The USA is pretty much the only non-bilingual first world country. I’m almost 70 and finishing up mi dos años de español. I practice every day. I wish I had started haber treinta años when I lived in Orange County, CA. I didn’t think I would do well. I can read an adult book in español and understand native speakers if they slow down. I am great at spelling, accent marks, pronunciation (i can even trill my RRs.) I’m working on speaking now. I have the vocabulary but the words don’t always come fast enough. Listen to música español ever day. Found some tunes I like. I live in Reno, NV so once I feel more confident I have plenty of people to talk to.
Creo que en jardín de infantes, los niños deben aprender otra idioma. Por supuesto- mi favorito, español. Hablo un poco español.
Americans have always used language as a way to demean others.
Some American deman people in every way they are not the same
As them
Good for you on the Spanish. I just can’t Seem To
Drive myself to learn. I have grade 8 French. In Canada we have to learn French in grade 5 and I had enough to travel Around. Hello goodbye yes no please thank you and beer 🙋🏼♀️🤭
I never knew that my father was originally bilingual until I was in my 30's and my grandmother was recounting the story of how his kindergarten teacher thought he was stupid because he only spoke German. From that moment on they spoke only English in the house. (Many Mennonite communities of that era spoke both English and German despite being several generations removed from Europe.) While my mother and her family would frequently erupt with phrases in Pennsylvania Dutch, my father's family erased it so completely from their lives that I was shocked to find this out. I think it is a bit sad to have lost this part of who they were.
My sister-in-law is one who has been told 'you live in America, speak English' and I wonder at the audacity of people who think that she and her friend having a private conversation OWE them the ability to understand. She has left her country, her family, everything familiar to be with my brother-in-law, and they want to take this from her too, the ability to communicate in her heart language?
The authoritarian control of demanding others to speak a preferred language is right out of fascism. In general, Americans confuse fascism with patriotism and it's concerning. In my household, we've been very diligent about encouraging our girls to speak Spanish. Thanks for your comment!
Valid points Walter. This is once again where fear drives bad behavior and displays of insecurities. The U.S. has become all too narrowminded and monolithic, forgetting our ancestors and the journey they endured when coming to North America.
I remember the first time I traveled to NYC back in the day. I was mesmerized by all the languages spoken. I felt part of the bigger, broader world.
When traveling overseas, I'm always a bit embarrassed by the fact that English is so widely spoken among foreigners who are often multilingual and yet we scoff at those who dare speak Spanish in public. Makes my heart ache.
Indeed one of the saddest things is when parents who are bilingual, speak only English for fear that their children will fall behind their monolingual classmates or be mocked by them. Thank you for another much-needed affirmation.
Maggots would hate Europe. Most people speak at least 3 languages. I met people
Who spoke 7. I met
Children that spoke 3 languages in one sentence. The parents said they sort it out as they grow up. Maggots are so thin skinned they haven’t figured out that there is more then one color on earth and they were NOT IN AMERICA FIRST.
My wife, at her school, always tells the parents to teach their language. How hostile America is. Thanks for reading!
The USA is pretty much the only non-bilingual first world country. I’m almost 70 and finishing up mi dos años de español. I practice every day. I wish I had started haber treinta años when I lived in Orange County, CA. I didn’t think I would do well. I can read an adult book in español and understand native speakers if they slow down. I am great at spelling, accent marks, pronunciation (i can even trill my RRs.) I’m working on speaking now. I have the vocabulary but the words don’t always come fast enough. Listen to música español ever day. Found some tunes I like. I live in Reno, NV so once I feel more confident I have plenty of people to talk to.
Creo que en jardín de infantes, los niños deben aprender otra idioma. Por supuesto- mi favorito, español. Hablo un poco español.
Americans have always used language as a way to demean others.
.
Some American deman people in every way they are not the same
As them
Good for you on the Spanish. I just can’t Seem To
Drive myself to learn. I have grade 8 French. In Canada we have to learn French in grade 5 and I had enough to travel Around. Hello goodbye yes no please thank you and beer 🙋🏼♀️🤭
I never knew that my father was originally bilingual until I was in my 30's and my grandmother was recounting the story of how his kindergarten teacher thought he was stupid because he only spoke German. From that moment on they spoke only English in the house. (Many Mennonite communities of that era spoke both English and German despite being several generations removed from Europe.) While my mother and her family would frequently erupt with phrases in Pennsylvania Dutch, my father's family erased it so completely from their lives that I was shocked to find this out. I think it is a bit sad to have lost this part of who they were.
My sister-in-law is one who has been told 'you live in America, speak English' and I wonder at the audacity of people who think that she and her friend having a private conversation OWE them the ability to understand. She has left her country, her family, everything familiar to be with my brother-in-law, and they want to take this from her too, the ability to communicate in her heart language?
The authoritarian control of demanding others to speak a preferred language is right out of fascism. In general, Americans confuse fascism with patriotism and it's concerning. In my household, we've been very diligent about encouraging our girls to speak Spanish. Thanks for your comment!
Valid points Walter. This is once again where fear drives bad behavior and displays of insecurities. The U.S. has become all too narrowminded and monolithic, forgetting our ancestors and the journey they endured when coming to North America.
I remember the first time I traveled to NYC back in the day. I was mesmerized by all the languages spoken. I felt part of the bigger, broader world.
When traveling overseas, I'm always a bit embarrassed by the fact that English is so widely spoken among foreigners who are often multilingual and yet we scoff at those who dare speak Spanish in public. Makes my heart ache.
Thank you Walter🙏
Indeed one of the saddest things is when parents who are bilingual, speak only English for fear that their children will fall behind their monolingual classmates or be mocked by them. Thank you for another much-needed affirmation.
Americans seem to revel in our ignorance. It's pathetic, not to mention harmful and dangerous.
Maggots would hate Europe. Most people speak at least 3 languages. I met people
Who spoke 7. I met
Children that spoke 3 languages in one sentence. The parents said they sort it out as they grow up. Maggots are so thin skinned they haven’t figured out that there is more then one color on earth and they were NOT IN AMERICA FIRST.