Relocating Means Learning New Language, Overcoming Old Prejudices

Dear Tazi:

A few months ago I accepted a job transfer to Miami, thinking the change of scenery (and escape from an upstate New York winter) would be a nice change of pace. The one thing I forgot to count on is the fact that Miami is no longer a part of the United States, at least it seems that way.  With more people speaking Spanish than English, I feel like I have moved to Cuba.  I believe that in America we should speak English, but my beliefs are not going to help me get by in this new city where I do not know anybody and do not speak the predominant language.  I feel like an immigrant in my own country, and am very, very frustrated.

I am trying very hard to overcome my anger at those who have moved here to America - legally or illegally - and have not learned English, but it is hard.  Why should I have to learn Spanish when the official language of America is English?  Why shouldn't people who speak Spanish have to learn English?  I am in my forties, and learning a new language is not easy at my age.

People have mentioned that I try Rosetta Stone, but that program is very expensive and I am not sure how I would do in a self-guided program.  I do not have time to take a class at the community college, and I really need to learn at least conversational Spanish to get around this city.  In past columns, you have mentioned that your Mommie is learning Spanish.  Can you tell me any of her secrets for learning this new language?  Or is she failing as badly as I am at trying to learn Spanish?

Signed,

No Habla Español 

Dear No Habla Español:

First let me state for the record that, due to my bearing the onus of an inordinate amount of neglect, my Mommie is doing very well in her attempts to learn Spanish!  Mi mamá trabaja mucho! Before I share some of her tips for learning a new language - I have not decided if you are worthy of them yet - I would like to address the attitude I sense coming from your letter.

To start, you are incorrect in stating that English is the "official language" of the United States.  The U.S. has no official language; English is simply the most commonly spoken one and the most agreed upon for government use as it is the traditionally used language within our borders.  There are those who argue that America should pass legislation declaring English as our official language, but until that happens your argument is on shaky ground.

There are different areas in America where the predominant culture dictates the language most spoken - a good example of this would be among the Amish, who speak a German dialect among themselves and within their communities.  This does not mean that they cannot speak English (they can, and they do when the occasion calls for it), which brings me to another point: you assume that simply because someone is speaking Spanish that they are unable to speak English; this is not always correct.  Many immigrants and first generation Americans are bi-lingual and even poly-lingual, putting the language skills of the native born to shame.

You mention that you are in your forties and that learning a new language at your age is hard.  Many who immigrate to America come here not as children, but as adults and experience the same difficulty learning English that you are experiencing learning Spanish.  It is for this reason that Spanish speaking communities form, eliminating the need to learn English in order to go about one's day to day business.  Again, this is not to say that nobody in those communities speaks English; I suggest you work to find businesses that are bilingual in English-Spanish and patron them while you work to improve your Spanish.  Who knows?  The business owners may even assist you with your Spanish while you are in their stores.

You are right to feel like an immigrant in your own country, because technically you have immigrated to a new community.  Even if that community spoke English, it would be a very different form of English than what you speak in upstate New York; you would have to learn how to interpret the local verbiage and work through the differences in your accents in order to make yourself understood and to understand others.

Being immersed in a new language is actually the best way to learn it - after all, it is how you learned your first language.  The next time you find yourself lost in the world of a new language, try to put aside your anger, fear, and panic and truly listen to what is being said.  Many Spanish words are part of the English language, and many Spanish words sound similar to English words; try to put these words into the context of the situation.  Do not be afraid to tell people that you do not speak Spanish, and ask them to speak slowly (habla despacio, por favor!).  Use as many physical props as possible to get your message across, and listen to the words used in response.  This is a great way to increase your vocabulary.  In time, as your vocabulary increases, your grammar will also improve.

Now, as for how Mommie is managing to do so well in her Spanish class: She first worked on building her vocabulary.  Her Spanish textbook keeps words in groups - physical traits, academic topics, rooms in the house, etc.  She learns each group in turn, and then uses them when speaking to me.  Over the past few months I have learned that I come la comida para gatos (eat cat food); duerme sobre una manta (sleep on a blanket) and that I can be a dolar en el culo! (pain in the...HEY!!!  That is not nice!).

Once you learn some vocabulary, you can learn how to conjugate each verb.  A book like Spanish for Dummies can be very helpful, as can a Spanish to English dictionary, many of which are free online.  The key to retaining what you learn is to practice every day.  Mommie talks to me in Spanish, and reviews the stuff that is giving her trouble right before she goes to bed; while sleeping, her brain untangles the problem and things generally make sense in the morning.

I realize that you say you do not have the time to take a class, but this really is the best way to learn a new language if immersion is not working for you.  Many colleges offer Spanish classes online, so you  do not have to worry about making it to a set class time each week - just about completing the assignments and practicing, practicing, practicing!!!  Perfection will not come overnight, but nobody is expecting that of you.  The fact that you are making an effort will be noticed, and go a long way towards helping you gain acceptance in your new community.

Snuggles,
Tazi

Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with a Bachelors of Arts in Communications. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.

New Dad Has More To Learn Than Most

Dear Tazi:

My wife is writing this letter for me because I am what is called a functional illiterate. I can recognize some words and phrases, like Coca-Cola and Merry Christmas, but that is because I recognize the product or because someone told me what it says and I see it over and over again.

My parents came here as refugees from Cuba, and never knew how to read English, so they could not help me with my school work as a kid. I think I might have a learning problem, because I can work very well with my hands but not at all when it comes to book learning. I dropped out of school when I was 16, and worked a lot of odd jobs and as a landscaper until I married my wife and moved away. I work in a factory now, and since a lot of the people here don’t speak English all of our instructions have pictures to go along with them. My boss doesn’t know that I can’t read and don’t write much. Nobody does except for my wife. I know my ABC’s, but not much more.

My wife and I just had a baby boy. When I held him for the first time, I started to cry because I don’t want him to end up like me. I want my boy to learn how to read and write and to be somebody, but most of all, I want to be a good Dad to my son. In a year or two, he’s going to be wanting a story before bedtime, and I want to be able to read him one.

My company is a very generous one, and offers English as a Second Language classes for free to all employees. I speak English very well because I was born in America, so I am not sure if these classes would teach me what I need. I need to learn how to read and write English! Plus, I am afraid if people find out I cannot read and write English they will make fun of me, and call me a dumb immigrant. I am an American, even if I am a dumb one, and I don’t want to be dumb anymore. Do you have words for me, Tazi?

Signed,

Seeking Learning

Dear Seeking Learning:

I need to make one thing very clear to you: just because you cannot read or write does not make you dumb; you obviously have other talents that have allowed you to make a living, which means that  you are intelligent in other ways. When it comes to book learning, people learn in different ways. Even if you have a learning problem, this does not mean you are incapable of learning! You mention that you are able to understand instructions written as pictures and that you work well with your hands – this means your strengths are in seeing something done and then doing it yourself, not in reading about how something is done. Studies have shown that a whopping 70% of people learn in these same ways!

An ESL class works slightly differently than an English-Only adult learning class, in that relies more on visuals than traditional adult learning classes. Each teacher has their own style, but overall you will learn how to connect words and their spellings to matching objects, ideas, and emotions. For example, you may see pictures like the following:

Happy

Since you already know what emotion the picture is illustrating and how to pronounce the English word for it, you will have a leg-up on many of your classmates; the class will help you learn how to read and spell the words that represent the pictures. By starting at a more advanced level than your classmates, you will find your confidence boosted as you rise to the top of the class and possibly even a boost in your self-worth as you assist your classmates in their learning. Assisting your classmates will also cement in your head what you have learned.

Since your employer is the one offering the ESL classes I do not think you need to be afraid of losing your job over your lack of English literacy. Rather, I think your employer would be happy to see that you want to improve your English skills! As for your fear that people will make fun of you or call you a "dumb immigrant", I want you to know that people who would do such a thing are low-life ignorant slime. Please do not concern yourself with the opinions of such people; rather, concern yourself with being the best husband and father you can be to your young family! For what it's worth, I am proud of you!

Snuggles,
Tazi


Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with a Bachelors of Arts in Communications. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.