America and it´s citizens are not "a language" and never were
Marshall Adame
July 28, 2008
I recently read a column in a small town New Jersey paper. The writer of this article was trying to make the case that the English language was the "real" and "only real" language of America.
I do not think there is anyone who would dispute the fact that English is a dominant language , not just in America, but throughout the world, especially in business. Business in China, for example, even between Europeans and the Chinese is done primarily in either English, or Spanish. To a lesser degree some business is in Japanese, French and Italian. Because the Europeans, Japanese and Americas represent the biggest share of the Chinese export market, almost all business in China is done in English, etc..
International non-circumvention agreements, "Over the Rail" shipping documents, Letters of Credit , SGS Validations and Certifications, Confidentiality Agreements, International Invoices and International Hold documents are, for the most part, in English. Just about anywhere one does business in the world Spanish , or English languages dominate. Consequently being fluent in English and/or Spanish is an advantage, even if either is not one´s native tongue. Practicality was the driving force regarding the international dominance of the English and Spanish languages in business today. For the most part it was Spanish and English adventures and explorers who set sail for the new world and occupied it in any lasting way. English and Spanish , in one dialect or another, now dominates in the modern world outside of China. In Japan, for example, the English language is mandatory for middle school and above students. I think we all "get it"; The English language is important.
Is the English language alone, the thing that makes us American? Actually, the first languages used "in-mass" throughout North America were various "Native" Indian dialects and Spanish. I do not need to remind anyone that Texas, Arizona and California used to be "Mexico".
In every industrialized country on earth, there are several major and minor languages spoken and somehow they have managed to succeed and prosper, just like America has. Even in the most homogenized free society in the world, Japan, the language differs in dialect from the North in Hokido to the very far South in Nagasaki. On Okinawa, an island province of Japan, the language is entirely "Okinawan" and has only a semblance of the formally and commonly understood language spoken by the main-land Japanese.
In the article I read in New Jersey, the writer said "English is the language of America". He could not be more wrong. In his article, the writer spoke of his esteemed grandfather who immigrated from the Philippines to America after fighting to defeat the Japanese in the Pacific during WWII. His grandfather earned English and was successful. The writer attributed the totality of his grandfathers success to his ability to speak English.
English was the dominant language spoken in America during WWII as it is today, but not the only language by any stretch of the imagination. Millions of Americans were then, and now speaking Spanish, Polish, Italian, German, Irish ( Yes, Irish was not exactly English) and even Arabic.
My own Grandfather and Grandmother, Tedeso and Adaditia Adame, immigrated from Mexico to California where they both worked on the famous California grapevine doing the seasonal work that dominates faming in Northern California. My father was born there near Sanger California and being the sixth of his eleven children, I was born at General Hospital in Los Angeles. My grandparents came here not speaking English.
My grandfather, Tedeso, saw the potential of brokering the sales of grapes and citrus for the farmers with the buyers and, as he pursued that end, learned to speak English, and very well I might add. The point being that my grandfather was never restricted, to any great degree, by the fact that he had a heavy Mexican accent and, at first, did not have a mastery of the English language. My grandfather was smart, talented, dedicated to his family, honest and determined. That was the key to his success. That was what motivated him to learn English. Speaking English was a component of his success, but it´s genesis.
English has never been the "language of America" and the writer of the article I was reading attempted to make that case by appealing to our base instincts of prejudice and phobias. The writer may have been sincere, but he was sincerely wrong.
Past immigrants to The United States, now citizens, and those future Americans are now, and will be, as American as you and I. English, however dominate, has never been the only" language of America.".
My father and mother spoke Spanish in our home about sixty percent of the time. None of my ten siblings speak Spanish today. I do speak Spanish and so does my wife Becky who teaches third grade in North Carolina. Three of my four children speak Spanish and English. One speaks only English.
The writer in New Jersey referred a "Latino grandfather" who, as a direct result of not speaking English, had no American friends, no significant "attachments" to America and was an "American in name only". He contrasted the Latino grandfather against his own grandfather by equating "being American" with "making money" something his grandfather worked hard to successfully accomplish, according to the writer. He attributed his Philipino grandfather´s success to the fact his grandfather spoke English. He totally seemed to dismiss the social difficulties, not related to language, his grandfather surly faced during that time in American history immediately after WWII. I would suggest that his grandfather´s success was the result of far greater attributes than speaking English. During that time in American history, his grandfather would have had to be dedicated, focused, deliberate, determined and extremely patient with those who were prejudiced by his "non-American" accent and perhaps the color of his skin. His grandfather´s demeanor as an honest and forthright man must have had an equal or greater part in his success in America. My grandfather worked with his hands as a "laborer" almost his entire life. He was not later successful "only" because of his ability to speak English. Prior to learning English and after learning English Tedeso Adame, my grandfather, was loved by many , Anglo and Hispanics alike. He was respected by all for his honesty and loyalty by those he worked with and by his family and friends. He had friends everywhere from all walks of life. He fathered twelve children, all of whom were well provided for without assistance from the government. He contributed to the "greatness" of this country by his own hand and by the hands of his children and grandchildren, myself among them. To some degree, I am but an extension of Tedeso Adame´s life. Tedeso Adame was, as I am today, "all American".
In every industrialized country on earth, there are several major and minor languages spoken and somehow they have managed to succeed and prosper, just like America has. Even in the most homogenized free society in the world, Japan, where I lived a total of seven years, the language differs in dialect from the North in Hokido to the very far South in Nagasaki. On Okinawa, a part of Japan, the language is entirely "Okinawan" and has only a semblance of the formally and commonly understood language spoken by the main land Japanese. Even in the Arab world, where I lived for almost eight years, the language is not as common as some might think. Many Arabic tribes and even whole countries do not speak the same dialect of Arabic.
A common language actually has never been that common anywhere on earth since the Tower of Babel story of the Bible, if you believe the Bible. If not, then a common language has never existed, ever. I would think, in either case, that we would have gotten used to that by now.
MARSHALL ADAME
I do not think there is anyone who would dispute the fact that English is a dominant language , not just in America, but throughout the world, especially in business. Business in China, for example, even between Europeans and the Chinese is done primarily in either English, or Spanish. To a lesser degree some business is in Japanese, French and Italian. Because the Europeans, Japanese and Americas represent the biggest share of the Chinese export market, almost all business in China is done in English, etc..
International non-circumvention agreements, "Over the Rail" shipping documents, Letters of Credit , SGS Validations and Certifications, Confidentiality Agreements, International Invoices and International Hold documents are, for the most part, in English. Just about anywhere one does business in the world Spanish , or English languages dominate. Consequently being fluent in English and/or Spanish is an advantage, even if either is not one´s native tongue. Practicality was the driving force regarding the international dominance of the English and Spanish languages in business today. For the most part it was Spanish and English adventures and explorers who set sail for the new world and occupied it in any lasting way. English and Spanish , in one dialect or another, now dominates in the modern world outside of China. In Japan, for example, the English language is mandatory for middle school and above students. I think we all "get it"; The English language is important.
Is the English language alone, the thing that makes us American? Actually, the first languages used "in-mass" throughout North America were various "Native" Indian dialects and Spanish. I do not need to remind anyone that Texas, Arizona and California used to be "Mexico".
In every industrialized country on earth, there are several major and minor languages spoken and somehow they have managed to succeed and prosper, just like America has. Even in the most homogenized free society in the world, Japan, the language differs in dialect from the North in Hokido to the very far South in Nagasaki. On Okinawa, an island province of Japan, the language is entirely "Okinawan" and has only a semblance of the formally and commonly understood language spoken by the main-land Japanese.
In the article I read in New Jersey, the writer said "English is the language of America". He could not be more wrong. In his article, the writer spoke of his esteemed grandfather who immigrated from the Philippines to America after fighting to defeat the Japanese in the Pacific during WWII. His grandfather earned English and was successful. The writer attributed the totality of his grandfathers success to his ability to speak English.
English was the dominant language spoken in America during WWII as it is today, but not the only language by any stretch of the imagination. Millions of Americans were then, and now speaking Spanish, Polish, Italian, German, Irish ( Yes, Irish was not exactly English) and even Arabic.
My own Grandfather and Grandmother, Tedeso and Adaditia Adame, immigrated from Mexico to California where they both worked on the famous California grapevine doing the seasonal work that dominates faming in Northern California. My father was born there near Sanger California and being the sixth of his eleven children, I was born at General Hospital in Los Angeles. My grandparents came here not speaking English.
My grandfather, Tedeso, saw the potential of brokering the sales of grapes and citrus for the farmers with the buyers and, as he pursued that end, learned to speak English, and very well I might add. The point being that my grandfather was never restricted, to any great degree, by the fact that he had a heavy Mexican accent and, at first, did not have a mastery of the English language. My grandfather was smart, talented, dedicated to his family, honest and determined. That was the key to his success. That was what motivated him to learn English. Speaking English was a component of his success, but it´s genesis.
English has never been the "language of America" and the writer of the article I was reading attempted to make that case by appealing to our base instincts of prejudice and phobias. The writer may have been sincere, but he was sincerely wrong.
Past immigrants to The United States, now citizens, and those future Americans are now, and will be, as American as you and I. English, however dominate, has never been the only" language of America.".
My father and mother spoke Spanish in our home about sixty percent of the time. None of my ten siblings speak Spanish today. I do speak Spanish and so does my wife Becky who teaches third grade in North Carolina. Three of my four children speak Spanish and English. One speaks only English.
The writer in New Jersey referred a "Latino grandfather" who, as a direct result of not speaking English, had no American friends, no significant "attachments" to America and was an "American in name only". He contrasted the Latino grandfather against his own grandfather by equating "being American" with "making money" something his grandfather worked hard to successfully accomplish, according to the writer. He attributed his Philipino grandfather´s success to the fact his grandfather spoke English. He totally seemed to dismiss the social difficulties, not related to language, his grandfather surly faced during that time in American history immediately after WWII. I would suggest that his grandfather´s success was the result of far greater attributes than speaking English. During that time in American history, his grandfather would have had to be dedicated, focused, deliberate, determined and extremely patient with those who were prejudiced by his "non-American" accent and perhaps the color of his skin. His grandfather´s demeanor as an honest and forthright man must have had an equal or greater part in his success in America. My grandfather worked with his hands as a "laborer" almost his entire life. He was not later successful "only" because of his ability to speak English. Prior to learning English and after learning English Tedeso Adame, my grandfather, was loved by many , Anglo and Hispanics alike. He was respected by all for his honesty and loyalty by those he worked with and by his family and friends. He had friends everywhere from all walks of life. He fathered twelve children, all of whom were well provided for without assistance from the government. He contributed to the "greatness" of this country by his own hand and by the hands of his children and grandchildren, myself among them. To some degree, I am but an extension of Tedeso Adame´s life. Tedeso Adame was, as I am today, "all American".
In every industrialized country on earth, there are several major and minor languages spoken and somehow they have managed to succeed and prosper, just like America has. Even in the most homogenized free society in the world, Japan, where I lived a total of seven years, the language differs in dialect from the North in Hokido to the very far South in Nagasaki. On Okinawa, a part of Japan, the language is entirely "Okinawan" and has only a semblance of the formally and commonly understood language spoken by the main land Japanese. Even in the Arab world, where I lived for almost eight years, the language is not as common as some might think. Many Arabic tribes and even whole countries do not speak the same dialect of Arabic.
A common language actually has never been that common anywhere on earth since the Tower of Babel story of the Bible, if you believe the Bible. If not, then a common language has never existed, ever. I would think, in either case, that we would have gotten used to that by now.
MARSHALL ADAME
Print
Email
