The English Are Coming
Wednesday former House Speaker Newton “Newt” Gingrich said American civilization will “decay” if English is not declared to be the nation’s official language.
“Immigrant parents want their children to compete in the core American economic system and to have the highest possible income. That inherently requires mastering English. Those people who would trap immigrants into linguistic ghettos … are in fact denying them the opportunity to pursue happiness.”
In related news, taquerias nationwide, seeing a decline in sales due to English speaking citizens unable to decipher the Spanish language, translate their menus. Countries around the globe begin to abandon the metric system for the increasingly popular and sensible “English” system of measurement.
I always find it interesting when people of other countries are more proficient at English than we are. I think it should be mandatory for Spanish to be learned as a second language for all students, just so that the line in the taqueria will speed up.
(When I typed “taqueria” my computer highlighted it because it is not in the dictionary. Don’t you think that Apple employees eat at the taqueria? Come on! )
at 1:25 pm on January 25th, 2007
I’m just happy I learned how to say “sin los huesos, por favor”, which means “without bones, please”. (circa: Cosby, Fiesta Foods, 2006) I second N Tony’s wish re: the line.
at 2:04 pm on January 25th, 2007
I miss the Taqueria.
at 3:37 pm on January 25th, 2007
Tony is right to point out how differently we speak English around here. In fact, we speak a version of English that has never been spoken before and that is entirely unique to us. Few people realize that the King’s English changes with every new king enthroned or version that’s printed. I have never been there myself, but I hear that it’s fairly difficult to understand our English speaking cousins across the pond.
The unfortunate truth is spoken word is alive. It moves and changes, is created and forgotten in the same way that we are. The dynamic forces that drive our language in its current direction may be temporarily curbed by legislation, but inevitably will take its own, natural course. A war is being fought and won on the streets of inner cities throughout the country and the prize is our next vernacular.
at 6:47 pm on January 25th, 2007
que?
at 6:50 pm on January 26th, 2007
It feels good to rally against talking points like that, but it feels horrible to see this boy Alex feeling braindead in a prep course for the high school exit exam because of a language barrier because of the world (and usually a pretty small one, like neighborhood small) he’s been socialized in. Language doesn’t get in the way of his ability to experience the breadth of emotions and experiences life can bring, but it gets in the way of fluid writing.
By and large, first generation parents want their children to be better off than they are. I firmly believe in a wholistic approach to life that doesn’t make education the centerpoint, but part of the forward (and the word is subjective) movement is writing and reading things in school or the marketplace that are usually in English. Or our vernacular, for JLy.
at 12:13 am on January 27th, 2007
I have no trouble understanding people in England. However the taqueria, that’s a different story. I get lost and confused and go into panic. I think its all the spices in the air.
at 10:47 am on February 13th, 2007