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It certainly didn't take the early European immigrants 4 or 5 generations to assimilate to English in our country which means using it as their primary language of usage.
It certainly didn't take the early European immigrants 4 or 5 generations to assimilate to English in our country which means using it as their primary language of usage.
It doesn't take Brown people 4 generations either.
Most of the 2nd generation Hispanics I know speak English much better than Spanish.
Yes, but most 2nd and even 3rd gens do speak it. I know guys that speak perfect English with zero accent, but when their uncle with the heavy accent comes around, they all fall into Spanish. My great-grandparents came from Sweden in the late 1800's. Growing up a little over 50 years later, I never remember hearing ANY older relatives speaking Swedish. I'm pretty sure my grandfather couldn't speak it, and he was 2nd gen.
It's not about laziness or that many don't learn English. It is their adversion to using it as their primary language of usage. I see it everyday of my life. I rarely hear a Hispanic speaking English out in public. My wife goes to the senior center and there are Hispanics there that have been here for decades and still don't speak a lick of English. Her Polish grandparents insisted that their kids learn and speak English as their primary language and they did.
I understand your point, but I suspect it's a generational thing. I have a couple of Italian buddies who's aging grandparents still don't speak English, and they've been in America for over 60 years. But their children are fluent in English and the few Italian phrases my friends know I can't write here.
I understand your point, but I suspect it's a generational thing. I have a couple of Italian buddies who's aging grandparents still don't speak English, and they've been in America for over 60 years. But their children are fluent in English and the few Italian phrases my friends know I can't write here.
However, everywhere I go I see entire families speaking exclusively in Spanish. I rarely hear them speaking in English regardless of their age/generation. It puzzles me and indicates a non-assimilation factor to me. Many of them I have heard switch to English with ease when they had to but right back to speaking in Spanish afterwards.
Here is another example that puzzles me. A Hispanic clerk speaks perfect English and a Hispanic customer comes along. The customer immediately starts talking to the clerk in Spanish even though I heard the customer speaking to someone behind them in perfect English. WTH? They both know how to speak perfect English!
It's not about laziness or that many don't learn English. It is their adversion to using it as their primary language of usage. I see it everyday of my life. I rarely hear a Hispanic speaking English out in public. My wife goes to the senior center and there are Hispanics there that have been here for decades and still don't speak a lick of English. Her Polish grandparents insisted that their kids learn and speak English as their primary language and they did.
ok it's the SENIOR center, most old people fall back on their native language as they get older. On top of that, do you have any data that proves this? I speak Spanish more, it's not because I think its better than English, but I would just like to practice my foreign languages skills more...and also why do you care? They are not bothering you nor affecting you. Or are you just complaining just to do it? If you care so much, then why don't you try to teach them English?
However, everywhere I go I see entire families speaking exclusively in Spanish. I rarely hear them speaking in English regardless of their age/generation. It puzzles me and indicates a non-assimilation factor to me. Many of them I have heard switch to English with ease when they had to but right back to speaking in Spanish afterwards.
Here is another example that puzzles me. A Hispanic clerk speaks perfect English and a Hispanic customer comes along. The customer immediately starts talking to the clerk in Spanish even though I heard the customer speaking to someone behind them in perfect English. WTH? They both know how to speak perfect English!
Maybe they were talking about you lol. No, seriously, who cares... people can speak whatever they want, you getting all worked up about it only affects you, not them..can you make them change ? No, so why get all worked up about it then? All this does is make it seems like you are complaining just to complain.
However, everywhere I go I see entire families speaking exclusively in Spanish. I rarely hear them speaking in English regardless of their age/generation. It puzzles me and indicates a non-assimilation factor to me. Many of them I have heard switch to English with ease when they had to but right back to speaking in Spanish afterwards.
Here is another example that puzzles me. A Hispanic clerk speaks perfect English and a Hispanic customer comes along. The customer immediately starts talking to the clerk in Spanish even though I heard the customer speaking to someone behind them in perfect English. WTH? They both know how to speak perfect English!
What's wrong with speaking a language other than English? You admit they know English, so what's the problem?
What's wrong with speaking a language other than English? You admit they know English, so what's the problem?
The problem is they alienate themselves. They don't assimilate. That creates hostility.
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