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conuly
http://alternet.org/rights/20176/
Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, millions of immigrants signed on, some even changing their names upon arriving at Ellis Island to something that sounded more "American," and insisting that their American-born children speak only English.
Except for those who sent their children to German-speaking public schools, right? And those who sent (and continue to send) their children to Chinese school to learn to speak Chinese, right? Right.
For the first time, there was a permanent resident population that, however proficient in English, refused to surrender its native language.
What for the first time? This has ALWAYS been the case!
Hispanics, without apology, refuse to "assimilate," if that means giving up their culture and language.
That's just not true, though. Hispanics do this, and get away with it, because they're still immigrating here. There's no great wash of German or Italian immigrants anymore, but Hispanics have been immigrating for generations now! Well, Hispanic, that's not true. First Puerto Ricans immigrated, then Cubans, then Mexicans - so actually the Spanish spoken here has changed significantly. But I can very nearly promise that Spanish wouldn't be the important language it is if the immigration had ever ended.
(Note, I'm not calling the immigration a bad thing, or a good thing.)
(Consider this tantalizing fact: More New Yorkers get their news in Spanish from Jorge Ramos on "Noticiero Univision" than in English from Dan Rather on "The CBS Evening News.")
That's probably because English speaking New Yorkers have more choices than Spanish speaking New Yorkers - there's just more channels and news shows in English!
*sighs* It's an interesting enough article, and I agree with the view it presents - but some facts would've been nice.
Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, millions of immigrants signed on, some even changing their names upon arriving at Ellis Island to something that sounded more "American," and insisting that their American-born children speak only English.
Except for those who sent their children to German-speaking public schools, right? And those who sent (and continue to send) their children to Chinese school to learn to speak Chinese, right? Right.
For the first time, there was a permanent resident population that, however proficient in English, refused to surrender its native language.
What for the first time? This has ALWAYS been the case!
Hispanics, without apology, refuse to "assimilate," if that means giving up their culture and language.
That's just not true, though. Hispanics do this, and get away with it, because they're still immigrating here. There's no great wash of German or Italian immigrants anymore, but Hispanics have been immigrating for generations now! Well, Hispanic, that's not true. First Puerto Ricans immigrated, then Cubans, then Mexicans - so actually the Spanish spoken here has changed significantly. But I can very nearly promise that Spanish wouldn't be the important language it is if the immigration had ever ended.
(Note, I'm not calling the immigration a bad thing, or a good thing.)
(Consider this tantalizing fact: More New Yorkers get their news in Spanish from Jorge Ramos on "Noticiero Univision" than in English from Dan Rather on "The CBS Evening News.")
That's probably because English speaking New Yorkers have more choices than Spanish speaking New Yorkers - there's just more channels and news shows in English!
*sighs* It's an interesting enough article, and I agree with the view it presents - but some facts would've been nice.
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no subject
Date: 2004-10-17 02:02 pm (UTC)