Gingrich calls Spanish the "language of the ghetto"

[lucyrich 20]

As part of a bilingual family with a child who is just now starting to say "mama" and is still confused about which syllable to accent, I'll throw in my 2c.

Yes, it's vital that a person learn English in order to succeed in the US economy. Letting a person get through any grade in school without giving instruction in proper English is doing a terrible disservice to the student. On this point, I'll even agree with Newt.

But knowing another language fluently helps to open a tremendous number of doors.

I would love to find a bilingual education program for our daughter, because I want her to have two native languages, instead of one native language and a second language, like both of her parents have. While childhood conversation at home is very useful for getting native-sounding pronunciation, there's a lot more to education in a language than that. Like most Americans with monolingual English-speaking parents, I learned English at home long before kindergarten. Nevertheless, I seem to remember spending about an hour or more every single school day, for twelve years, studying English. That's in addition to the English we learned and used during the rest of the day. In order to be fully educated in a language, a lot of study of literature, grammar, spelling, composition, and the like is needed. Of course I want my daughter to get a formal education in English. But I also want her to get at least some formal education in Spanish, including poetry, fiction, grammar, composition, etc. That sort of education shouldn't wait until a 9th grade introductory language class.

I'll also point out that there are aspects of English grammar which I only really understood after I learned how a second language works. Being bilingual can help improve one's English. And if the teachers are educating children bilingually, they have the opportunity to draw upon both languages when describing how grammar works.

Part of the company I work for is charged with translating products and manuals to other languages so our products can be sold internationally. That branch is staffed almost entirely by people born in other countries. It's very hard to find US-born Americans truly fluent in other languages, while it's comparatively easy to find foreign born staff who are fluently bilingual. That's a shame. Much of the rest of the world uses bilingual education to give their students opportunities which are denied to the monolingual.

[Caladan 19]

We need to get the parents speaking English, too, instead of providing all these Spanish language crutches.

Ideally, yes. But it's difficult to learn a foreign language once you're past a certain age. e.g., learning French for me at 26 was a zillion times harder than it was to learn German at 11. The brain just isn't as plastic. And I have a talent for languages, and a great school with a proven program.

So to get the parents speaking English would require very intensive study, and most of them might not have the aptitude for it.

Historically, the older generation almost never gets as fluent in English. It's not as though if businesses stop having the option to press star for Spanish, they'll all just learn it. More likely, people will just start Spanish-language only businesses that cater to that community.

With the kids we at least have a public school system in place. I have no idea what to do for the adults, but if their kids manage to integrate, it won't matter as much.

[yogib37 3]

I saw this article earlier and I thought the "ghetto" comment was a poor choice of words also. Unfortunately his correct message will get lost because of this. There is nothing wrong with being bi-lingual as long as you are fluent in English. In fact there is an advantage in knowing more than one language. The idea of teaching in ones native language however, is going to hold someone back rather than being inclusive. Someone that does not speak English in America is at a disadvantage. It reduces their employment opportunities and subjects them to bias. I believe that the focus in our schools should be to bring non-english speaking students up to speed with English as quickly as possible. I will be dealing with this soon. Luz's son Robin can speak English but his skills are not up to speed yet. He will be at a disadvantage unless he gets better. I always want him to know and speak Tagalog but he must speak English first. I have sent him to an ESL school in PI and I will have him tutored some more when he gets here. It can only help him.

I agree with you with your post. I am kinda in the same boat as you are. My step son is in 4th grade and part of his day is in a ESL class. Funny thing is the teacher native langauge is Spanish. He is from Columbia. He is pretty good at english but has a hard time at times.

Robin should adapt ok. Have him also watch some tv in english.

I also agree with you that if you dont speak english in america your at a disavantage.

I think you are and will be taking the right steps for Robin. I wish him luck.

Yogi

[sparkofcreation 0]

He should have changed "Ghetto" to "Barrio" LOL

This country would be better off economically if we taught CHINESE!!! At the rate the Chinese economy is growing. What do we export to Mexico??

I'm just sick of the preferential treatment given to Spanish!! I SHOULDN'T have to press one for English.

So wait, you're saying that making English #1 is giving preferential treatment to Spanish?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

He should have changed "Ghetto" to "Barrio" LOL

This country would be better off economically if we taught CHINESE!!! At the rate the Chinese economy is growing. What do we export to Mexico??

I'm just sick of the preferential treatment given to Spanish!! I SHOULDN'T have to press one for English.

Who cares!? Worry when you're pressing '2'

[Niels Bohr 72]

Look at the Asians for sakes! The languages, Chinese, Vietnamese....etc...What about them? You know, sometimes I find it very stupid that Spainish needs to be treated special, and what about those other languages. The Chinese, the Viets, Thais, Japanese all learned English when they come. I don't get it with the Mexicans, Peurto Ricans...etc...

Well, anyway....it turns out my posts is more prejudicial than something that can be made into a point. Oh well.

[Niels Bohr 72]

Shoot, I wish I can edit that post. I was rude.

[Dr_LHA 3]

consolemaster, the fact is that there are a lot more Spanish speakers in this country than speakers of Chinese, Vietnamese etc. This is why Spanish gets "preferential treatment", because its the #2 language in this country, and on its way to becoming #1.

[msu17 0]

Grrr, Newt irks me... I agree that if you choose to live in this country, you should learn the national language. However, he seriously needs to reword that statement. This country is SO deficient in bi-lingual education and implying in any way that it is a negative thing to speak another language is just plain irresponsible. It just furthers the problem we are already suffering from, not looking beyond our own boarders.

[Caladan 19]

consolemaster, the fact is that there are a lot more Spanish speakers in this country than speakers of Chinese, Vietnamese etc. This is why Spanish gets "preferential treatment", because its the #2 language in this country, and on its way to becoming #1.

Not to mention that you can go to lots of places with Chinese (or whatever) immigrant populations and see signs in Chinese, menus in Chinese, Chinese on the ATMs. Spanish isn't getting preferential treatment. It's just more prevalent.

[Niels Bohr 72]

No. Only at the shops, or Chinatown. That's pretty much where you would see those signs. But outside those areas, there's no button that prompts if you speak Manderin, or Cantonese....etc...Every where you go, you will see mostly they have two language, Spainish and English. The language of Science is English. I would prefer English.

No. Only at the shops, or Chinatown. That's pretty much where you would see those signs. But outside those areas, there's no button that prompts if you speak Manderin, or Cantonese....etc...Every where you go, you will see mostly they have two language, Spainish and English. The language of Science is English. I would prefer English.

[Yodrak 7]

msu,

I agree that the country is deficient in bi-lingual education. But we compound the problem when we insist that the second language be Spanish.

When my stepson came to the USA he knew no English, but the school district insisted that he must learn Spanish as a 2nd language. The requirements for bilingual education in the district failed to recognize that some kids needed to learn English as their 2nd language and that non-English speakers are not necessarily Spanish speakers.

Yodrak

..... This country is SO deficient in bi-lingual education and implying in any way that it is a negative thing to speak another language is just plain irresponsible. It just furthers the problem we are already suffering from, not looking beyond our own boarders.

[Ladylethal 12]

Honestly? American schools have problems getting even the americans learning proper English, let alone adapting to acomodate legal AND illegal immigrants. That ought to do wonders to the school system.

I did an exchange program in Arizona when I was 16, and they wanted to put me in the Junior English class for English as a second language, I told them I wanted to be put in the regular English class. I did so and was top of my class for the semester I was there. I thought I'd have to work hard to keep up but in fact, with little or no study I knew more words and more grammar than my american classmates, even though I made my mistakes, theirs were always worse and more frequent.

[Niels Bohr 72]

They put me in ESL class when I was in elementary school. I became disappointed because they think I'm slow, etc...They treat you like you're a slow learner or something. I hate that. I hate being looked as a slow person. So, I excelled in all areas of discipline in elementary school. When the teacher asks the class "who wants to read?" I voluntarily raised my hand with enthusiasm. I want to show everyone that I am the best, and not be look down upon.

From that experience, I believe that the only way these people will learn anything is to make them feel like they're weak. Make them feel like they're being condescended upon, etc...By doing so, it will make them want to fight back and prove to people they are better than that. Somehow I don't think any of children understand that type of coaching, or even parents.

Edited April 3, 2007 by consolemaster

[Nagishkaw 510]

Be thankful you were not uprooted from your home, forced to cut your hair, and if you so much as spoke your N8tive language, you were beaten and punished for it.