Why do so many Dominicans in the US never learn English

[Rick Snyder]

Not true

Capodominicao you are stating falsehoods. All public schools in the USA offer to teach other languages but primarily Spanish and French. What gives you the idea that in the US only English is spoken? This thread rebukes that statement. It?s not that we don?t want Spanish in our country. The fact is the USA does not have an official language. If it did it would be able to conduct all it?s business in English only and would not need to spend billions of dollars appeasing the minority of people that do not speak English but have decided to live in a country where the majority, since its inception, have always spoken English.

When Americans live in other countries they rarely try to learn the culture or language but I do agree you should learn some of the language & culture of you're host country.

I live here and I?ve learned and am still learning Spanish as are the other Americans on this board along with the culture. At the same time I'm pleased that you agree with the reasoning of the subject matter of this thread.

 

[deelt]

I know it's so much easier to take a cheap shot than answer the question. Don't worry your little head about me. Tax time is coming up soon. Be sure your paper and money is in order.

Be it from a "Sugar Daddy" or "Mommy"?

 

[ALB3]

Why do so many Dominicans in the US never learn English? my question is Why does the Dominican government & other countries spend so much money on teaching english when the US does not want to teach other languages because in the US you can only speak english. The US probably has every language speaker in the world but yet they don't want to teach other languages, CC youre dissing Dominicans but yet you dont say anything about Chinese people, go to China town everything is in Chinese (I mean everything) but if you go to Washington Heights it's "spanglish", more of a mix. Anyway, I think it is hypocritical of the US & Americans that don't want spanish in "their" country, Spanish is the most spoken language in the Western Hemisphere (more spanish countries).
When Americans live in other countries they rarely try to learn the culture or language but I do agree you should learn some of the language & culture of you're host country. DR govt at least is trying to teach english.

When I was in High School and College those institutions went out of the way to get the students to take foreign languages. Those Asians who only speak whatever language are relegated to staying in "Chinatown" but the vast majority of Asians speak English and work hard to integrate into mainstream America and the first step to doing this is to learn English. You are free to speak whatever language you want but if you want to fully enjoy all that the U.S. has to offer then learning English is mandatory. Every immigrant group realizes this and has worked to integrate themselves. Now, although I don't have a problem with people speaking whatever language they want, I do think everyone needs to learn English. I have a problem with Miami where Spanish is the primary language. Who wants the U.S. to have a problem similar to Canada and it's Quebec problem? Also, I have spent the better part of 7 years of my life living outside of the U.S. and I must say that the majority of Americans do get out and make an effort to learn the culture and as much of the language as possible.

 

[Guatiao]

I made my statement regarding bilingual education not ESL. I guess some of you guys forgot what happened in California a few years back, remember Proposition 227, Ron Unz wanted to outlaw bilingual education in California. So there, next time before throwing stones remember the past, bilingual ed has been a hot topic before many Americans only wanted schools teaching english, that's why immigrants of the past (italians, germans, polish) had to learn english or they wouldn't survive, back then (early 1900s) everything was in english not like today where many signs are in multiple languages.

Re-read my statement I stated, the US probably has all the languages (including the dead languages: Latin), thats why the US or any US State never propose anything like Prop 227.

 

[DMAO]

English is the language of the planet

As hard as it is for many to accept this, it is the truth. I am not speaking just for the US. This language is taught in schools all over the world. Yes French, Spanish, and others are taught, but English is the primary one. A great example is us: we are all typing messages to each other in Eng. eventhough many speak 2 or even 4 other languages. Eng. is the common ground. Here in the states, it doesn't matter what languages you speak, make sure English is one of them.

 

[juancarlos]

Once more, ESL is about TEACHING ENGLISH TO FOREIGNERS, IT IS NOT BILINGUAL EDUCATION. While it is true that there are native English speaking Americans who do learn Spanish when living in a Spanish speaking nation, it is also true that many, many others prefer to live in their own enclaves and almost never learn anything beyond "buenos dias" and "gracias" and would like others to learn English in their own countries so as to make things easier for them, the Amercan foreign residents. In other words, what I am trying to say is that el que este libre de pecado, que tire la primera piedra and en todas partes se cuecen habas.

 

[Keith R]

Just to keep the terms straight:

ESL = English as a Second Language -- basically, teaching English to foreign speakers for their use in an English-speaking land (US, UK, Australia, etc)

EFL = English as a Foreign Language -- basically, teaching English in places where it is not the predominant language, as in the DR.

bilingual education -- teaching in two languages, usually one of which is the locally predominant language

Regards,
Keith
The ex-EFL instructor

 

[Chantalia]

Same in Germany

Same same in Germany. Many dominicans not like to learn german language and like to stay together with other dominicans to speak spanish :speechles
Feliz Navidad, Frohe Weihnachten, Merry Christmas
Chantalia

_____________________________________________________
viva la republica dominicana y http://www.awentura.com/forum

 

[Third_World]

This opinion is on the ignorant side of things.

Most "latin" immigrants to the USA are poor and of course with a minimal education. At arrival the 1st priority is "making ends meet" and sometimes having 2-3 jobs to do it. English is a very difficult language to master more difficult than Castillian "the spanish language does not exist - it is castillian"
You can really speak ghetto "spanish" and people will understand you making you beleive that you actually speak well. English is a different story. In Canada/USA high school grads are not literate in English but they do speak the language.
Now the SSL/ESL classes are promoted by the government so you become a better taxpayer by getting a better job thru your improved communications skills.

BY the way "Latin or Latinos" are "White Europeans" or descendants from the following European Countries (Latin countries) :
France/Portugal/Spain/Romania and Italy.
Dominicans with African ancestry and Mexican with Indian ancestry are not LATINS OR LATINOS.
By the way, do not tell a basque,catalan, asturian or galician that they're Spanish.

Everyone comes from Africa the mother land thats where the oldest bones were discovered. Anyway can't we all just be called Americans. We love here. What is up with all this division? Dominican American, Puerto rican American. Uou live here so represent the soil you eat on, breathe on, sleep on, protect your liberties etccc...........
All Are Americans
One nation united. Thats why we are called the United States. If you don't like it why come here?
We are Americans!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Third_World]

I really don't understand not wanting to learn the language?
When we as Americans come to your country we have to learn your language, but when you come here you get lazy and don't want to learn and then seperate yourselves from Americans by speaking a different language, giving yourselves a different name, but don't want to be called Americans. I can understand the people who were not born here, but the immigrants that are born here seperate themselves from America, like its a different country within the U.S. we don't do that to your country.

 

[aimelove]

One thing that is rarely mentioned. Is is possible that some people just aren't smart enough to become fluent in another language? If the furthest you've made it in school is to the 6th or 7th grade in your own language, what makes some people think that they have the aptitude to master another language? I'm American. I speak English (fluently obviously), Spanish ( about 75% fluent) and French. ( about 50% fluent). I learned French before Spanish but rarely get to practice it. There was a girl named Sharon in my ninth grade French class who could only count to 10 in French when the rest of the class had passed that and gotten into conversational French. She was months behind. The teacher pushed her and pushed her but she just couldn't do it. I never thought it was because she didn't want to learn a new language. She just didn't have the skills to do it. I am a teacher myself now, and everybody isn't going to be able to learn everything. You just hope for improvement, not miracles. Immigrating to a new country is mainly an economic decision, not a cultural one. People should try to learn the language of their new country, but its not realistic to think that everybody can. My mother in law in DR got only as far as the 4th grade in the Dominican Republic 50 years ago. If she was to immigrate to the US, do you think she has the educational background to learn a new language?

 

[fightfish]

Aimelove stated above that immigrating to a new country is mainly an economic decision. I believe that is true for those immigrating to the U.S. And that explains the reason for the lack of assimilation by various ethnic/language groups within the U.S.
However, I don't agree that immigration is predominantly based on economics worldwide, and particularly less with folks coming to the D.R. to live.

 

[aimelove]

Good point fightfish. I am guilty of thinking that what happens in the US happens everywhere. On second thought, I am so wrong. People in Africa are immigrating to avoid genocide or oppressive government. People in Iraq are immigrating because their country is in ruins and to avoid the ongoing war. People have been escaping Cuba for 50 years for economic and political reasons. People immigrate to D R because.................. I can only speak for myself on that one. I see it as a cheap place to retire in about 20 years (fishing, dominoes and a cerveza at noon) and a chance for my wife and kids to go full circle and reunite with their family and culture after years and years here in the US. So before I complain about the fact that 25 percent of the people in my Bronx neighborhood don't speak English, I am going to use that energy to work on my Spanish pronounciation for the things that I want to do with my life.

 

[Rocky]

Aimelove stated above that immigrating to a new country is mainly an economic decision. I believe that is true for those immigrating to the U.S. And that explains the reason for the lack of assimilation by various ethnic/language groups within the U.S.
However, I don't agree that immigration is predominantly based on economics worldwide, and particularly less with folks coming to the D.R. to live.

Absolutely true.
I would guess that a large percentage of immigrants, do so more for political reasons and you can be sure that very few people move to the DR for economic reasons.

 

[Chirimoya]

As this is an old thread, I'm sure this point was made earlier on, but with most immigrant groups the first generation generally doesn't learn the language, but their children will. (Note bolding).

Oh, and what about the expats who live here for years and can barely manage "una cerveza por favor"?

 

[Rocky]

As this is an old thread, I'm sure this point was made earlier on, but with most immigrant groups the first generation generally doesn't learn the language, but their children will. (Note bolding).

Oh, and what about the expats who live here for years and can barely manage "una cerveza por favor"?

That's a fact.

 

[suarezn]

Excellent point made by Chiri (as usual). Dominicans are no different that any other group. It normally goes like this:

First generation will live in the same (kind of segregated) community. Why? Because it is so much easier...you have other people who understand your culture, your language, etc.

Second generation will learn the language, and assimilate much better, but not 100%. These kids normally live kind of a double life with peers who are Americans and parents at home yearning for "old days back in their country". This generation normally starts resenting their parent's origins...

Third generation is normally fully assimilated and generally starts to spread out further from the original community. This is already happening with Dominicans. It is now not uncommon to find Dominicans in places like North/South Carolina, Western Pennsylvania, Ohio, etc. These people normally have very few ties to "The old country" and could care less. They consider themselves 100% American (or whatever the new culture is). They probably don't speak their grandparent's language and tend to reject almost everything about that "old" culture...

Fourth generation is of course 100% assimilated, just like their parents. Can't even speak their great grand parents language. The difference though is that this generation normally start getting curious as to their roots, where they originally came from, and try to re-connect with the "old country"....

..and so on...

 

[El sabelot?]

I really don't understand not wanting to learn the language?
When we as Americans come to your country we have to learn your language, but when you come here you get lazy and don't want to learn and then seperate yourselves from Americans by speaking a different language, giving yourselves a different name, but don't want to be called Americans. I can understand the people who were not born here, but the immigrants that are born here seperate themselves from America, like its a different country within the U.S. we don't do that to your country.

You're right about that. And I'm exhibit 'A': a degenerate first-gen, who changed his name to 'The Kid' (first name 'The') and who speaks Spanish as often as I can, as long as I don't offend los pescuezos rojos aqu? en el sur.

 

[Alyonka]

Third_World should visit China Town, Braiton Beach and other immigrant communities in New York. Then he can tell us how many English words he heard and if he thinks people who live there are "cold"

 

[El_Uruguayo]

"Absolutely true.
I would guess that a large percentage of immigrants, do so more for political reasons and you can be sure that very few people move to the DR for economic reasons."

Except for, oh, about 1 million hatians.