Lexi and miles are saying, are we going to discriminate other Americans because of their accents and the way they pronounce words? For example, White people with southern accents.
Miles is spot on with his mentality on the spanish speaking subject. How does every Republican, bigoted politician think our "American" society was started? Simple. A clash of German, Russian, English, Irish, Scandinavian... the list goes on of the various cultures that have come together to form our unique "American" culture. Why do people fight so much to keep Mexicans out of America, if America was formed on the basis of cultures coming together? Politicians such as Trump don't make sense in the idealisms on spanish speaking people.
Dan, I don't think we can call all republicans bigoted, especially on this subject. You even wrote about (the republican) Jeb Bush's speech for Hispanics, and you seemed okay with it.
Hayden has a great point I agree with him completely. I'm not a big fan of republicans or conservatism in general, but not all republicans are bigoted hardliners only some are and I'd wager that the democrats have a few as well
I agree with you Miles and with what Allie said. Why should we judge people for pronouncing their own language differently, but yet people across America pronounce hundreds of words different. For example, we don't judge Bostonian's for dropping their "r"s, and other Americans don't judge New Englander's for saying "wicked". So why is this issue so much more dramatic when it's a Spanish speaking person pronouncing words differently?
I do believe that all Spanish is a rising language in American and all schools should teach it. However people should not be expected to know Spanish in the adult world say in Western Mass because it isn't as necessary here. However, if you live in a big city or in the south near the Mexico border where there is a much larger Hispanic population then you should at least know the basics of Spanish. Therefore I think it should be taught because it is rising and with the growing Spanish speaking population it will always be helpful whether in your job or just in your day to day life. People shouldn't be treated differently for not knowing one or the other because in some parts of this country Spanish is the main language in that region so it is more necessary and most kids don't learn English. No matter what language you speak it should be okay to live an adult life and feel apart of society.
I agree! Although Spanish is necessary throughout this country, drilling it into the heads of people who live in, say, Vermont and New Hampshire is pretty pointless because they may not ever need it
I feel as though Americans should be required to learn spanish at some point in their lives. Though many people from the northeastern US probably won't use spanish on a regular basis, it could come in handy during an emergency situation where nobody else speaks english. There are also many spanish speaking vacation destinations that are truly beautiful, and to learn more about them through using the language is even better than not understanding a mediocre translator. I do definitely agree that Spanish will probably become one of the dominant languages in the US, and I respect your opinion, Sam, and yours, Lexi, that it probably isn't a bare necessity for people in the northeast to learn spanish.
I completely agree with Lexi and Sam, and I also see Dan's point. Forcing someone in Northern Maine to learn Spanish, is not going to do any good. First of all, they probably do not want to know how to speak it, and second of all, they will most likely never encounter a situation in their life in which they need to speak Spanish. It seems pointless to teach someone in Northern Maine to speak Spanish, when the more common "foreign" language is French, due to the close border with Canada. I also see Dan's view though because the United States is the second largest Spanish speaking country, so it seems extremely necessary to teach Spanish throughout to whole United States and spread and declare our cultural diversity. All of the languages spoken in the United States should, in some form, be available at every school because we do not just speak English in the U.S., not even close; there are so many languages that are spoken in the U.S., and Spanish is one of the main ones, so it is very important to spread that cultural diversity throughout the whole U.S.
I understand your point Sam as to why it's unnecessary to teach someone who does live, say, in rural New England, Spanish and have them speak it fluently. But I must insist that they should still be taught a basic understanding of the language. Maybe not to the extent of being able to engage in an active conversation or being able to make a full speech in Spanish. But enough as to be able to exchange formalities and necessities, such as "Hello" or "I need help!" or even "Where's the bathroom?" Not only would this enable our population to interact better with each other, it would also assist in the formation of a more accepting, undiscriminating culture.
I disagree because by teaching it in school its 1.) easier to learn because they're younger 2.) looks good on any application, whether it be for a school or job and 3.) with the rising population of Spanish speaking Americans there's a high chance that even people in rural New England you will encounter, and not be able to communicate with someone who speaks Spanish . There are also many kids who will move away down south or into larger cities and you should always be prepared for whatever life throws at you. I think its a vital tool for any intelligent and versatile adult.
If the Spanish speaking population grows even more, I think taking Spanish in school should at least be mandatory in states with a higher population of Spanish speaking people. If they speak Spanish, they obviously don't have to take it. So maybe if they don't speak English as well, they would take an English class.
Very good point, because although there isn't a set language for this country, English is (barely!) the primary language spoken here. So while us English speakers are doing our part in learning Spanish, the Spanish speakers should do their part as well to help us out!
I think you're right. The spanish language is growing and it is going to become more prevalent. Many people who didn't speak english work very hard to speak english, and some do it fluently. I think that english speakers can return the favor and try to speak their language as well.
I disagree with this and don't think that taking a Spanish class should be mandatory. I can see how learning the language can be helpful throughout one's life, but it shouldn't be a requirement from schools. People should be able choose a language(s) that interests them specifically, and shouldn't have to learn a language that doesn't spark their interest.
I agree with Corry. Of course learning Spanish would be very useful but I don't believe it should be a class students are forced to take. In Wahconah, foreign language is one of the classes that the students have a choice in and I really like that we have that choice. Also I think it would be very beneficial if the US set up education programs for people who only speak Spanish, where they wouldn't be forced to learn English but be taught in Spanish so there would be less of a pressure on students to learn English.
This article proves that no matter what time period we are in or how much people accept other people for their differences, there will still be people in this world that will only start drama to keep their lives interesting. Telling a person that they are wrong for speaking a word in a certain dialect is disgusting and should not be tolerated, especially since every person in this country speaks certain words with a different accent according to which part of the country they are from. If this journalist is from Arizona, who's population is (according to the article) 30% Hispanic and still continuously growing, then nobody should be questioning why she has a Castilian dialect when she speaks. As a result of this fact - plus the very controversial story of Donald Trump telling Jeb Bush that he shouldn't give a speech in Spanish because "we live in America and speak 'American'" - I believe that some level of Spanish should be taught in every school. This would make things easier in the long run for everyone; jobs would be much easier to attain, and people would be able to understand each other more fluently, which makes for a happy country... to a certain extent that is!
I agree with you 100% about being able to speak how you want. The First Amendment guarantees freedom of speech, something not even Donald Trump can deny. Republicans are all about freedom, so why not free people to speak however they want to?
Lexi and Miles, I agree with you both. One of the principles that our country was built off of is freedom. We, as a country, are not living up to the principles we were founded on if we criticize and ostracize people just because they have an accent, or speak a different language. People have, or should have the freedom to speak any language that they want. We don't make fun of people who are from Boston that have an accent, or who are from the South, so why do we, as a country, feel the need to humiliate those who speak a different language, or have an "unknown" accent. We are all different, but the same. We are all people, and depending on where we grew up, or who we lived with, we all speak a little differently, so it is absurd that people, such as in the Mexican market, would ostracize and make people feel bad for speaking with an accent, or speaking different language. The U.S. needs to start taking hold of their actions, and like Lexi said, people should become more acquainted with the languages and diversities of our country, and that Spanish should be offered in all schools in order to make our country a little "happier", you could say.
I agree that being criticized for being pronouncing a word differently than what some people would consider the "correct" way is ridiculous. It should be accepted because we all pronounce words differently. For example, orange and caramel have controversial pronunciations based on where we live and grew up learning. But, no one is criticized for it. This should be the same way for a Spanish pronunciation. I also agree that because Spanish is a continuously growing language that every school should offer the opportunity to be taught the language, but not have it be required. And, going along with the Donald Trump quote, I do partially agree with him. I don't think we should yet start giving speeches in Spanish. When it comes to the point where there is a majority of Spanish speaking citizens in the U.S., then it should be considered. But, I believe that if a Spanish speaking civilian who doesn't speak English would like to understand a presidential speech/debate of some sort, then they can get a translation, which I'm sure wouldn't be that hard to do.
I feel that people should know at least a little bit of Spanish, even if they dont live in a big city with lots of people who speak it, you should at least be able to try and help them if youre in a public setting and they ask you for help, because you never know who youre going to run into in public(and this should apply to any foreign language) But in places where the Hispanic population is high, and still growing, I think Spanish should be a necessary class, it benefits not only you, but the people who speak Spanish and are learning English, or trying to learn it as easily as they can, because lets face it english is a hard language to learn too. As well as people making fun of dialect, that is disgusting. People are always going to pronounce things differently, and some people are going to have a hard time with certain letters if its not a commonly used letter in their language.
As far as having a different dialect, we have many different dialects of english in our own country. The way someone from New York speaks is different than the way someone from Texas speaks. Even in our own state, we don't speak the same way people do in Boston. Yet, when we hear someone speak while a dialect from different parts of our own country we don't care. It only bothers us if its an accent from a different language. Then we get super fussy and everyone starts to freak out at them.
Spanish is a growing language and it grows more and more every day, however, Spanish shouldn't be forced upon people. I like what you are saying about wanting to help people who speak a different language but, thanks to technology, "there's an app for that." Now with the growing smartphone supply more and more people can translate without having to know the language. This means that you could be bilingual with English and Spanish and still help someone who speaks French with an app on the phone. I do enjoy the fact of helping someone from a different language than what you were raised into as I went to Costa Rica earlier this year and was able to communicate with others there through Spanish.
I do agree that Spanish should be offered to people to learn everywhere, but not required. If they would like to learn it, then yeah that's great! But, I don't believe they should be forced to. But, the part where you mentioned that this should happen for all languages, I'm not really sure what you mean. If you're referring to someone on the streets in a foreign city, that they should be able to find anyone who speaks their language in order to help them. Well, that's very difficult because not everyone is going to learn a variety of languages. It won't be likely that that will ever happen, but I do believe it is a good thought, just not a possible one.
I definitely agree with the fact that people should learn Spanish in school. It is increasing at a rapid rate. People who live in bilingual homes are raised possibly speaking both Spanish and English frequently. I do see Issac's point though about how Spanish shouldn't be forced upon people, however I do feel that in the long run it will eventually most of the United States will already be speaking Spanish. If kids start to learn Spanish at a young age in school I feel as if it will come much more "natural" to them, almost as if they were raised in a bilingual home. The point you bring up about the dialect is interesting because different regions have different ways of saying things, just look at the United States! It disturbs me how people poke fun of the way people speak in Spanish no one pronounces words perfectly, and possibly that person they are making fun of could possibly just be learning Spanish.
I agree with you that people should have a basic understanding of the Spanish language. I also agree when you say that people shouldn't make fun or criticize how others pronounce different words. Everyday I mispronounce words in English and I've known this language my entire life, so therefore, others shouldn't be made fun of when trying to pronounce English words, especially when it's not someones first language. On a personal note, my Great Grandparents came over from Poland and had no prior knowledge on how to speak the English language and had to completely learn it in America. I have noticed before when they mispronounce words, but that doesn't effect what they are saying and should never be looked down upon or made fun of.
In the United States Spanish is becoming one of the most commonly spoken languages. Even though English is still the most popular language it is becoming increasingly more difficult to find people that only speak English, especially in the southern states. A perfect example of this would be the news reporter mentioned in the article. Even though it was an English channel she still used some Spanish words or sounds because that’s all she new. Just how most of us only know English so when we try to speak Spanish we use many English words or sounds. However, the majority of this country still speaks English so that should be the language everyone knows. That doesn’t mean people can’t speak more languages, it is great skill in life to be bilingual or even trilingual. Although, I don’t believe it should be a required class, schools should offer many foreign language classes for kids to broaden their horizons. Our country prides itself off of our freedom, so we shouldn’t be forced to do anything we don’t want to. However, it should be greatly encouraged, but never forced upon kids. When it’s forced upon them they have no desire to learn it, and they will only do the bare minimum amount of work they have to, to just pass the class. But, if kids are interested in it they will put in the extra work to get the full benefit out of the class. One way to give kids a better opportunity to enjoy new languages is to incorporate them in school at a much younger age. Instead of only teaching English until 8th grade, and then forcing it for only the next three to four years, foreign language classes should start preschool or kindergarten level. That way, students’ brains are developing with the knowledge of two languages, instead of programing the brain for one language and then trying to reprogram it for two languages. It has been proven that the easiest time to learn multiple languages is when you are a little kid, before you have truly mastered the use of one language.
You got the right idea, Sam. it's a proven fact that we learn languages better when we are younger, so your idea about teaching foreign languages at young ages sounds absolutely correct. however, many parents would be a bit freaked out if little Johnny came home babbling to them in a language they didn't understand. In order for this to work, everyone, young and old, would have to be bilingual.
I agree with you 100(110?)% Sam. From a young age it is easier to learn a language and become fluent in a language. I also agree that it shouldn't be forced upon you because it would end up like another class that you sit and stare at the bell and wait for it to end. I think Miles proves a point though, it would be a little odd to have your child come home speaking a different language and you wouldn't have the slightest clue of what they were saying, however, you have to start somewhere. Therefore, foreign language classes should be offered to younger kids, starting in elementary school.
The Idea of learning a language from an early age is something public schools in the United States needs to adopt. Miles and Isaac believe that it would be scary to have your child come home speaking a different language but I don't think this is the case. First of all, I don't often go home and begin speaking Spanish to my only English speaking family. Second, parents shouldn't be worried by their kid's ability to speak another language, they should be proud that he/she is opening up their opportunities in the future at such a young age. I don't think learning a second language in elementary school is a bad thing at all, and if not offered to my future kids I will most likely teach them the basics myself.
I agree Sam, except on a few points... Even though I believe kids should be taught another language earlier than we were in 8th grade, I think that preschool or kindergarten is taking it a little too young. I believe that they should be able to really know and understand English first, and especially be able to write in it. I've worked with 1st graders and some of them seem to barely be able to spell basic words or even how to write a single letter. I think that kids should learn it sometime in elementary school, but not quite that young, or the two languages would probable confuse them.
I think Spanish class should definitely be offered for younger children but, as Rachel said, kindergarten is kind of young. Although, maybe exposing them to some small aspect of Spanish at this young age could be beneficial. If they hear a little Spanish every day, it could help it to become a more natural language, like how we developed our English language. Maybe if kindergarten/first grade teachers read short stories in Spanish or sometimes counted in Spanish during class it could expose these young children to a new language that will hopefully provide more success and understanding in their later Spanish learning.
Last year I did a research project on starting foreign language education in schools at lower grade levels and studies show that the younger you are, the easier it is for an individual to learn a language. Also learning a foreign language helps with many cognitive skills such as problem solving. Also learning a foreign language at a young age helps with the development of a child's brain so starting foreign language education at a young age is very beneficial. There are immersion programs where elementary schools are trying to teach the students Spanish and the end goal is to teach half the day while speaking Spanish and the other half while speaking English. The small amount of students exposed to this technique of learning were very successful, so I believe students should be taught a foreign language as soon as possible. I don't believe kindergarten is too early to start this education and it would be beneficial at this age.
Every language in the world has different types of dialects. In the United States there are people from the south who might say "y'all" instead of "you all". If someone from the south were to say "y'all" to someone raised up north they would still get the meaning and know that it means "you all." In the article's case Vanessa Ruiz rolled her r's. This rolling of the r's doesn't change the meaning of the word in the English language, however, in Spanish it does. For example if someone were to say "pero" instead of "perro" it would change the whole meaning of the word; this is why rolled r's are a necessity in the Spanish language. Also if someone were to say "pero" but meant "perro," the person who is listening to the conversation would still understand what the other was trying to say by context clues. The point that I'm trying to get at is that pronunciation doesn't truly matter unless it changes the entire meaning of a word. Therefore, people should not be angry or upset that someone talks with a Spanish dialect and rolls their r's because it is "not right" because, in fact, it is right in their culture. With over 37 million people speaking Spanish in the U.S., it is becoming a common language and will come with no surprise when Spanish becomes the most popular language in the U.S. The final point I'm trying to make is that the way someone pronounces a word should not open them up to ridicule and harassing but rather open up someone's mind as to how they speak from where they were raised.
I completely agree with you. It is embarrassing that some people of the United States ridicule others for their pronunciation, because, not only if you are learning a language, but in general, people mispronounce words all of the time (I do too), but everyone still understands what they are trying to say. Its an awful thing, but people tend to pick on those that are different, or who they think can make them look more powerful, or "cooler", or more popular, which is absolutely absurd. It's sort of like placing Spanish 4 students in a room full of native Spaniards and forcing us to speak to them. I have a feeling that they would get very confused because we would miss a verb here or there, and we would sound very American, and it would not be at all easy to understand us. This is sort of like the situation in the United States. People who speak different languages are being made fun of when they attempt to speak English because they are not "good" at it, when in reality, it is a second language that they are just learning, so it should not be a surprise that they cannot fluently speak it. People in the United States need to be more accepting of the diversity that we have, and stop putting others down for the way that they speak.
I agree. This article points out not only the nature of Spanish in the United States, but it also points out the cruelty of people. This woman shouldn't be made fun of based on her way of speaking. She was raised in a bilingual home and consequence of this speaks both Spanish and English a little bit differently. Being a news anchor in a region with many Spanish speaking people you'd thing she'd be accepted, but the Caucasians with minimal education can't seem to understand there isn't a problem with her speaking some words differently. Isaac points out the different dialects of English in the United States, and that is no different this woman's dialect of Spanish.
I think that it is absolutely ridiculous that people have to complain about a newscaster simply speaking in another language. Especially because so many people in the United States speak Spanish, you hear it everywhere, even in these secluded towns in the Berkshires. To persecute somebody because of something as minor as their language, or really anything, is completely inexcusable. Here in America we tend to believe we are non judgmental and accepting of all the diversity we have. However, whenever anybody thinks about it further, we couldn't be more the opposite. Think about Donald Trump, he is so close to actually being the president of our country (which I think is completely insane and don't know what in the world the rest of the US is thinking). Do we really want someone so racist and discriminating as the leader of OUR country??! He would represent every citizen here as having the same views as him, after all he is elected by them. That would really show the extent of our intolerance of other cultures and languages, even ones as close as Mexico. I personally believe that it is absolutely absurd to keep students, or anybody really, from speaking their native language or practicing their culture just because they are in America, the "land of the free" (which we obviously are not). Our intolerance, as I'm sure everyone knows, doesn't extend just to Mexicans or Spanish speakers. Ever since 9/11 every Muslim and Middle Eastern person, foreign or American born, have been unjustly scrutinized. Just since a few people hated the United States enough to harm us doesn't mean everyone is. We really need to stop this ignorance of the world or it won't be just a few, it truly will be everybody against us, and I couldn't blame them if we ever did get that bad. Our religion, our skin color, the language we speak, none of it matters. We are all the same no matter what, so if people could finally stop getting past our exteriors and really accepting us for who we are, I think the world itself would be much more peaceful and accepting.
I agree with you, Rachel, when you say that people should be able to speak whatever language and practice whichever culture they so choose. The First Amendment clearly states a person's rights to freedom of speech and freedom of religion. This should not only be preached but practiced!
I thought that the article was nice and that it had many good points to it. Vanessa Ruiz was raised in both Colombia and the United States and was raised in a bilingual household. In a way, she was lucky because she was able to learn from a young age, and the younger you are when you learn something, the easier it is to effectively learn it. As far as rolling the Rs goes, I wouldn't have a problem with it because it's how she is most comfortable speaking the language and it is the right way because that is how its supposed to be pronounced. I mean, why purposely mispronounce a word just to appease those people who are obnoxiously resistant to change of any kind when you know how to pronounce the word correctly and look ignorant. I think her idea is great and that it does respectfully pay homage to her heritage and the area in which she resides, Arizona, and the southwest in general.Vanessa Ruiz should keep pronouncing words the way she does and just ignore the people who question her.
I agree with you Jon. Vanessa Ruiz shouldn't be hated upon just for speaking her language the way she wanted to speak it. It is a free country, and people have the right to believe whatever they want to believe in or speak they way they want to speak their own language.
I agree with you Jonathan about what you wrote. Ms. Ruiz was lucky to have learned Spanish at such a young age because the younger you are, the easier it is the learn and retain information in the future, just like you said. For example, somebody who spends their childhood in a household that speaks mostly all Spanish, eventually that person catches on to the way of the language. It happens with us and English too. When we were little, we would hear our parents and the people around us speak English which resulted in us learning the words we did. As for Ms. Ruiz, she is lucky that she is bilingual because the Spanish speaking population in the United States is drastically increasing. Eventually people are going to need the skill of being bilingual to communicate with others in everyday life. I agree with you Jonathan when you questioned why somebody would change the way they speak just to offend somebody else. Ms Ruiz speaks the way she does because of where she grew up, and she isn't going to change the way she speaks just to please others. Everybody has the right to speak in any language or accent they please, and it's ridiculous how people are criticizing Ms. Ruiz for the way she speaks.
The Spanish speaking population is one of the fastest growing in the world, especially in the United States. Since this is a proven fact, I believe that it is absurd how people are criticizing one another for the way they pronounce their words. People need to realize that not everybody is the same, and they need to realize that specific accents that people have depend on where that person lives. For example, Ms. Ruiz was born in Miami, raised in Colombia, and studied in Spain. She grew up in a bilingual household which is the reason why she may roll her r's when speaking in English. As a matter of fact, Ms. Ruiz is lucky that she is able to speak two languages because the United States is seeing an incline in Spanish speaking people. In order to be successful in life, you must be able to communicate thoughts and ideas with all different types of people either during work or everyday life. Since the Spanish speaking population in the United States is increasing, people are going to have to interact with more Hispanic people than ever before. Due to the rise in the Spanish speaking population, I believe that Spanish should be taught in all schools because it very well could be a key to success in the near future. Being bilingual can only help someone's chances of getting a job and being successful. I find it very frustrating how people have such an issue with other people who speak different languages. Yes it may be difficult to communicate with someone who doesn't speak the same language as you, but that doesn't mean that people have the right to single out others due to this. In a supermarket in New Mexico, American employees where accused of singling out Spanish speaking employees with an "English Only policy" which involved unfair treatment of the Hispanics. This should not be tolerated in any part of the United States because its racism. I agree with how Ms. Ruiz approached the situation. She was bold enough to stand up for why she spoke the way she did, and she stated that she was not trying to disrespect or offend anyone. It is very unfortunate that Ms. Ruiz had to deal with this, and it should never be a problem in the first place. People should not disrespect anybody for the ways they speak.
It doesn't make sense for people to want to change how others were born. Why is it such a big problem for someone with a Spanish heritage to be disrespected because of how they are pronouncing words? That to me is insane to try to find a reason to start a big issue because of how people talk. However, I am not saying I do not see why it started. These days a lot of people have a problem to change. They don't like when people don't do things their way or perform something that is a change from the "normal." Because someone decided to reach out and do something their way, a sudden uproar occurs. Often times when people do something out of the ordinary, people will always disagree. This can be seen back all during the Civil Rights Movement. When Martin Luther King Jr spoke up and did something different, huge riots occurred. Although this issue isn't as big as this, this was meant to prove a point. Overall, people don't do well with change. Whether it is as something as little as a change in schools or something as big as someone speaking differently on national television, there will always be people who disagree. In my opinion, this issue shouldn't even be considered an issue. If someone speaks how they want then let them. It is all about respect and learning to accept others. The United States is a melting pot of cultures and that's what makes it unique. As Marilyn Monroe once said, "respect is one of life's greatest treasures. I mean, what does it all add up to if you don't have that?"
I agree with you McKenna. People shouldn't want to alter someone's life just so they can find pleasure in theirs. This is the case in the article as people criticize Ms. Ruiz because they do not like the accent she speaks with. They cannot accept the fact that Spanish is becoming one of the most used languages in the United States. I agree with you when you stated why you believed that this uproar began. It began because people cannot accept changes in their everyday lives, like you said. Change is always occurring throughout our world, and people need to learn how to adapt to the changes around them. All of the ignorant people who are bashing Ms. Ruiz because of her accent, cannot accept the fact that Spanish speaking people are becoming more common. The issue involving Ms. Ruiz and her accent should have never escalated to this level, and it is sad that people are focused more on this than some other far more serious topics our country faces.
Spanish is one of the largest languages in The united states, and it's growing fast. The article points out many flaws in the way our country treats Hispanic Americans. For instance, Arizona schools have a law in place preventing them from having an ethnic studies class. The school district with this law has 60% Hispanic students. These students are forced to take a history class about the United States, but they can't even learn about their own heritage! The article also highlights the problems within our government. In the 2016 election Donald Trump is making one of his selling points his hatred for people who aren't white. Trump bashed republican candidate Jeb Bush for making a speech aimed at Hispanic's in Spanish. This is the most reasonable thing to do but Trump's twisted view is forcing him to call out Bush on his so-called "mistake". The purpose of the article is to depict the problems in our society regarding Latino culture. Shown in multiple forms from our government to the news, we can see the contorted United States view, but in turn we can see how to fix this.
Although I do agree that forbidden an ethic studies class is wrong, I do see where Donald Trump is coming from, but I also understand what Jeb Bush was doing. I do believe that speeches should still be spoken in English but speaking in Spanish at some points during a speech isn't a bad thing either. Spanish and English should be both respected equally for the great languages they are. I don't think neither Trump, nor Bush should be ridiculed for what either have said on this topic, I believe both are fair.
I agree with you Hayden. I think this country needs to change some of its standards, especially regarding education. People should be able to choose what they want to learn about, especially when it comes to some people wanting to learn more about their own culture. People should also be respected no matter what, and not mistreated for what they believe in, language they speak etc.
I fully agree with you Hayden. We as a nation have become so conceded and unwilling to accept other cultures that it has led to us becoming an arrogant people. We've come to the point of completely discriminating against "minorities" (who truly aren't minorities anymore) and seeing it take place once again in politics. It's a genuine shame that Trump is evens seen as a potential Presidential figure. We've truly lost sight of what America was built upon.
i totally agree Hayden. Id also like to point out that most of the history we teach renegading any Spanish American war is unbelievably biased to make America look better than it really is. We should not only be teaching both sides of the story so students gain a better understanding and a fair picture, but also so that Hispanic students have the opportunity to learn at least a LITTLE about their culture!
I completely agree with you too Hayden. Students should be able to study whatever they want, especially their culture and where they/their ancestors came from. I think what Trump said was completely inappropriate and quite conceded too. And geez, we don't speak AMERICAN!!! It's English!! How can a man running for president not speak correctly in our language and criticize someone that has the ability and care to give a speech in another language for Hispanics?!
I agree with you one hundred percent Hayden. It is so depressing that kids from not just Hispanic countries but, other countries too that move to the United States are forced to learn about the United States history and not their own. In a way it shows how conceited we as a nation can be. Also the history that we teach these students is seen from the United States perspective, not other countries perspectives like where these children have immigrated from.
I agree with everyone here about learning and studying what you want to and learning about your own culture. Now, regarding Donald Trump and the continuing fiasco known as the Trump campaign's antagonizing of Hispanics; Lets set the record straight on Trump and his speaking "American". First of all American is not a language; English is. Second of all the US has no official language so its not as if speaking non-English languages is illegal. Now for the last point, who is Donald Trump? Well, Trump is an opportunist demogogue, not a professional politician and is first and foremost a businessman.
Hayden I agree with what you have said and I think that Trump's effort to call out Bush's "mistake" was greatly uncalled for because I think that Bush made an effort to incorporate our country as a whole, rather than segregating everyone based on what language they speak and I think he was setting an example for our country in terms of how we should be accepting everyone for who they are, what they believe, what language they speak, where they come from, etc.
Spanish is one of the most used languages in the world, and is becoming a huge part of the United States. The language is becoming wide spread throughout the United States and even has a chance of being the main language used in the U.S. in the near future. For me this is pretty intimidating. I'm very comfortable with where my life is at right now, and change is new and different, which is very hard to accept. Most people have a hard time dealing with change. I do, but not to the extent that this article showed. Of course a new language is scary to some people, but it doesn't mean it shouldn't be accepted. For example, the thought that speaking Spanish was banned in a school and a grocery store, is completely ridiculous. Imagine, going to this school or grocery store and not knowing any other language besides Spanish. That's so intimidating. There would be no way of communicating. Plus, doesn't everyone have the right to freedom of speech? That should include speaking in a different language, by definition, shouldn't it? It's unjust to allow that to be a law! Even the fact that this concept of the Spanish language integrating to the U.S. got to be published in a New York Times article and is discussed in the Presidential Debate is astonishing to me. I personally believe that it should be accepted because we are all different, and not everything different needs to be recognized. Plus, the fact that some people had to call it journalists on TV for pronouncing English words with a Spanish accent is completely bizarre! And the fact that they had to explain themselves on television and online is mind boggling. Yes,change is intimidating,but people should be respected for who they are and nothing less.
I agree with you Ashley. People shouldn't be critiqued based on the the language that they speak or the ideas they believe. It is their rights as Americans to speak however they want to speak, and people shouldn't be mistreated by others based upon what those people believe in.
I agree with you Ashley. This further proves my point of how people do not do well with change. The idea of Spanish language being everywhere is only intimidating to you because you are not used to it. It isn't your first language. Therefore, it would be very scary. However if more students or people spoke multiple languages this would be different.I think your response supported mine well. The overall theme of the two being how people do not do well with change and differences. If America was a more accepting place this would be different. Like Rachel said earlier, the United States is the complete opposite of what it claims to be. It may be culturally diverse but it is not culturally accepting. This needs to change in order for the United States to be a better place for everyone.
Kenna you have a good point. America should be accepting of the different languages spoken because we are considered the "melting pot". And also, if the problem with Spanish speaking people is that people feel they are all illegal/ legal immigrants, we need to remember that us Americans are all from different countries and we came here as well.
I completely agree that America is scared of change. The US has such an immense amount of pride and I think that causes people to mistreat foreigners. Some Americans feel threatened by people speaking Spanish and mistreat them because of their fear. I feel that this fear is part of the reason Spanish was banned in schools. America's overbearing nationalism is causing people to be closed-minded towards Spanish speaking individuals. This is something the US will need to fix.
I believe it's immoral for people to be critiqued for the way they pronounce their words. Ms. Ruiz shouldn't be attacked, because of the way she pronounces words in Spanish. Everybody is different, some people seem to forget that fact. The mere fact that Ms. Ruiz is bilingual is astounding, I can barely speak two languages. People shouldn't be attacking the way people speak, like the way that supermarket from the reading in New Mexico was banning it's employees from speaking castilian. That is part of that group of people's culture, and people need to be more accepting of that fact. America is a home to a multitude of different cultures, which is why this country is amazing. And the speaking of spanish is in hispanic culture, so why shouldn't those people have the write to speak their native language that they're comfortable with. I myself enjoy speaking spanish it is a beautiful language, and I believe more people should learn about languages like spanish. Knowing different languages, like spanish, allows for more people to be able to interact with each other.
Whoever wrote this, I agree. People have the right to practice their own culture, and especially the right of free speech. So why does it matter so much what language they communicate in?? People need to give more respect to those that can speak 2 or more languages fluently, not just mark them as outcasts and persecute them because it's not what they're "used to". I agree that the United States is great because it really is a mix of many different cultures, I just wish that they could all be accepted and not discriminated as separate groups, we are all Americans with the same rights in this country, it's about time people start acting like it.
The controversial topic of Spanish and American culture has become a frequently discussed topic in modern day politics. Yet there should never have been a question to it. Our country has risen to contain one of the highest Spanish-speaking populations in the world, and should be filled with pride in this fact. Yet we are arrogant enough that we have rejected this. Ms. Ruiz's simple moment has led to an outbreak of discontent among some Americans. This is utter idiocy. Spanish has formed into as much a part of our culture as any other aspect of our daily lives. And this should be encouraged throughout our nation. By integrating the teaching of another language, we improve the overall intelligence and comprehension of our population. By attempting to become bilingual, we as a people are enlightened into a new sense of acceptance, and can progress once more as society. The fact that this is still met with opposition and disapproval is completely ridiculous. With arrogant, foolish, undeserving, stupid individuals being placed in influential places, we as a country have digressed to become an uninviting, prejudiced nation. In order to turn this around and move towards progress, we are required to take the most basic steps towards acceptance. A major turn point would be the integration of Spanish as a part of mainstream culture. By being able to interact and engage with ease into other cultures, we as a whole would benefit economically, socially and overall as a people. It is necessary that our nation return to its roots as an accepting, hopeful land, all which is started by the acceptance of Spanish as a primary language. This very debate over the inclusion of Spanish into our everyday lives is an unnecessary hindrance to a more intelligent group of people. By all means, the integration of Spanish as a primary aspect of our lives should take priority in our country for the betterment of our lives.
I agree with you Devon about how you think that there should never be any controversy regarding Spanish and American culture. People better get used to the fact that Spanish is the fastest growing language in the United States, because eventually we are all going to have to be able to communicate with people who don't speak English. Ms. Ruiz should have never gone under fire for her pronunciation because like you mentioned, Spanish should be encouraged throughout our nation. By integrating Spanish as part of our mainstream culture, I believe that many people will have issues with this, especially since many Americans despise the fact that the Spanish language is becoming more prominent in the United States. Overtime though, I think that people will begin to learn to accept the fact that Spanish speaking citizens are becoming more common.
Will's right over time people will grow to accept Spanish like they have with other languages and cultures. I don't see why people should not already. The only reason I can think of is that the those who so value supremacy are now getting worried that they may not always be in the catbird seat, so they are reverting to reactionary tactics, which doesn't make sense in the modern world, but I doubt it will last forever, because I think people will accept Spanish and Hispanics one day
Considering the vast level of Spanish speaking people there are in the US and the fact that this number will continue to grow exponentially, i agree with most everyone else in that learning Spanish should be mandatory. It not only benefits the student in their ability to learn (as learning new languages opens up untapped pathways in the brain), future en-devours when applying for colleges and jobs, but also helps create a bridge between the Spanish American world and the English American world. There are people out their like Donald trump saying that Spanish Americans should learn to speak English when in reality America was created to be a diverse place from the very beginning. We shouldn't be building walls between cultures, but blending them together, because once upon a time, our ancestors were the immigrants. The amount of controversy over the fact that a news reporter pronounced some Spanish words the CORRECT way is appalling. I think "Americans" (i.e english white people) need to realize its not just "us" anymore and it never really has been. America is the melting pot of the world and by integrating Spanish culture into our education system we allow a new chapter of unity to begin. There should never be a place in the world where employees aren't allowed speak a certain language if they're just trying to help customers. Imagine having moving to Japan and not having anyone there to help you just because you cant understand them? If there's anyway to make to make "foreigners" feel more welcome, it would be to speak their native language. I'd also like to note that while we refuse to even integrate a second language into our education system, most countries in Europe teach their kids several languages. America is behind and its time to delve into, appreciate, and cultivate the multicultural country we live in.
I agree with you 100% about Trump wanting to almost "separate" the different diverse cultures. As you pointed out the United States is "The Melting Pot". Why is Trump trying to not merge the different cultures together? I feel like Trump is trying to almost to make people that speak Spanish more "American" by trying to get them to speak English. The United States is an assortment of different cultures, I feel that those cultures should be able to speak their own language if they want.
I definitely agree with Tara and Autumn. I believe that Trump feels that if every American speaks "American" then we will all be united in some way. Like many people in our country, he discourages differences and change. As Tara said, if we, as Americans, learn different languages we can serve as a more welcoming environment to those who speak other languages, instead of making them feel uncomfortable and like outsiders.
Spanish has become an increasingly popular language that is growing rapidly in the United States. There are numerous debates discussing the language such as the pronunciation of words. There seems to frequently be problems in Arizona as a result, people are accusing others about pronouncing their own words wrong! In the article Ruiz ends up discussing how she grew up in a bilingual house, then going into detail talking about how she pronounces words differently depending on the location. It isn't right that people are critiquing the Spanish language. Another point I seemed to notice and want to bring up is that I feel everyone should be taught Spanish in school. The Spanish population is growing rapidly! I feel that very soon the minority of Americans will actually be speaking English. I also feel that children should be taught Spanish at a very young age such as in elementary school rather than middle school. As a result of everyone learning to speak Spanish I think everyone should all be accepting of the language and not have so many controversial issues about it such as "The Pledge of Allegiance" or even pronouncing words wrong. I am still in such disbelief that people are being harassed over the way of their pronunciation! People come from different places and have a different dialects or accents and even use somewhat different words. This is shown through the use of the English language such as the different dialects here in Berkshire County and Boston. In Boston we speak the same language however the pronunciation of “r” is different, but we don’t harass each other about the way one another speaks. I don't understand why the Spanish speaking culture is being targeted? No one speaks a perfect language so why do we feel that we are superior enough to critique others?
I agree with Autumn when she says that children should be learning Spanish sooner. If children started to learn Spanish in elementary school, like Autumn said, like we do the rules of English, we would have a better understanding of the language and would know a lot more, maybe even be fluent, by the time we are sent off into the "real world" after schooling.
Autumn I support what you said about children beginning to learn Spanish at a young age which kind of supports what I said in my main response about how if people are more experienced with the language and have been left to more exposure of the language then maybe people will become more accepting and understanding of the struggle of being in a country with a native language and trying to adapt to our country's ways.
I feel quite strongly that Spanish should be taught in schools across the country. Being bilingual has so many benefits. Spanish is growing rapidly in the U.S. and soon it will be the dominant language. If we consider our country to be a "mixing pot" then we need to become more accepting of all cultures and their languages. This particular case in Arizona that is discussed is absurd. Learning a new language should not be uncomfortable. And Ms. Ruiz should not be criticized and attacked for the way she pronounces anything. I, myself, have spoken english my whole life and I mispronounce words every single day. As a personal experience, the last place I keep my horses there was a staff member who spoke only spanish. He tried very hard to understand some english to talk to us while everyone else also tried really hard to communicate back in spanish. It was a very mutual communication with each other and I feel that that was very important. The spanish population is growing and they should not be disrespected for how they speak, and should also not be disrespected for any reason.
I like how you brought the story of the person that worked at your barn into this. It is very hard to accept differences but it is something that needs to be done. When the first people came to America there was many changes that need to be accepted. Being able to understand two language is very beneficial. I agree with that! It would allow less stress and less people to freak out over small things like how people speak words. The United States is not all it is thought up to be. Too many people jump on the little things that are not even important and are not worrying about the bigger issues. Why this is even an issue is beyond me. People just need to respected no matter who they are or what their heritage is.
Imagine coming to a new country that speaks another language than you. You have been taught this language for a few years and now are fully amerced in a setting in which you must speak it. If you don’t speak this new language perfectly or correctly you are immediately ostracized and judged. When a foreign exchange student came to live with my friend she felt this way. She would always have her English translator app out when she first got here. She had trouble pronouncing words and when she looked to us for help, we had trouble understanding her and couldn’t help her as much as we would have liked to since we had no knowledge of this language. If we were taught a variety of languages and were given more opportunities to do so, we could help others feel more welcomed and able to ask for help. Because we, as a country, do not embrace differences (such as race, religion, and culture), we typically judge others who speak other languages, as expressed in this article. How is it okay for us to tell someone they can’t speak their own language, nevertheless criticize them for doing so? America has always been the symbol of freedom and this is taking away people’s freedom. Denying others of speaking their language is just like denying the African Americans their civil rights in the Civil Rights Movement. People should have the freedom to speak whatever language they chose wherever and however without being ridiculed. In this article, the fact that Ruiz was mocked for the way she spoke her language is unbelievable. That’s like telling us that we cannot speak “American”, as Donald Trump would put it. Donald Trump is another issue of this article. He doesn’t even know how to correctly speak his own language and he’s allowed to say that others shouldn’t be able to speak their language? This article is negatively judging Ruiz for the way she pronounced her language instead of placing the judgement on Trump’s inability to speak proper English. Why should America even consider choosing a man who doesn’t even know how to speak our language correctly to represent us? To me, that’s a much bigger issue. What we say, how we say it, or what language we say it in shouldn’t matter. If we live in America, land of the free, we should be given that freedom to speak any language we desire without being shamed.
Beautifully said Jenna, I couldn't agree more! There's no reason Ruiz should have been criticized for the way she was speaking her own language. America shouldn't be hypocritical in denying people the right to speak whichever language they choose when we call ourselves the "land of the free". You really brought up some excellent points. Great job!
I believe that Spanish should be taught throughout the country and should be encouraged to be used by those who speak the language, not discouraged, like on the buses in Nevada. We should all become more accepting of others and their cultures instead of criticizing those who try to incorporate their knowledge of the Spanish language into their everyday life. Take Ms. Ruiz for example. When she is reporting, she replaces some of her English words with Spanish when she believes it's appropriate, and for it, she is being criticized by the viewers. Ms. Ruiz shouldn't be critiqued for doing this since she has know Spanish her entire life and knows when it should be used in place of the English language. Also, Ms. Ruiz shouldn't be criticized because of the way she pronounces words. Nobody speaks perfect Spanish, English, or any language for that matter, all the time, and therefore, she shouldn't be continuously critiqued for it. The Spanish population has grown in the U.S for a good amount of time, and continues to grow year after year. I do personally think that people (who don't speak Spanish fluently) should have at least a basic understanding of the Spanish language in order to be able to communicate with a wider variety of people in the U.S., weather it's for work or just social relationships.
I agree! I think it's good for everyone to have a basic understanding of the Spanish language. Since more Spanish speaking individuals are coming to America, it will be easier to communicate with them especially for work relations. I don't think it should be mandatory for everyone to take a Spanish class but it should definitely be available to anyone and would be very useful.
I absolutely agree with you. I have heard many times before that the Spanish language is going to be the number one language in the USA soon. That thought is very intimidating and scary for many people. I also think everyone should have the basic knowledge of spanish in order to maintain those relationships. I think that Spanish should be a required class within the next five years. Pretty soon there will be more people in the United States speaking Spanish. Already you see the people at the airport that say they can translate for those that need it. That shows the growing Spanish population in our country. Therefore why is it weird for someone to speak differently? Why is it being discriminated over when english to the people speaking spanish is weird.
I believe the struggle of accepting Spanish in the US is ridiculous. Foreign languages should be accepted and encouraged.The fact that some schools banned Spanish classes is disgusting. I don't understand why people speaking their native language is a problem. This is a problem that I believe is only evident in America. When I went to Austria and Italy,two summers ago, I never once had to speak German or Italian to communicate with people. I know English is a well known language in Europe but I was never looked down upon for not knowing the native language. I felt very safe traveling to Europe without any former knowledge of the native languages but if I was a foreigner who didn't speak English coming into America i would be very nervous. I think this accepting environment is something America should adopt. America was built on immigration and the shaming towards immigrants happening now is extremely ignorant on America's part. I don't necessarily believe students need to take Spanish classes to achieve a more unified, tolerant country but i believe this would help and should be encouraged. Learning foreign language also helps an individual's skills in other classes, so students would greatly benefit from taking Spanish but i don't think it should be forced. I do believe that Spanish classes should be available for any student who wishes to enroll in them. Also people being intolerant of the way others pronounce Spanish words is outrageous. I assume this is news to some (based on the article) but accents apply to all languages, not just English. America is known for being the land of the free but that apparently doesn't include the freedom to speak your native language. I also feel that the US as a whole somewhat sees people in America who can't speak English as unintelligent which needs to stop. America needs to stop being so judgmental towards people speaking their native language so the growing population of Spanish speakers in America will feel safe in this country.
I completely agree with you, Abby! America is very judgmentally towards those who don't, or who have trouble, speaking English. I too think that taking Spanish would be beneficial for the person taking it but I don't think it should be mandatory. And I agree when you stated that "America... doesn't include the freedom to speak your native language". It does unfortunately seems that America frowns upon those who don't speak English and its sad that immigrates may not feel welcome in this country just because they don't speak English (which may I point out isn't even America's official language!!).
After reading your response I very much agree to many of the points you made and I also found it interesting how when you traveled to other countries you had no problem using English even though there was obviously a native language. I support your idea that Spanish isn't the only thing that could help adopt to the many problems we have in our country and that people who use their native languages should be supported and encouraged.
The Spanish language is becoming a bigger controversy in the United States than it should be. With the Spanish-speaking population increasing, it is only right that we adapt to our surroundings and learn Spanish as well. By learning Spanish now, it will make our lives easier when Spanish is the number one spoken language in the world. One of the great things about America is the huge variety of races and cultures. That being said, we should appreciate this "melting pot" trait rather than force the American ways onto them, especially language when it is so hard to learn. In my opinion, this has been blown out of proportion. Mispronouncing words is a mistake made daily since birth no matter what language you speak. Even though Ms. Ruiz's native language is Spanish, she should not be chastised for her mispronunciation of words. When I mispronounce words in English, my native language, I am corrected and I learn from it. The only difference is Ms. Ruiz has a wider audience. Ms. Ruiz did not mean to offfend anyone by this, it was just an honest mistake. Growing up in a bilingual household, it is probably confusing and at times hard to keep the rules of the languages she is familiar with seperate. Ms. Ruiz should be given more respect and have some slack cut for her.
After reading this article, and learning about how so many people living in the United States are so threatened by the use of Spanish in our vastly growing and diverse country, it makes me believe that Spanish should be wide spread throughout every school across our entire nation. From the article it reads from Timothy M. Hogan, executive director of the Arizona Center for the Law in the Public Interest, "my observation is that people usually feel threatened by the use of a language with which they are unfamiliar... and underneath it all it is the implicit threat that the majority (Anglo) disappears." This quote makes me think about how if people threatened by the use of an unfamiliar language were more open and left to more exposure of that language then maybe, it could be better incorporated into the lives that we are more familiar with rather than fearing what many experts predict our future to be like. Based on assumptions about immigration, it has been projected by U.S. Census Bureau Demographers Jennifer Ortman and Hyon B. Shin that, "the number of Spanish speakers is projected to rise through 2020 to anywhere between 39 million and 43 million." (Quote from outside source "www.pewresearch.org".) Therefore I think that people who are hesitant or against the use of the Spanish language in the U.S. should become more open to it rather than avoiding the inevitable future of our country. So after reading that many people in the U.S. are threatened by Spanish speakers and that the future of the U.S. seems to hold many more Spanish speaking people, I believe that the opportunity to learn Spanish should be provided in all schools and that it should be greatly incorporated into the well known, everyday lives of Americans today. I also think that people should have their own choice as to whether or not they decide to incorporate Spanish into their lives because, even though much of our country is already deep into the use of this language, I think that English will not be forgotten and will still be used everyday contrary to what some people might think if Spanish is used more often. -Haley Cimini
I agree with you Haley that people should be given the choice as to whether they wish to incorporate Spanish into their lives or not, but that America as a whole cannot avoid the growth of Spanish speakers in our country. Very well said.
Throughout the course of history, the United States has always seen itself as the dominant figure of the political, social, and economic world. It's a rarity that in the past 240 years, America has felt like it is the weaker of two forces. However, with the growing number of Spanish speaking countries influencing the U.S., America has begun to feel threatened by the replacement of "American ways" with Spanish customs. This irrational fear of a language overpowering a country is unreasonable and nonsensical. America is known as the "melting pot" of different races, religions, and ethnics, yet has somehow over the past 100 years developed a "dos and don'ts" guideline as to what being "American" truly is. When the presidential is inaugurated, they swear into oath "to the best of [their] ability, [to] preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States" (OathofOffice). Does the Constitution not state that every citizen of the United States has freedom of speech? Does that not apply when what is being spoken is in another language? Politician Donald Trump doesn't seem to think so. As stated in the article, Donald Trump was almost offended when Jeb Bush spoke in Spanish during a campaign. Trump's rejection of Bush's acquisition to speak in Spanish and his demand that Bush speak "American" while in the United States shows his ignorance and lack of intellect of the modern world, because whether Trump likes it or not, Spanish is increasingly growing in popularity and has a large influence on the United States. While figures such as Donald Trump see this as a threat, I see it as an opportunity. Spanish popularity in the U.S. has only posed as a threat to those who are unable to understand it. If the United States better educated the population on not just Spanish, but other languages as well, it would diminish that fear of the unknown and allow people of all ethnics and cultures to come together and share themselves not as Mexicans or Americans or Germans, but just as people. Language is a beautiful art that can be expressive and wonderful and charismatic, but when people refuse to learn and understand language's outside their own, they create a barricade that separates themselves from so many opportunities to meet new people and discover new things. I think that if people were better educated on foreign languages, they would be more accepting and open to influences outside their home country. With the rate Spanish is increasing in the United States, it's almost inevitable that learning the language in the U.S. will be essential for it's growth and development. I see commercials on TV almost every day completely in Spanish, and it's exciting when I can pick up on a few words and understand what is being said. There is no superior language, or superior race, or superior religion. There is no one way of doing things, or seeing things, or understanding things. Nothing is set in stone, and I believe that if the United States stepped back a moment and realized we are but one of hundreds of countries in this world, maybe we would be a bit more open to reaching out and at least trying to understand others from their perspective instead of our own. - Lily Pudlo
I believe that the Spanish language should be taught in all schools across the United States; spanish speaking individuals should be able to have access to their own language and the ability to speak it where and whenever they please. The authors of the article claim that one New Mexican supermarket was denounced for disallowing it's employees for speaking Castilian in the store. This idea is completely ludicrous. In the 1700s, in Pennsylvania, many different languages and cultures were accepted, including Dutch, French, and German. Why can't we accept another person's language or nationality when it was wildly popular in Pennsylvania hundreds of years ago? A journalist by the name of Vanessa Ruiz was born in Miami, grew up in Colombia and lived in Spain. She claims that being bilingual benefited her in the situation she was in astronomically. Being able to speak spanish was extremely important to her. Speaking spanish in America today is incredibly important, as America is quickly becoming a predominantly spanish speaking country. One of the things I find confusing about this statistic is Donald Trump's ability to argue against it. In the article, it was noted that Trump put down ex governor Jeb Bush during the 2016 presidential race for giving a speech about latino rights in spanish. Bush was discussing his negative view on the store manager that disallowed Castilian to be spoken in his store. This is obviously quite a positive political move, yet Trump believes that only English should be spoken in the US. This is a flawed, egocentric idealism that contains no evidence to back it up other than people being "uncomfortable" around a new language. People will get used to the bilingualism in any country given time. A country that contains 55 million latinos should not get rid of such a necessary language as spanish. In Arizona, there is a law that prevents bilingual teaching in schools. This law is entirely flawed, as 60 percent of children in Arizona's schools descend from some hispanic country. Timothy M. Hogan, the executive director for the Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest, claimed that the main reason for this law was that many english speaking Americans felt threatened by having a new language introduced. They felt as though eventually, Hispanic Americans and Spanish speaking people would take over. This is completely falsified and supremacist like thinking. Howard Zinn wrote in his book "A People's History of the United States" about the different viewpoints of the masses of people, Irish workers, Natives, and black slaves, for example. The moral of this fact is that ignorant bigots like the english speaking people in Arizona need to consider the viewpoints of those other than themselves. Many individuals in the US simply do not consider that there are others around them who would benefit exponentially for not being turned away from and left to die because of things as far fetched as language differences. The United States was founded on the ideals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. If people who want to speak spanish aren't even allowed to, the happiness factor cannot be met by every individual in the US. Spanish should be embraced and accepted as one of the main languages in the US, and people who want to speak it should have the right to do so, all the time.
ReplyDeleteSpecifically arguing the point of the 1700s and Pennsylvania. I think that they were forced to accept it because all of those people fled from their countries in search of a better life and had no other alternative. Here we as a nation believe that everything should be done our way, whether its our language or anything in general. I don't agree with this but that is what causes all the problems that weren't around in the 1700s we can live a sheltered life where we here our own language and our own dialects but in the end the real world comes and we have to deal with everything that comes with it. Which includes other languages we aren't used too.
DeleteOne argument I agree with most is the one about Donald Trump. Jeb Bush was appealing to 38 million people (roughly 12% of the United States population) by making a speech for Latino rights. Trump is destroying his own campaign by wasting 12% of the votes he could possibly get. Another point I agree with you on is that the schools in Arizona shouldn't be banned from the ethnic studies class. Although this class shouldn't be mandatory, it being an elective would appeal to over half of the student body.
DeleteI do concur Dan that it is in fact quite ridiculous to be denied permission to freely speak another language in a population of mostly Hispanic descent. Speaking in terms of the school, it quite negatively impacting the student body and is further explanation as to why the U.S. population if so ignorant. We are brought up sheltered from other culture's and convinced that ours alone is the greatest.But I must also agree with Sam that the use of various languages in the 1700s was much more necessary and hard to compare to. Yet we still as a nation should accept Spanish and integrate it into our own mainstream culture.
DeleteI have to agree with you. Anybody, from any culture, should be allowed to speak the language that they want. Of course, without any restrictions. Also the attacks Donald Trump makes are crazy. I mean attacking someone for giving a speech is Spanish is cruel. That should be praised not made fun of. Millions of people in America speak Spanish and it's about time we get on board and try as hard to learn their language as hard as they've worked to learn ours.
DeleteLearning Spanish in schools should be mandatory because of the rising amount of Hispanics in the U.S. If someone goes on vacation to New Mexico or Nevada, where there is a greater population of Hispanics, it'll be easier to communicate with everyone. Also it's benefical to know Spanish when applying for college or a job. Many people are impressed when they meet someone who is bilingual.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it should be mandatory because honestly yes there is a large amount of Spanish speaking people and that number is growing but maybe Spanish doesn't interest someone. Maybe, they want to learn French, German, or Latin. So i think they might get more out of it if they pick their foreign language.
DeleteI agree with Sam that learning Spanish should not be mandatory. Yes the Spanish population is growing and yes Spanish is the second most spoken language on the planet, but like Sam said it may not interest them. If someone is travelling to France or maybe even the French language interests them, they shouldn't be forced to learn Spanish. I get the premise of where you are coming from though: students should be required to learn a foreign language.
DeleteSam and Isaac have it right. Students shouldn't have to take Spanish. If Spanish was mandatory, then some kids would take it, hate it, and not be able to get out of it. they would just sit there, bored, and fail. Spanish courses should be encouraged, but not forced.
DeleteI agree with you guys. Allie, the facts you mentioned are right, the population of Hispanics and Spanish speakers are growing every day in the US, it may even surpass the amount of English-speaking Americans in our lifetime. I agree that students shouldn't be forced into taking a specific language, some may have aspirations of traveling to or living in another country, for which knowing their language would be mandatory. I agree that learning a foreign language, no matter what it is (even though Spanish is quite a logical choice), should definitely be heavily encouraged, but not required in high school. Some people just don't learning a language, I have friends that have quit their language after a year or two of suffering through it. It turns out that for many people, if they have no choice in what they have to take, they will fight it as much as possible in whatever means necessary, switching schools or purposely failing if they feel that is what they need to do. I personally agree that taking Spanish is beneficial for all of us, and if not Spanish definitely another foreign language, but everybody is different and you can't force anyone into it.
DeleteSpanish has become a controversy in the United States, whether it be the pronunciation of words, or speaking the language in general. This controversy has split our nation into separate groups for years, and it is finally time to address this issue. Many people in the United States, mainly in Arizona, critique others for pronouncing words in different ways in Spanish and also for not translating Spanish into English in the United States (such as when saying the "Pledge of Allegiance", or even just having a conversation in public). Journalist, Vanessa Ruiz states that she has grown up speaking two different languages and has lived where Spanish is pronounced differently, so each person should have the right to speak Spanish the way they want and know how to, and should not be criticized for doing so. The pronunciation of Spanish is an issue in itself, while yet there is still the issue that arises about speaking Spanish in the United States at all. The United States has become home to many different languages and cultures due to the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness that it offers (many have emigrated into the U.S.). Although the U.S. has become an assimilation of many different cultures and languages, some still refuse to accept it. A New Mexico Market was denounced because it did not allow its workers to speak Castilian/Spanish, and Donald Trump was publicly disconcerted when he contended with former governor Jeb Bush on whether the employees at the New Mexico market should be allowed to speak Spanish. Trump is completely against the idea of assimilation and bilingualism in the United States. He believes that only English should be spoken in the U.S. and nothing else. Trump's opinion is absurd, seeing as what he has said is analogous to France saying that people can only speak French there. It is ridiculous. If a country wants to thrive, culturally and industrially, they need to be accepting of other languages and cultures. According to another article from CNN, Trump has been bolder about preventing Spanish in the United States. He critiques Bush again, in saying that while in the United States, Bush should only speak English (CNN-Trump). With the United States vastly growing population of Hispanics (55 million), becoming the second largest country to speak Spanish, it is essential that we accept the different language and culture and not prohibit bilingual learning like the state of Arizona did. Although some may feel threatened by a new language, the French and Spanish may feel the same way, as English becomes a common language in other countries. The ignorant people of the United States need to stop thinking just about themselves, but in terms of the nation as a whole, and all of the diversity it encompasses. Many of the "lower-class" jobs of today are filled by immigrants from other countries that speak different languages, mainly Spanish. If we don't allow these employees to speak their own language, we as a nation may lose a lot of industry. In order for the advancement of our country and culture, we need to accept what is already upon us, and recognize that our country is not just filled with people who speak English, but is filled with diversity, which is what makes the U.S. unique. For example, in literature, we have not yet found the Great American Novel, because one book cannot capture all of the diversity, qualities and the "cultural definition" of the United States, and in reality, we have trouble defining ourselves because we, as a nation, cannot accept all of our differences, but if we are able to, we become a much more strong, independent country. The bilingual teaching of Spanish in American classrooms should be offered due to the rising percent of our population that speaks Spanish. If our nation is able to accept and learn Spanish, we will become a more stable, welcoming and capable country.
ReplyDeleteI concur with the fact that a country must respect and acknowledge other languages and cultures in order to thrive in a growing global market. I know that Miles stated that the US actually has no official language, and so I agree wholeheartedly in the mindset that we should be more culturally and linguistically accepting. I believe that if we, as a country, come together and accept bilingualism, it will be a giant step forward in returning as one of the world's greatest powers, if not the greatest power. The negative, bigoted mindset most Americans have is only leading our country deeper into a pit of no return, and if we can take the step of accepting bilingualism and multiculturalism, we will have taken one more step out of said pit.
DeleteI agree that this has split people into different groups unfortunately. It's sad because like Dan said, the US has no official language. With this it should be accepted that people will speak different languages and we should all learn parts of different languages if we can. More people in the US need to become more accepting of other cultures, including the spanish language because more and more people are speaking spanish primarily.
DeleteI agree that in order for a country to thrive, it needs to be accepting of other cultures and languages. Donald Trump says that France should only speak French but this simply would not work. If countries were to only speak their country's language, they would have no way of contacting other countries for resources and such and could only survive off their own land for so long. Sure, there's apps for communication now but I don't think that would be sufficient in this bigger picture. This lack of communication could also lead to more wars (events that normally occur when two or more countries misunderstand each other and can't find a common ground). As for the countries that naturally share the same language, they could easily form alliances muchlike WWII.
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ReplyDeleteMiles Cramer
ReplyDeleteI think that it doesn't matter which language or dialect you speak. The United States has no official language (really!), so nobody should discriminate based on language. Spanish is one of the most commonly spoken languages in the world, so it is useful to know. Castilian is still Spanish, isn't it? Saying you can't speak Castilian Spanish is like saying you can't speak with a southern drawl in English. Before I knew any Spanish, I traveled to Arizona and Utah, and half the people there spoke Spanish. probably 2/3 of those didn't speak English. I couldn't understand half of what anybody said. Spanish will most likely become one of the major languages in the US, like Italian and German used to be. And those languages died out, as there don"t seem to be many German- or Italian-speaking people left in the US. With every big wave of immigration into the US, Americans have always been xenophobic. this new hatred for Spanish-speaking immigrants will probably die out once we get used to them. Spanish should be offered in every school in America so that we will be able to communicate with all of these new people and their ideas and culture. Since the US is the second-largest Spanish-speaking country on earth, we should not fear Spanish, but embrace it. Politicians rant about how speaking Spanish is "destroying American culture." In fact, Latin-American culture will probably merge with our typical "American" culture, like with every other immigrant group. It shouldn't matter which language you speak or where you come from, you should be judged on your character, not the color of your skin. All languages should be accepted in the United States, or we are not truly the land of the free.
I agree one hundred percent. You shouldn't be discriminated for what language you are speaking or dialect of that language. The way you pronounce the words shouldn't allow people to judge you it should be the words you are saying and your actions that dictate who you are.
DeleteThis is relevant Miles. Discriminating based on the accent the person speaks with is ludicrous, and is basically setting us back 50 years when the Civil Rights Movement occured, only trying to make everyone accept Hispanic people this time around
Delete*so relevant... Typo!
DeleteWith what Lexi and miles are saying, are we going to discriminate other Americans because of their accents and the way they pronounce words? For example, White people with southern accents.
DeleteMiles is spot on with his mentality on the spanish speaking subject. How does every Republican, bigoted politician think our "American" society was started? Simple. A clash of German, Russian, English, Irish, Scandinavian... the list goes on of the various cultures that have come together to form our unique "American" culture. Why do people fight so much to keep Mexicans out of America, if America was formed on the basis of cultures coming together? Politicians such as Trump don't make sense in the idealisms on spanish speaking people.
DeleteDan, I don't think we can call all republicans bigoted, especially on this subject. You even wrote about (the republican) Jeb Bush's speech for Hispanics, and you seemed okay with it.
DeleteHayden has a great point I agree with him completely. I'm not a big fan of republicans or conservatism in general, but not all republicans are bigoted hardliners only some are and I'd wager that the democrats have a few as well
DeleteI agree with you Miles and with what Allie said. Why should we judge people for pronouncing their own language differently, but yet people across America pronounce hundreds of words different. For example, we don't judge Bostonian's for dropping their "r"s, and other Americans don't judge New Englander's for saying "wicked". So why is this issue so much more dramatic when it's a Spanish speaking person pronouncing words differently?
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ReplyDeleteI do believe that all Spanish is a rising language in American and all schools should teach it. However people should not be expected to know Spanish in the adult world say in Western Mass because it isn't as necessary here. However, if you live in a big city or in the south near the Mexico border where there is a much larger Hispanic population then you should at least know the basics of Spanish. Therefore I think it should be taught because it is rising and with the growing Spanish speaking population it will always be helpful whether in your job or just in your day to day life. People shouldn't be treated differently for not knowing one or the other because in some parts of this country Spanish is the main language in that region so it is more necessary and most kids don't learn English. No matter what language you speak it should be okay to live an adult life and feel apart of society.
ReplyDeleteI agree! Although Spanish is necessary throughout this country, drilling it into the heads of people who live in, say, Vermont and New Hampshire is pretty pointless because they may not ever need it
DeleteI feel as though Americans should be required to learn spanish at some point in their lives. Though many people from the northeastern US probably won't use spanish on a regular basis, it could come in handy during an emergency situation where nobody else speaks english. There are also many spanish speaking vacation destinations that are truly beautiful, and to learn more about them through using the language is even better than not understanding a mediocre translator. I do definitely agree that Spanish will probably become one of the dominant languages in the US, and I respect your opinion, Sam, and yours, Lexi, that it probably isn't a bare necessity for people in the northeast to learn spanish.
DeleteI completely agree with Lexi and Sam, and I also see Dan's point. Forcing someone in Northern Maine to learn Spanish, is not going to do any good. First of all, they probably do not want to know how to speak it, and second of all, they will most likely never encounter a situation in their life in which they need to speak Spanish. It seems pointless to teach someone in Northern Maine to speak Spanish, when the more common "foreign" language is French, due to the close border with Canada. I also see Dan's view though because the United States is the second largest Spanish speaking country, so it seems extremely necessary to teach Spanish throughout to whole United States and spread and declare our cultural diversity. All of the languages spoken in the United States should, in some form, be available at every school because we do not just speak English in the U.S., not even close; there are so many languages that are spoken in the U.S., and Spanish is one of the main ones, so it is very important to spread that cultural diversity throughout the whole U.S.
DeleteI understand your point Sam as to why it's unnecessary to teach someone who does live, say, in rural New England, Spanish and have them speak it fluently. But I must insist that they should still be taught a basic understanding of the language. Maybe not to the extent of being able to engage in an active conversation or being able to make a full speech in Spanish. But enough as to be able to exchange formalities and necessities, such as "Hello" or
Delete"I need help!" or even "Where's the bathroom?" Not only would this enable our population to interact better with each other, it would also assist in the formation of a more accepting, undiscriminating culture.
I disagree because by teaching it in school its 1.) easier to learn because they're younger 2.) looks good on any application, whether it be for a school or job and 3.) with the rising population of Spanish speaking Americans there's a high chance that even people in rural New England you will encounter, and not be able to communicate with someone who speaks Spanish . There are also many kids who will move away down south or into larger cities and you should always be prepared for whatever life throws at you. I think its a vital tool for any intelligent and versatile adult.
DeleteIf the Spanish speaking population grows even more, I think taking Spanish in school should at least be mandatory in states with a higher population of Spanish speaking people. If they speak Spanish, they obviously don't have to take it. So maybe if they don't speak English as well, they would take an English class.
ReplyDeleteVery good point, because although there isn't a set language for this country, English is (barely!) the primary language spoken here. So while us English speakers are doing our part in learning Spanish, the Spanish speakers should do their part as well to help us out!
DeleteI think you're right. The spanish language is growing and it is going to become more prevalent. Many people who didn't speak english work very hard to speak english, and some do it fluently. I think that english speakers can return the favor and try to speak their language as well.
DeleteI disagree with this and don't think that taking a Spanish class should be mandatory. I can see how learning the language can be helpful throughout one's life, but it shouldn't be a requirement from schools. People should be able choose a language(s) that interests them specifically, and shouldn't have to learn a language that doesn't spark their interest.
DeleteI agree with Corry. Of course learning Spanish would be very useful but I don't believe it should be a class students are forced to take. In Wahconah, foreign language is one of the classes that the students have a choice in and I really like that we have that choice. Also I think it would be very beneficial if the US set up education programs for people who only speak Spanish, where they wouldn't be forced to learn English but be taught in Spanish so there would be less of a pressure on students to learn English.
DeleteThis article proves that no matter what time period we are in or how much people accept other people for their differences, there will still be people in this world that will only start drama to keep their lives interesting. Telling a person that they are wrong for speaking a word in a certain dialect is disgusting and should not be tolerated, especially since every person in this country speaks certain words with a different accent according to which part of the country they are from. If this journalist is from Arizona, who's population is (according to the article) 30% Hispanic and still continuously growing, then nobody should be questioning why she has a Castilian dialect when she speaks. As a result of this fact - plus the very controversial story of Donald Trump telling Jeb Bush that he shouldn't give a speech in Spanish because "we live in America and speak 'American'" - I believe that some level of Spanish should be taught in every school. This would make things easier in the long run for everyone; jobs would be much easier to attain, and people would be able to understand each other more fluently, which makes for a happy country... to a certain extent that is!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you 100% about being able to speak how you want. The First Amendment guarantees freedom of speech, something not even Donald Trump can deny. Republicans are all about freedom, so why not free people to speak however they want to?
DeleteLexi and Miles, I agree with you both. One of the principles that our country was built off of is freedom. We, as a country, are not living up to the principles we were founded on if we criticize and ostracize people just because they have an accent, or speak a different language. People have, or should have the freedom to speak any language that they want. We don't make fun of people who are from Boston that have an accent, or who are from the South, so why do we, as a country, feel the need to humiliate those who speak a different language, or have an "unknown" accent. We are all different, but the same. We are all people, and depending on where we grew up, or who we lived with, we all speak a little differently, so it is absurd that people, such as in the Mexican market, would ostracize and make people feel bad for speaking with an accent, or speaking different language. The U.S. needs to start taking hold of their actions, and like Lexi said, people should become more acquainted with the languages and diversities of our country, and that Spanish should be offered in all schools in order to make our country a little "happier", you could say.
DeleteI agree that being criticized for being pronouncing a word differently than what some people would consider the "correct" way is ridiculous. It should be accepted because we all pronounce words differently. For example, orange and caramel have controversial pronunciations based on where we live and grew up learning. But, no one is criticized for it. This should be the same way for a Spanish pronunciation. I also agree that because Spanish is a continuously growing language that every school should offer the opportunity to be taught the language, but not have it be required. And, going along with the Donald Trump quote, I do partially agree with him. I don't think we should yet start giving speeches in Spanish. When it comes to the point where there is a majority of Spanish speaking citizens in the U.S., then it should be considered. But, I believe that if a Spanish speaking civilian who doesn't speak English would like to understand a presidential speech/debate of some sort, then they can get a translation, which I'm sure wouldn't be that hard to do.
DeleteI feel that people should know at least a little bit of Spanish, even if they dont live in a big city with lots of people who speak it, you should at least be able to try and help them if youre in a public setting and they ask you for help, because you never know who youre going to run into in public(and this should apply to any foreign language) But in places where the Hispanic population is high, and still growing, I think Spanish should be a necessary class, it benefits not only you, but the people who speak Spanish and are learning English, or trying to learn it as easily as they can, because lets face it english is a hard language to learn too. As well as people making fun of dialect, that is disgusting. People are always going to pronounce things differently, and some people are going to have a hard time with certain letters if its not a commonly used letter in their language.
ReplyDeleteAs far as having a different dialect, we have many different dialects of english in our own country. The way someone from New York speaks is different than the way someone from Texas speaks. Even in our own state, we don't speak the same way people do in Boston. Yet, when we hear someone speak while a dialect from different parts of our own country we don't care. It only bothers us if its an accent from a different language. Then we get super fussy and everyone starts to freak out at them.
DeleteSpanish is a growing language and it grows more and more every day, however, Spanish shouldn't be forced upon people. I like what you are saying about wanting to help people who speak a different language but, thanks to technology, "there's an app for that." Now with the growing smartphone supply more and more people can translate without having to know the language. This means that you could be bilingual with English and Spanish and still help someone who speaks French with an app on the phone. I do enjoy the fact of helping someone from a different language than what you were raised into as I went to Costa Rica earlier this year and was able to communicate with others there through Spanish.
DeleteI do agree that Spanish should be offered to people to learn everywhere, but not required. If they would like to learn it, then yeah that's great! But, I don't believe they should be forced to. But, the part where you mentioned that this should happen for all languages, I'm not really sure what you mean. If you're referring to someone on the streets in a foreign city, that they should be able to find anyone who speaks their language in order to help them. Well, that's very difficult because not everyone is going to learn a variety of languages. It won't be likely that that will ever happen, but I do believe it is a good thought, just not a possible one.
DeleteI definitely agree with the fact that people should learn Spanish in school. It is increasing at a rapid rate. People who live in bilingual homes are raised possibly speaking both Spanish and English frequently. I do see Issac's point though about how Spanish shouldn't be forced upon people, however I do feel that in the long run it will eventually most of the United States will already be speaking Spanish. If kids start to learn Spanish at a young age in school I feel as if it will come much more "natural" to them, almost as if they were raised in a bilingual home. The point you bring up about the dialect is interesting because different regions have different ways of saying things, just look at the United States! It disturbs me how people poke fun of the way people speak in Spanish no one pronounces words perfectly, and possibly that person they are making fun of could possibly just be learning Spanish.
DeleteI agree with you that people should have a basic understanding of the Spanish language. I also agree when you say that people shouldn't make fun or criticize how others pronounce different words. Everyday I mispronounce words in English and I've known this language my entire life, so therefore, others shouldn't be made fun of when trying to pronounce English words, especially when it's not someones first language. On a personal note, my Great Grandparents came over from Poland and had no prior knowledge on how to speak the English language and had to completely learn it in America. I have noticed before when they mispronounce words, but that doesn't effect what they are saying and should never be looked down upon or made fun of.
DeleteIn the United States Spanish is becoming one of the most commonly spoken languages. Even though English is still the most popular language it is becoming increasingly more difficult to find people that only speak English, especially in the southern states. A perfect example of this would be the news reporter mentioned in the article. Even though it was an English channel she still used some Spanish words or sounds because that’s all she new. Just how most of us only know English so when we try to speak Spanish we use many English words or sounds. However, the majority of this country still speaks English so that should be the language everyone knows. That doesn’t mean people can’t speak more languages, it is great skill in life to be bilingual or even trilingual. Although, I don’t believe it should be a required class, schools should offer many foreign language classes for kids to broaden their horizons. Our country prides itself off of our freedom, so we shouldn’t be forced to do anything we don’t want to. However, it should be greatly encouraged, but never forced upon kids. When it’s forced upon them they have no desire to learn it, and they will only do the bare minimum amount of work they have to, to just pass the class. But, if kids are interested in it they will put in the extra work to get the full benefit out of the class. One way to give kids a better opportunity to enjoy new languages is to incorporate them in school at a much younger age. Instead of only teaching English until 8th grade, and then forcing it for only the next three to four years, foreign language classes should start preschool or kindergarten level. That way, students’ brains are developing with the knowledge of two languages, instead of programing the brain for one language and then trying to reprogram it for two languages. It has been proven that the easiest time to learn multiple languages is when you are a little kid, before you have truly mastered the use of one language.
ReplyDeleteYou got the right idea, Sam. it's a proven fact that we learn languages better when we are younger, so your idea about teaching foreign languages at young ages sounds absolutely correct. however, many parents would be a bit freaked out if little Johnny came home babbling to them in a language they didn't understand. In order for this to work, everyone, young and old, would have to be bilingual.
DeleteI agree with you 100(110?)% Sam. From a young age it is easier to learn a language and become fluent in a language. I also agree that it shouldn't be forced upon you because it would end up like another class that you sit and stare at the bell and wait for it to end. I think Miles proves a point though, it would be a little odd to have your child come home speaking a different language and you wouldn't have the slightest clue of what they were saying, however, you have to start somewhere. Therefore, foreign language classes should be offered to younger kids, starting in elementary school.
DeleteThe Idea of learning a language from an early age is something public schools in the United States needs to adopt. Miles and Isaac believe that it would be scary to have your child come home speaking a different language but I don't think this is the case. First of all, I don't often go home and begin speaking Spanish to my only English speaking family. Second, parents shouldn't be worried by their kid's ability to speak another language, they should be proud that he/she is opening up their opportunities in the future at such a young age. I don't think learning a second language in elementary school is a bad thing at all, and if not offered to my future kids I will most likely teach them the basics myself.
DeleteI agree Sam, except on a few points... Even though I believe kids should be taught another language earlier than we were in 8th grade, I think that preschool or kindergarten is taking it a little too young. I believe that they should be able to really know and understand English first, and especially be able to write in it. I've worked with 1st graders and some of them seem to barely be able to spell basic words or even how to write a single letter. I think that kids should learn it sometime in elementary school, but not quite that young, or the two languages would probable confuse them.
DeleteI think Spanish class should definitely be offered for younger children but, as Rachel said, kindergarten is kind of young. Although, maybe exposing them to some small aspect of Spanish at this young age could be beneficial. If they hear a little Spanish every day, it could help it to become a more natural language, like how we developed our English language. Maybe if kindergarten/first grade teachers read short stories in Spanish or sometimes counted in Spanish during class it could expose these young children to a new language that will hopefully provide more success and understanding in their later Spanish learning.
DeleteLast year I did a research project on starting foreign language education in schools at lower grade levels and studies show that the younger you are, the easier it is for an individual to learn a language. Also learning a foreign language helps with many cognitive skills such as problem solving. Also learning a foreign language at a young age helps with the development of a child's brain so starting foreign language education at a young age is very beneficial. There are immersion programs where elementary schools are trying to teach the students Spanish and the end goal is to teach half the day while speaking Spanish and the other half while speaking English. The small amount of students exposed to this technique of learning were very successful, so I believe students should be taught a foreign language as soon as possible. I don't believe kindergarten is too early to start this education and it would be beneficial at this age.
DeleteEvery language in the world has different types of dialects. In the United States there are people from the south who might say "y'all" instead of "you all". If someone from the south were to say "y'all" to someone raised up north they would still get the meaning and know that it means "you all." In the article's case Vanessa Ruiz rolled her r's. This rolling of the r's doesn't change the meaning of the word in the English language, however, in Spanish it does. For example if someone were to say "pero" instead of "perro" it would change the whole meaning of the word; this is why rolled r's are a necessity in the Spanish language. Also if someone were to say "pero" but meant "perro," the person who is listening to the conversation would still understand what the other was trying to say by context clues. The point that I'm trying to get at is that pronunciation doesn't truly matter unless it changes the entire meaning of a word. Therefore, people should not be angry or upset that someone talks with a Spanish dialect and rolls their r's because it is "not right" because, in fact, it is right in their culture. With over 37 million people speaking Spanish in the U.S., it is becoming a common language and will come with no surprise when Spanish becomes the most popular language in the U.S. The final point I'm trying to make is that the way someone pronounces a word should not open them up to ridicule and harassing but rather open up someone's mind as to how they speak from where they were raised.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you. It is embarrassing that some people of the United States ridicule others for their pronunciation, because, not only if you are learning a language, but in general, people mispronounce words all of the time (I do too), but everyone still understands what they are trying to say. Its an awful thing, but people tend to pick on those that are different, or who they think can make them look more powerful, or "cooler", or more popular, which is absolutely absurd. It's sort of like placing Spanish 4 students in a room full of native Spaniards and forcing us to speak to them. I have a feeling that they would get very confused because we would miss a verb here or there, and we would sound very American, and it would not be at all easy to understand us. This is sort of like the situation in the United States. People who speak different languages are being made fun of when they attempt to speak English because they are not "good" at it, when in reality, it is a second language that they are just learning, so it should not be a surprise that they cannot fluently speak it. People in the United States need to be more accepting of the diversity that we have, and stop putting others down for the way that they speak.
DeleteI agree. This article points out not only the nature of Spanish in the United States, but it also points out the cruelty of people. This woman shouldn't be made fun of based on her way of speaking. She was raised in a bilingual home and consequence of this speaks both Spanish and English a little bit differently. Being a news anchor in a region with many Spanish speaking people you'd thing she'd be accepted, but the Caucasians with minimal education can't seem to understand there isn't a problem with her speaking some words differently. Isaac points out the different dialects of English in the United States, and that is no different this woman's dialect of Spanish.
DeleteI think that it is absolutely ridiculous that people have to complain about a newscaster simply speaking in another language. Especially because so many people in the United States speak Spanish, you hear it everywhere, even in these secluded towns in the Berkshires. To persecute somebody because of something as minor as their language, or really anything, is completely inexcusable. Here in America we tend to believe we are non judgmental and accepting of all the diversity we have. However, whenever anybody thinks about it further, we couldn't be more the opposite. Think about Donald Trump, he is so close to actually being the president of our country (which I think is completely insane and don't know what in the world the rest of the US is thinking). Do we really want someone so racist and discriminating as the leader of OUR country??! He would represent every citizen here as having the same views as him, after all he is elected by them. That would really show the extent of our intolerance of other cultures and languages, even ones as close as Mexico. I personally believe that it is absolutely absurd to keep students, or anybody really, from speaking their native language or practicing their culture just because they are in America, the "land of the free" (which we obviously are not). Our intolerance, as I'm sure everyone knows, doesn't extend just to Mexicans or Spanish speakers. Ever since 9/11 every Muslim and Middle Eastern person, foreign or American born, have been unjustly scrutinized. Just since a few people hated the United States enough to harm us doesn't mean everyone is. We really need to stop this ignorance of the world or it won't be just a few, it truly will be everybody against us, and I couldn't blame them if we ever did get that bad. Our religion, our skin color, the language we speak, none of it matters. We are all the same no matter what, so if people could finally stop getting past our exteriors and really accepting us for who we are, I think the world itself would be much more peaceful and accepting.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Rachel, when you say that people should be able to speak whatever language and practice whichever culture they so choose. The First Amendment clearly states a person's rights to freedom of speech and freedom of religion. This should not only be preached but practiced!
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ReplyDeleteI thought that the article was nice and that it had many good points to it. Vanessa Ruiz was raised in both Colombia and the United States and was raised in a bilingual household. In a way, she was lucky because she was able to learn from a young age, and the younger you are when you learn something, the easier it is to effectively learn it. As far as rolling the Rs goes, I wouldn't have a problem with it because it's how she is most comfortable speaking the language and it is the right way because that is how its supposed to be pronounced. I mean, why purposely mispronounce a word just to appease those people who are obnoxiously resistant to change of any kind when you know how to pronounce the word correctly and look ignorant. I think her idea is great and that it does respectfully pay homage to her heritage and the area in which she resides, Arizona, and the southwest in general.Vanessa Ruiz should keep pronouncing words the way she does and just ignore the people who question her.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Jon. Vanessa Ruiz shouldn't be hated upon just for speaking her language the way she wanted to speak it. It is a free country, and people have the right to believe whatever they want to believe in or speak they way they want to speak their own language.
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DeleteI agree with you Jonathan about what you wrote. Ms. Ruiz was lucky to have learned Spanish at such a young age because the younger you are, the easier it is the learn and retain information in the future, just like you said. For example, somebody who spends their childhood in a household that speaks mostly all Spanish, eventually that person catches on to the way of the language. It happens with us and English too. When we were little, we would hear our parents and the people around us speak English which resulted in us learning the words we did. As for Ms. Ruiz, she is lucky that she is bilingual because the Spanish speaking population in the United States is drastically increasing. Eventually people are going to need the skill of being bilingual to communicate with others in everyday life. I agree with you Jonathan when you questioned why somebody would change the way they speak just to offend somebody else. Ms Ruiz speaks the way she does because of where she grew up, and she isn't going to change the way she speaks just to please others. Everybody has the right to speak in any language or accent they please, and it's ridiculous how people are criticizing Ms. Ruiz for the way she speaks.
DeleteThe Spanish speaking population is one of the fastest growing in the world, especially in the United States. Since this is a proven fact, I believe that it is absurd how people are criticizing one another for the way they pronounce their words. People need to realize that not everybody is the same, and they need to realize that specific accents that people have depend on where that person lives. For example, Ms. Ruiz was born in Miami, raised in Colombia, and studied in Spain. She grew up in a bilingual household which is the reason why she may roll her r's when speaking in English. As a matter of fact, Ms. Ruiz is lucky that she is able to speak two languages because the United States is seeing an incline in Spanish speaking people. In order to be successful in life, you must be able to communicate thoughts and ideas with all different types of people either during work or everyday life. Since the Spanish speaking population in the United States is increasing, people are going to have to interact with more Hispanic people than ever before. Due to the rise in the Spanish speaking population, I believe that Spanish should be taught in all schools because it very well could be a key to success in the near future. Being bilingual can only help someone's chances of getting a job and being successful. I find it very frustrating how people have such an issue with other people who speak different languages. Yes it may be difficult to communicate with someone who doesn't speak the same language as you, but that doesn't mean that people have the right to single out others due to this. In a supermarket in New Mexico, American employees where accused of singling out Spanish speaking employees with an "English Only policy" which involved unfair treatment of the Hispanics. This should not be tolerated in any part of the United States because its racism. I agree with how Ms. Ruiz approached the situation. She was bold enough to stand up for why she spoke the way she did, and she stated that she was not trying to disrespect or offend anyone. It is very unfortunate that Ms. Ruiz had to deal with this, and it should never be a problem in the first place. People should not disrespect anybody for the ways they speak.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't make sense for people to want to change how others were born. Why is it such a big problem for someone with a Spanish heritage to be disrespected because of how they are pronouncing words? That to me is insane to try to find a reason to start a big issue because of how people talk. However, I am not saying I do not see why it started. These days a lot of people have a problem to change. They don't like when people don't do things their way or perform something that is a change from the "normal." Because someone decided to reach out and do something their way, a sudden uproar occurs. Often times when people do something out of the ordinary, people will always disagree. This can be seen back all during the Civil Rights Movement. When Martin Luther King Jr spoke up and did something different, huge riots occurred. Although this issue isn't as big as this, this was meant to prove a point. Overall, people don't do well with change. Whether it is as something as little as a change in schools or something as big as someone speaking differently on national television, there will always be people who disagree. In my opinion, this issue shouldn't even be considered an issue. If someone speaks how they want then let them. It is all about respect and learning to accept others. The United States is a melting pot of cultures and that's what makes it unique. As Marilyn Monroe once said, "respect is one of life's greatest treasures. I mean, what does it all add up to if you don't have that?"
ReplyDeleteI agree with you McKenna. People shouldn't want to alter someone's life just so they can find pleasure in theirs. This is the case in the article as people criticize Ms. Ruiz because they do not like the accent she speaks with. They cannot accept the fact that Spanish is becoming one of the most used languages in the United States. I agree with you when you stated why you believed that this uproar began. It began because people cannot accept changes in their everyday lives, like you said. Change is always occurring throughout our world, and people need to learn how to adapt to the changes around them. All of the ignorant people who are bashing Ms. Ruiz because of her accent, cannot accept the fact that Spanish speaking people are becoming more common. The issue involving Ms. Ruiz and her accent should have never escalated to this level, and it is sad that people are focused more on this than some other far more serious topics our country faces.
DeleteSpanish is one of the largest languages in The united states, and it's growing fast. The article points out many flaws in the way our country treats Hispanic Americans. For instance, Arizona schools have a law in place preventing them from having an ethnic studies class. The school district with this law has 60% Hispanic students. These students are forced to take a history class about the United States, but they can't even learn about their own heritage! The article also highlights the problems within our government. In the 2016 election Donald Trump is making one of his selling points his hatred for people who aren't white. Trump bashed republican candidate Jeb Bush for making a speech aimed at Hispanic's in Spanish. This is the most reasonable thing to do but Trump's twisted view is forcing him to call out Bush on his so-called "mistake". The purpose of the article is to depict the problems in our society regarding Latino culture. Shown in multiple forms from our government to the news, we can see the contorted United States view, but in turn we can see how to fix this.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I do agree that forbidden an ethic studies class is wrong, I do see where Donald Trump is coming from, but I also understand what Jeb Bush was doing. I do believe that speeches should still be spoken in English but speaking in Spanish at some points during a speech isn't a bad thing either. Spanish and English should be both respected equally for the great languages they are. I don't think neither Trump, nor Bush should be ridiculed for what either have said on this topic, I believe both are fair.
DeleteI agree with you Hayden. I think this country needs to change some of its standards, especially regarding education. People should be able to choose what they want to learn about, especially when it comes to some people wanting to learn more about their own culture. People should also be respected no matter what, and not mistreated for what they believe in, language they speak etc.
DeleteI fully agree with you Hayden. We as a nation have become so conceded and unwilling to accept other cultures that it has led to us becoming an arrogant people. We've come to the point of completely discriminating against "minorities" (who truly aren't minorities anymore) and seeing it take place once again in politics. It's a genuine shame that Trump is evens seen as a potential Presidential figure. We've truly lost sight of what America was built upon.
Deletei totally agree Hayden. Id also like to point out that most of the history we teach renegading any Spanish American war is unbelievably biased to make America look better than it really is. We should not only be teaching both sides of the story so students gain a better understanding and a fair picture, but also so that Hispanic students have the opportunity to learn at least a LITTLE about their culture!
DeleteI completely agree with you too Hayden. Students should be able to study whatever they want, especially their culture and where they/their ancestors came from. I think what Trump said was completely inappropriate and quite conceded too. And geez, we don't speak AMERICAN!!! It's English!! How can a man running for president not speak correctly in our language and criticize someone that has the ability and care to give a speech in another language for Hispanics?!
DeleteI agree with you one hundred percent Hayden. It is so depressing that kids from not just Hispanic countries but, other countries too that move to the United States are forced to learn about the United States history and not their own. In a way it shows how conceited we as a nation can be. Also the history that we teach these students is seen from the United States perspective, not other countries perspectives like where these children have immigrated from.
DeleteI agree with everyone here about learning and studying what you want to and learning about your own culture. Now, regarding Donald Trump and the continuing fiasco known as the Trump campaign's antagonizing of Hispanics; Lets set the record straight on Trump and his speaking "American". First of all American is not a language; English is. Second of all the US has no official language so its not as if speaking non-English languages is illegal. Now for the last point, who is Donald Trump? Well, Trump is an opportunist demogogue, not a professional politician and is first and foremost a businessman.
DeleteHayden I agree with what you have said and I think that Trump's effort to call out Bush's "mistake" was greatly uncalled for because I think that Bush made an effort to incorporate our country as a whole, rather than segregating everyone based on what language they speak and I think he was setting an example for our country in terms of how we should be accepting everyone for who they are, what they believe, what language they speak, where they come from, etc.
DeleteSpanish is one of the most used languages in the world, and is becoming a huge part of the United States. The language is becoming wide spread throughout the United States and even has a chance of being the main language used in the U.S. in the near future. For me this is pretty intimidating. I'm very comfortable with where my life is at right now, and change is new and different, which is very hard to accept. Most people have a hard time dealing with change. I do, but not to the extent that this article showed. Of course a new language is scary to some people, but it doesn't mean it shouldn't be accepted. For example, the thought that speaking Spanish was banned in a school and a grocery store, is completely ridiculous. Imagine, going to this school or grocery store and not knowing any other language besides Spanish. That's so intimidating. There would be no way of communicating. Plus, doesn't everyone have the right to freedom of speech? That should include speaking in a different language, by definition, shouldn't it? It's unjust to allow that to be a law! Even the fact that this concept of the Spanish language integrating to the U.S. got to be published in a New York Times article and is discussed in the Presidential Debate is astonishing to me. I personally believe that it should be accepted because we are all different, and not everything different needs to be recognized. Plus, the fact that some people had to call it journalists on TV for pronouncing English words with a Spanish accent is completely bizarre! And the fact that they had to explain themselves on television and online is mind boggling. Yes,change is intimidating,but people should be respected for who they are and nothing less.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Ashley. People shouldn't be critiqued based on the the language that they speak or the ideas they believe. It is their rights as Americans to speak however they want to speak, and people shouldn't be mistreated by others based upon what those people believe in.
DeleteI agree with you Ashley. This further proves my point of how people do not do well with change. The idea of Spanish language being everywhere is only intimidating to you because you are not used to it. It isn't your first language. Therefore, it would be very scary. However if more students or people spoke multiple languages this would be different.I think your response supported mine well. The overall theme of the two being how people do not do well with change and differences. If America was a more accepting place this would be different. Like Rachel said earlier, the United States is the complete opposite of what it claims to be. It may be culturally diverse but it is not culturally accepting. This needs to change in order for the United States to be a better place for everyone.
DeleteKenna you have a good point. America should be accepting of the different languages spoken because we are considered the "melting pot". And also, if the problem with Spanish speaking people is that people feel they are all illegal/ legal immigrants, we need to remember that us Americans are all from different countries and we came here as well.
DeleteI completely agree that America is scared of change. The US has such an immense amount of pride and I think that causes people to mistreat foreigners. Some Americans feel threatened by people speaking Spanish and mistreat them because of their fear. I feel that this fear is part of the reason Spanish was banned in schools. America's overbearing nationalism is causing people to be closed-minded towards Spanish speaking individuals. This is something the US will need to fix.
Deletelearning Spanish was banned in a school**** (typo)
ReplyDeleteI believe it's immoral for people to be critiqued for the way they pronounce their words. Ms. Ruiz shouldn't be attacked, because of the way she pronounces words in Spanish. Everybody is different, some people seem to forget that fact. The mere fact that Ms. Ruiz is bilingual is astounding, I can barely speak two languages. People shouldn't be attacking the way people speak, like the way that supermarket from the reading in New Mexico was banning it's employees from speaking castilian. That is part of that group of people's culture, and people need to be more accepting of that fact. America is a home to a multitude of different cultures, which is why this country is amazing. And the speaking of spanish is in hispanic culture, so why shouldn't those people have the write to speak their native language that they're comfortable with. I myself enjoy speaking spanish it is a beautiful language, and I believe more people should learn about languages like spanish. Knowing different languages, like spanish, allows for more people to be able to interact with each other.
ReplyDeleteWhoever wrote this, I agree. People have the right to practice their own culture, and especially the right of free speech. So why does it matter so much what language they communicate in?? People need to give more respect to those that can speak 2 or more languages fluently, not just mark them as outcasts and persecute them because it's not what they're "used to". I agree that the United States is great because it really is a mix of many different cultures, I just wish that they could all be accepted and not discriminated as separate groups, we are all Americans with the same rights in this country, it's about time people start acting like it.
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ReplyDeleteThe controversial topic of Spanish and American culture has become a frequently discussed topic in modern day politics. Yet there should never have been a question to it. Our country has risen to contain one of the highest Spanish-speaking populations in the world, and should be filled with pride in this fact. Yet we are arrogant enough that we have rejected this. Ms. Ruiz's simple moment has led to an outbreak of discontent among some Americans. This is utter idiocy. Spanish has formed into as much a part of our culture as any other aspect of our daily lives. And this should be encouraged throughout our nation. By integrating the teaching of another language, we improve the overall intelligence and comprehension of our population. By attempting to become bilingual, we as a people are enlightened into a new sense of acceptance, and can progress once more as society. The fact that this is still met with opposition and disapproval is completely ridiculous. With arrogant, foolish, undeserving, stupid individuals being placed in influential places, we as a country have digressed to become an uninviting, prejudiced nation. In order to turn this around and move towards progress, we are required to take the most basic steps towards acceptance. A major turn point would be the integration of Spanish as a part of mainstream culture. By being able to interact and engage with ease into other cultures, we as a whole would benefit economically, socially and overall as a people. It is necessary that our nation return to its roots as an accepting, hopeful land, all which is started by the acceptance of Spanish as a primary language. This very debate over the inclusion of Spanish into our everyday lives is an unnecessary hindrance to a more intelligent group of people. By all means, the integration of Spanish as a primary aspect of our lives should take priority in our country for the betterment of our lives.
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DeleteI agree with you Devon about how you think that there should never be any controversy regarding Spanish and American culture. People better get used to the fact that Spanish is the fastest growing language in the United States, because eventually we are all going to have to be able to communicate with people who don't speak English. Ms. Ruiz should have never gone under fire for her pronunciation because like you mentioned, Spanish should be encouraged throughout our nation. By integrating Spanish as part of our mainstream culture, I believe that many people will have issues with this, especially since many Americans despise the fact that the Spanish language is becoming more prominent in the United States. Overtime though, I think that people will begin to learn to accept the fact that Spanish speaking citizens are becoming more common.
DeleteWill's right over time people will grow to accept Spanish like they have with other languages and cultures. I don't see why people should not already. The only reason I can think of is that the those who so value supremacy are now getting worried that they may not always be in the catbird seat, so they are reverting to reactionary tactics, which doesn't make sense in the modern world, but I doubt it will last forever, because I think people will accept Spanish and Hispanics one day
DeleteConsidering the vast level of Spanish speaking people there are in the US and the fact that this number will continue to grow exponentially, i agree with most everyone else in that learning Spanish should be mandatory. It not only benefits the student in their ability to learn (as learning new languages opens up untapped pathways in the brain), future en-devours when applying for colleges and jobs, but also helps create a bridge between the Spanish American world and the English American world. There are people out their like Donald trump saying that Spanish Americans should learn to speak English when in reality America was created to be a diverse place from the very beginning. We shouldn't be building walls between cultures, but blending them together, because once upon a time, our ancestors were the immigrants. The amount of controversy over the fact that a news reporter pronounced some Spanish words the CORRECT way is appalling. I think "Americans" (i.e english white people) need to realize its not just "us" anymore and it never really has been. America is the melting pot of the world and by integrating Spanish culture into our education system we allow a new chapter of unity to begin. There should never be a place in the world where employees aren't allowed speak a certain language if they're just trying to help customers. Imagine having moving to Japan and not having anyone there to help you just because you cant understand them? If there's anyway to make to make "foreigners" feel more welcome, it would be to speak their native language. I'd also like to note that while we refuse to even integrate a second language into our education system, most countries in Europe teach their kids several languages. America is behind and its time to delve into, appreciate, and cultivate the multicultural country we live in.
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DeleteI agree with you 100% about Trump wanting to almost "separate" the different diverse cultures. As you pointed out the United States is "The Melting Pot". Why is Trump trying to not merge the different cultures together? I feel like Trump is trying to almost to make people that speak Spanish more "American" by trying to get them to speak English. The United States is an assortment of different cultures, I feel that those cultures should be able to speak their own language if they want.
DeleteI definitely agree with Tara and Autumn. I believe that Trump feels that if every American speaks "American" then we will all be united in some way. Like many people in our country, he discourages differences and change. As Tara said, if we, as Americans, learn different languages we can serve as a more welcoming environment to those who speak other languages, instead of making them feel uncomfortable and like outsiders.
DeleteSpanish has become an increasingly popular language that is growing rapidly in the United States. There are numerous debates discussing the language such as the pronunciation of words. There seems to frequently be problems in Arizona as a result, people are accusing others about pronouncing their own words wrong! In the article Ruiz ends up discussing how she grew up in a bilingual house, then going into detail talking about how she pronounces words differently depending on the location. It isn't right that people are critiquing the Spanish language. Another point I seemed to notice and want to bring up is that I feel everyone should be taught Spanish in school. The Spanish population is growing rapidly! I feel that very soon the minority of Americans will actually be speaking English. I also feel that children should be taught Spanish at a very young age such as in elementary school rather than middle school. As a result of everyone learning to speak Spanish I think everyone should all be accepting of the language and not have so many controversial issues about it such as "The Pledge of Allegiance" or even pronouncing words wrong. I am still in such disbelief that people are being harassed over the way of their pronunciation! People come from different places and have a different dialects or accents and even use somewhat different words. This is shown through the use of the English language such as the different dialects here in Berkshire County and Boston. In Boston we speak the same language however the pronunciation of “r” is different, but we don’t harass each other about the way one another speaks. I don't understand why the Spanish speaking culture is being targeted? No one speaks a perfect language so why do we feel that we are superior enough to critique others?
ReplyDeleteI agree with Autumn when she says that children should be learning Spanish sooner. If children started to learn Spanish in elementary school, like Autumn said, like we do the rules of English, we would have a better understanding of the language and would know a lot more, maybe even be fluent, by the time we are sent off into the "real world" after schooling.
DeleteAutumn I support what you said about children beginning to learn Spanish at a young age which kind of supports what I said in my main response about how if people are more experienced with the language and have been left to more exposure of the language then maybe people will become more accepting and understanding of the struggle of being in a country with a native language and trying to adapt to our country's ways.
DeleteI feel quite strongly that Spanish should be taught in schools across the country. Being bilingual has so many benefits. Spanish is growing rapidly in the U.S. and soon it will be the dominant language. If we consider our country to be a "mixing pot" then we need to become more accepting of all cultures and their languages. This particular case in Arizona that is discussed is absurd. Learning a new language should not be uncomfortable. And Ms. Ruiz should not be criticized and attacked for the way she pronounces anything. I, myself, have spoken english my whole life and I mispronounce words every single day.
ReplyDeleteAs a personal experience, the last place I keep my horses there was a staff member who spoke only spanish. He tried very hard to understand some english to talk to us while everyone else also tried really hard to communicate back in spanish. It was a very mutual communication with each other and I feel that that was very important.
The spanish population is growing and they should not be disrespected for how they speak, and should also not be disrespected for any reason.
I like how you brought the story of the person that worked at your barn into this. It is very hard to accept differences but it is something that needs to be done. When the first people came to America there was many changes that need to be accepted. Being able to understand two language is very beneficial. I agree with that! It would allow less stress and less people to freak out over small things like how people speak words. The United States is not all it is thought up to be. Too many people jump on the little things that are not even important and are not worrying about the bigger issues. Why this is even an issue is beyond me. People just need to respected no matter who they are or what their heritage is.
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ReplyDeleteImagine coming to a new country that speaks another language than you. You have been taught this language for a few years and now are fully amerced in a setting in which you must speak it. If you don’t speak this new language perfectly or correctly you are immediately ostracized and judged. When a foreign exchange student came to live with my friend she felt this way. She would always have her English translator app out when she first got here. She had trouble pronouncing words and when she looked to us for help, we had trouble understanding her and couldn’t help her as much as we would have liked to since we had no knowledge of this language. If we were taught a variety of languages and were given more opportunities to do so, we could help others feel more welcomed and able to ask for help. Because we, as a country, do not embrace differences (such as race, religion, and culture), we typically judge others who speak other languages, as expressed in this article. How is it okay for us to tell someone they can’t speak their own language, nevertheless criticize them for doing so? America has always been the symbol of freedom and this is taking away people’s freedom. Denying others of speaking their language is just like denying the African Americans their civil rights in the Civil Rights Movement. People should have the freedom to speak whatever language they chose wherever and however without being ridiculed. In this article, the fact that Ruiz was mocked for the way she spoke her language is unbelievable. That’s like telling us that we cannot speak “American”, as Donald Trump would put it. Donald Trump is another issue of this article. He doesn’t even know how to correctly speak his own language and he’s allowed to say that others shouldn’t be able to speak their language? This article is negatively judging Ruiz for the way she pronounced her language instead of placing the judgement on Trump’s inability to speak proper English. Why should America even consider choosing a man who doesn’t even know how to speak our language correctly to represent us? To me, that’s a much bigger issue. What we say, how we say it, or what language we say it in shouldn’t matter. If we live in America, land of the free, we should be given that freedom to speak any language we desire without being shamed.
Beautifully said Jenna, I couldn't agree more! There's no reason Ruiz should have been criticized for the way she was speaking her own language. America shouldn't be hypocritical in denying people the right to speak whichever language they choose when we call ourselves the "land of the free". You really brought up some excellent points. Great job!
DeleteI believe that Spanish should be taught throughout the country and should be encouraged to be used by those who speak the language, not discouraged, like on the buses in Nevada. We should all become more accepting of others and their cultures instead of criticizing those who try to incorporate their knowledge of the Spanish language into their everyday life. Take Ms. Ruiz for example. When she is reporting, she replaces some of her English words with Spanish when she believes it's appropriate, and for it, she is being criticized by the viewers. Ms. Ruiz shouldn't be critiqued for doing this since she has know Spanish her entire life and knows when it should be used in place of the English language. Also, Ms. Ruiz shouldn't be criticized because of the way she pronounces words. Nobody speaks perfect Spanish, English, or any language for that matter, all the time, and therefore, she shouldn't be continuously critiqued for it.
ReplyDeleteThe Spanish population has grown in the U.S for a good amount of time, and continues to grow year after year. I do personally think that people (who don't speak Spanish fluently) should have at least a basic understanding of the Spanish language in order to be able to communicate with a wider variety of people in the U.S., weather it's for work or just social relationships.
I agree! I think it's good for everyone to have a basic understanding of the Spanish language. Since more Spanish speaking individuals are coming to America, it will be easier to communicate with them especially for work relations. I don't think it should be mandatory for everyone to take a Spanish class but it should definitely be available to anyone and would be very useful.
DeleteI absolutely agree with you. I have heard many times before that the Spanish language is going to be the number one language in the USA soon. That thought is very intimidating and scary for many people. I also think everyone should have the basic knowledge of spanish in order to maintain those relationships. I think that Spanish should be a required class within the next five years. Pretty soon there will be more people in the United States speaking Spanish. Already you see the people at the airport that say they can translate for those that need it. That shows the growing Spanish population in our country. Therefore why is it weird for someone to speak differently? Why is it being discriminated over when english to the people speaking spanish is weird.
DeleteI believe the struggle of accepting Spanish in the US is ridiculous. Foreign languages should be accepted and encouraged.The fact that some schools banned Spanish classes is disgusting. I don't understand why people speaking their native language is a problem. This is a problem that I believe is only evident in America. When I went to Austria and Italy,two summers ago, I never once had to speak German or Italian to communicate with people. I know English is a well known language in Europe but I was never looked down upon for not knowing the native language. I felt very safe traveling to Europe without any former knowledge of the native languages but if I was a foreigner who didn't speak English coming into America i would be very nervous. I think this accepting environment is something America should adopt. America was built on immigration and the shaming towards immigrants happening now is extremely ignorant on America's part. I don't necessarily believe students need to take Spanish classes to achieve a more unified, tolerant country but i believe this would help and should be encouraged. Learning foreign language also helps an individual's skills in other classes, so students would greatly benefit from taking Spanish but i don't think it should be forced. I do believe that Spanish classes should be available for any student who wishes to enroll in them. Also people being intolerant of the way others pronounce Spanish words is outrageous. I assume this is news to some (based on the article) but accents apply to all languages, not just English. America is known for being the land of the free but that apparently doesn't include the freedom to speak your native language. I also feel that the US as a whole somewhat sees people in America who can't speak English as unintelligent which needs to stop. America needs to stop being so judgmental towards people speaking their native language so the growing population of Spanish speakers in America will feel safe in this country.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you, Abby! America is very judgmentally towards those who don't, or who have trouble, speaking English. I too think that taking Spanish would be beneficial for the person taking it but I don't think it should be mandatory. And I agree when you stated that "America... doesn't include the freedom to speak your native language". It does unfortunately seems that America frowns upon those who don't speak English and its sad that immigrates may not feel welcome in this country just because they don't speak English (which may I point out isn't even America's official language!!).
DeleteAfter reading your response I very much agree to many of the points you made and I also found it interesting how when you traveled to other countries you had no problem using English even though there was obviously a native language. I support your idea that Spanish isn't the only thing that could help adopt to the many problems we have in our country and that people who use their native languages should be supported and encouraged.
DeleteThe Spanish language is becoming a bigger controversy in the United States than it should be. With the Spanish-speaking population increasing, it is only right that we adapt to our surroundings and learn Spanish as well. By learning Spanish now, it will make our lives easier when Spanish is the number one spoken language in the world.
ReplyDeleteOne of the great things about America is the huge variety of races and cultures. That being said, we should appreciate this "melting pot" trait rather than force the American ways onto them, especially language when it is so hard to learn.
In my opinion, this has been blown out of proportion. Mispronouncing words is a mistake made daily since birth no matter what language you speak. Even though Ms. Ruiz's native language is Spanish, she should not be chastised for her mispronunciation of words. When I mispronounce words in English, my native language, I am corrected and I learn from it. The only difference is Ms. Ruiz has a wider audience. Ms. Ruiz did not mean to offfend anyone by this, it was just an honest mistake. Growing up in a bilingual household, it is probably confusing and at times hard to keep the rules of the languages she is familiar with seperate. Ms. Ruiz should be given more respect and have some slack cut for her.
After reading this article, and learning about how so many people living in the United States are so threatened by the use of Spanish in our vastly growing and diverse country, it makes me believe that Spanish should be wide spread throughout every school across our entire nation. From the article it reads from Timothy M. Hogan, executive director of the Arizona Center for the Law in the Public Interest, "my observation is that people usually feel threatened by the use of a language with which they are unfamiliar... and underneath it all it is the implicit threat that the majority (Anglo) disappears." This quote makes me think about how if people threatened by the use of an unfamiliar language were more open and left to more exposure of that language then maybe, it could be better incorporated into the lives that we are more familiar with rather than fearing what many experts predict our future to be like. Based on assumptions about immigration, it has been projected by U.S. Census Bureau Demographers Jennifer Ortman and Hyon B. Shin that, "the number of Spanish speakers is projected to rise through 2020 to anywhere between 39 million and 43 million." (Quote from outside source "www.pewresearch.org".) Therefore I think that people who are hesitant or against the use of the Spanish language in the U.S. should become more open to it rather than avoiding the inevitable future of our country. So after reading that many people in the U.S. are threatened by Spanish speakers and that the future of the U.S. seems to hold many more Spanish speaking people, I believe that the opportunity to learn Spanish should be provided in all schools and that it should be greatly incorporated into the well known, everyday lives of Americans today. I also think that people should have their own choice as to whether or not they decide to incorporate Spanish into their lives because, even though much of our country is already deep into the use of this language, I think that English will not be forgotten and will still be used everyday contrary to what some people might think if Spanish is used more often. -Haley Cimini
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Haley that people should be given the choice as to whether they wish to incorporate Spanish into their lives or not, but that America as a whole cannot avoid the growth of Spanish speakers in our country. Very well said.
DeleteThroughout the course of history, the United States has always seen itself as the dominant figure of the political, social, and economic world. It's a rarity that in the past 240 years, America has felt like it is the weaker of two forces. However, with the growing number of Spanish speaking countries influencing the U.S., America has begun to feel threatened by the replacement of "American ways" with Spanish customs. This irrational fear of a language overpowering a country is unreasonable and nonsensical. America is known as the "melting pot" of different races, religions, and ethnics, yet has somehow over the past 100 years developed a "dos and don'ts" guideline as to what being "American" truly is. When the presidential is inaugurated, they swear into oath "to the best of [their] ability, [to] preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States" (OathofOffice). Does the Constitution not state that every citizen of the United States has freedom of speech? Does that not apply when what is being spoken is in another language? Politician Donald Trump doesn't seem to think so. As stated in the article, Donald Trump was almost offended when Jeb Bush spoke in Spanish during a campaign. Trump's rejection of Bush's acquisition to speak in Spanish and his demand that Bush speak "American" while in the United States shows his ignorance and lack of intellect of the modern world, because whether Trump likes it or not, Spanish is increasingly growing in popularity and has a large influence on the United States. While figures such as Donald Trump see this as a threat, I see it as an opportunity. Spanish popularity in the U.S. has only posed as a threat to those who are unable to understand it. If the United States better educated the population on not just Spanish, but other languages as well, it would diminish that fear of the unknown and allow people of all ethnics and cultures to come together and share themselves not as Mexicans or Americans or Germans, but just as people. Language is a beautiful art that can be expressive and wonderful and charismatic, but when people refuse to learn and understand language's outside their own, they create a barricade that separates themselves from so many opportunities to meet new people and discover new things. I think that if people were better educated on foreign languages, they would be more accepting and open to influences outside their home country. With the rate Spanish is increasing in the United States, it's almost inevitable that learning the language in the U.S. will be essential for it's growth and development. I see commercials on TV almost every day completely in Spanish, and it's exciting when I can pick up on a few words and understand what is being said. There is no superior language, or superior race, or superior religion. There is no one way of doing things, or seeing things, or understanding things. Nothing is set in stone, and I believe that if the United States stepped back a moment and realized we are but one of hundreds of countries in this world, maybe we would be a bit more open to reaching out and at least trying to understand others from their perspective instead of our own. - Lily Pudlo
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