You’re riding the bus and two women in behind you are speaking Spanish to one another. You think:
a.) “Welcome to America. Now speak English.”
b.) They’re talking about me. I know it.
c.) Spanish? I didn’t even notice.
Have these thoughts ever crossed your mind, or even yet, your lips? If they have, you’re not alone. A quick search on Facebook and I found pages entitled “THIS IS AMERICA, SPEAK ENGLISH,” with 22,876 likes, “Don’t Press ONE for English,” with over 10,000 likes, and “We Speak English in America,” with 220 likes. Some of these pages feature hate-speak about Mexicans, illegal immigrants, as well as other ethnic groups who speak languages other than English. And they all assume that just because someone is speaking a language other than English means that they CAN’T. Of the 281 million people 5 years and older who participated in the 2000 U.S. Census, 20% reported that they spoke a language other than English in their home. Does this necessarily mean that they CAN’T speak English?
So why am I writing about this? To give the collective “you” a new perspective:
I can’t speak or read French fluently. It impacts every facet of my daily life, from reading directions on a food package to getting my hair cut. Or really important things, like taking my son to the doctors, asking a pharmacist what’s the recommended dose for an almost three-year old. Or READING THE SCHOOL PACKET that came in the mail. It will literally take me hours to translate the five-page document that arrived, which includes the specific items I need to send with my son on his first day of school. I’ve been translating these documents while dealing with the harsh realization that my little boy, my comrade in the perils and joys of life in Paris, will be leaving his Momma and going to school.
Emotionally, I am a wreck. I am frustrated that what I translate doesn’t quite “translate” into real world French. I’m still unsure if his first day is the 4th or the 6th. My husband and I giggle nervously over a translation that states we need to bring a hobgobblin with him on his first day. (Really Google Translate? A hobgobblin?) But really it’s just yet another reminder that although we try, and try hard, we still do not effectively grasp the language.
Learning a second language is hard. Really hard. It doesn’t come easy to adults and not for a lack of trying, it will most likely take the entire time we’re here for me to be able to speak fluently. It causes so much anxiety in me, the mom perfectionist, to think that one day the phone might ring and I won’t understand WHY the school is calling me. Is HJ sick? Did he get hurt? Is there a fundraiser they want me to volunteer for? And because I can’t speak the language does that mean I don’t belong in the country? Or for the right
But what if I could speak fluently? What if FMF (my fabulous American friend) and I were speaking English on the metro because it’s easier than speaking Spanish, or French? Does that mean we’re mocking the French lady in front of us, or that we CHOSE not to speak French?
So to all of the Spanish-speaking American moms trying to learn English and crying over your child’s back to school packet, “Entiendo.”
Side note: fellow English-speaker trapped in a French-speaking world Nikki posted about her views on speaking Spanish in America here.
And I bet there are no Americans who would tell you you should even be allowed in France since you can’t speak French. The incredibly narrow view on English and immigration is ridiculous.
My sister did a semester abroad in Provence. She minored in French in college. She now lives in an African country where French is their official language. And she STILL can’t speak it fluently, although she can read it. Learning as an adult is really, really hard.
(Actually, it just occurred to me I think my sister is moving to Paris in September or October. I could have her meet you in a cafe to do some translating.)
Agreed! And yes please, when she comes to Paris let me know!
I JUST wrote about this (although not in any length) …. http://box53b.naomihattaway.com/wp/2012/08/welcome-to-america-now-speak-english/
This is a great post! My husband and I live in the US but we do not speak English with each other/at home (and it isn’t Spanish). We use it because it is “our” language, it feels more intimate and it is more comfortable for us to use whether at home or out and about.
I have to agree that learning a second language as an adult is really hard, but it isn’t impossible. The primary reason it is difficult for an adult to learn another language is having the time to dedicate to language-learning.
I actually just read a really great article about the difficulties of learning another language even in an immersion environment, it’s here if you are interested: http://www.strategiesinlanguagelearning.com/learning-languages-immersion/
As far as learning French, have you tried Busuu or LiveMocha? They are both online and free and are a really good place to start. If you need help finding resources to learn French, I’d be more than happy to help.
I love this post! So true. Until you have lived in another country it really is hard to understand. Yes French is hard and takes a ton of time. But you will get there! Are you able to take any classes at the alliance francaise ? Believe me I studied french for years, studied it in college an then studied in France and still struggled. But you will get there. It just takes time, patience and a bit of humor!
Great point! (I’ve always been surrounded by multi-culturalism so I don’t have the heart to be hard on immigrants for speaking their own language).
This is a great article. I am faced with this everyday as an educator. I feel bad that I can’t explain to my parents what is going on with their child’s education. I said that I was going to make an effort to learn Spanish enough to share with parents. But fortunately and unfortunately I find my preparing to relocate to Germany. Although, I wouldn’t be completely immersed in the culture there are still concerns. “How do I pay my bills not speaking or understanding the German language?” This article definitely gives me a perspective.
[...] The amazing Mama over at HJ Underway wrote a post echoing my thoughts about speaking a language other than the local one, and the American language debate. Check it out, here. [...]