However, in order for one to truly understand the arguments made by the authors they must also understand the context behind these arguments; therefore, knowing how the individual authors’ definition of bilingualism lets the reader truly absorb what points they’re trying to make and why.In Espada’s essay, he defines bilingualism as a way for a person to remain in contact with their different cultural identities. There are many areas in the essay where the reader could interpret this definition from. However, the most significant piece of evidence appears at the beginning of the essay where Espada mentions his friend Jack Agueros’ analogy to describe his bilingualism “English and Spanish are like two dogs I love. English is an obedient dog. …show more content…
English and Spanish, the two dogs in this analogy, are the two cultures he nurtures and adores. Despite one culture being more dominant over the other, they are still two different parts of his identity that he must take care of. Compared to Espada’s essay, Rodriguez seems to approach the definition of bilingualism from a completely different perspective. Rodriguez sees bilingualism as a connection to one’s public identity. He mentions his definition near the beginning of his essay, where Rodriguez talks about how his previous non-bilingual self would have been pleased if the teachers had spoken Spanish. Instead of supporting why the teachers should have spoken Spanish to him, he then presents a statement that goes against the wishes of his non-bilingual self, saying “I would have trusted them and responded with ease. But I would have evaded- and for how long could I afford to delay?-learning the great lesson of school, that I had a public identity.” Although the process of learning English had caused discomfort, it was the pressure to learn a language that ultimately lead him to learn the public language English and become a member of …show more content…
He shows this through his many experiences with bilingual court and education. At the end of his essay, Espada concludes with a basic summary of what he has learned. Espada claims “The repression of Spanish is part of a larger attempt to silence Latinos, and, like the crazy uncle at the family dinner table yelling about independence or socialism, we must refuse to be silenced.” Through the summary the reader understands despite English being the prevalent language the in the U.S. today the Spanish culture is still being preserved through bilingualism.On the other hand Rodriguez argues that in order to gain a public identity, one must be willing to sacrifice some part of their own cultural identity. He supports this argument by telling his own story of being forced to learn English by the bilingual education system. The experience he had learning English made him experience great embarrassment, sadness, and change. Rodriguez concludes his experience by discussing how English had changed his personal life at home: “We remained a loving family, but one greatly changed. No longer so close;no longer bound tight by the pleasing and troubling knowledge of our public separateness.” By learning English, Rodriguez’s family is finally able to integrate into society without language barriers. As a result, the family loses the intimacy they had while
Espada believes that being able to speak your native is your personal way to stay connected to your culture, Bilingualism to Espada its more than speaking 2 languages it a piece of your identity. In his essay, he states "He can rip my tongue out if he wants. but it won 't work, (because I speak Spanish with my heart)"(7, 97-100). Espada takes the view of it 's not a skill that developed it 's something you 're born with, something that can never be taken away. Unlike Rodriguez who states that Spanish is a private language, and English is a public
This presentation was an interesting event that touched bases on many important topics. In this event, the public figure, Olmeca, shared some of his beliefs. Olmeca is a Hispanic rapper and a public speaker fighting for equal rights for all. In his presentation, Olmeca talks about the state the country is in by explaining the cause of the problem what we can do to fix it. Racism is still a pressing issue that many social groups face in society today.
The parent’s perspective towards bilingual education was like the student’s opinions because both individuals felt immersion classrooms benefit the students and the parents. The father of Jason was proud his son was the first in his family to read, write, and speak in English. Jason’s father knew his son would have many career opportunities by learning English at school. Learning the English academic language was not the only proud language Jason’s father encouraged for Jason to learn but also the Spanish language as well. Jason’s father only speaks Spanish so if his son was to lose his home language, a language barrier would form between father and son.
Reading an essay must have two sets of eyes, one from a reader and another from a writer. I as a reader, found Rodriguez’s essay rude and relatable; his way for describing what happened to him shared a type of equality with me in a different perspective. On the other hand, reading his writing as a writer I can fully appreciate his way to weave ideas and enjoy vivid descriptions about his life. Rodriguez’s Essay embodies different writing techniques, such as voice and tone. His voice is direct and focus, he describes his life as plain as possible and describes each event so that the reader can follow him through his life.
Throughout ‘Hunger of Memory’, the readers develop a sense of who Richard Rodriguez is. It becomes interesting and rather easy to note that he has spent most of his childhood life in ‘double’, whether it is from a linguistic perspective or an educational perspective. He gradually separates himself from his Spanish -Speaking family, while, forming a close bond with this English-Speaking public. However, what seems to be a bit tricky is how to identify an individual who undergoes such transition of a complete assimilation. According to Richard Rodriguez, the essayist, Richard Hoggart successfully developed an idea that seemed to define Rodriguez’ life completely.
I remember you were so proud you knew a foreign language. I remember I told you English was your foreign language and you left again. "(BFD, 21) Alexie is concerned with the fragmented, often alienated “bicultural” lives of such characters who sacrifice their native identity and culture in the hope of being assimilated in the dominant American one. Those who attempt to become assimilated, according to Elbert Memmi, might behave in this way: They endeavor to resemble the colonizer in the frank hope that he may cease to consider them different from him.
In this essay “How to Tame a Wild Tongue” by Gloria Anzaldua she talks about her language, specifically her Spanish language in which it isn’t accepted to not only in the American culture but to her fellow Latino and Latina people. “Pocho, cultural traitor, you’re speaking English, you’re ruining the Spanish language” (WOR, 27). I am writing a biography telling about how I also have encountered not being accepted by people of the American culture. I will also discuss the variations in both Anzaldua’s life as well as my life. Being a young foreign girl in elementary school wasn’t too bad.
Bilingualism, fluency in or use of two languages. To many people who speak a single language that is all bilingualism is, but to those who are bilingual it is something that is deeper than that. To be bilingual is to be a part of something larger, it is rooted in one’s identity and connects them to a vaster community. Richard Rodriguez, author of Hunger of Memory, believed that a first language or native tongue was personal and exclusive. He felt that one’s original language was only for family and those who already spoke it, he writes, “ I considered Spanish to be a private language.
In their article, “Two Languages are Better than One”, Wayne P. Thomas and Virginia P. Collier contends that Bilingual education is not a failure, and plays a major effect on a student’s life. In their research, they discovered that Bilingual education expands the students’ cultural perspectives in society, linguistic diversity, communications, and valuing each other’s knowledge and life experience. The success of the programs for bilingual education for both language group come together as peer tutors bringing a bigger interaction with one another. Students who are in bilingual classes add to various courses in tackling human issues and approach issues from a cross national point of view. These advancement bilingual classes give a steady jolt
Bilingual is defined, according to Webster’s dictionary, as ‘having or using two languages especially as spoken with the fluency characteristics of a native speaker; a person using two languages especially habitually and with control like that of a native speaker’ and bilingualism as ‘the constant oral use of two languages’. Therefore, being a bilingual person means you are able to communicate in two languages and not only that. Anna Wierzbicka claims in her article that “A point which seems to me particularly important is that experience of bilingual people should not be construed as merely their experience of speaking two languages but rather as their experience of living with other people through two different languages”. Knowing two languages, at least, gives you a better experience with a variety of people, especially if you know English or Chinese, which are the most important languages in the world. The author debates a “research into the interface of emotions and bilingualism promises to throw new light on wider issues of the relationship between
How important is bilingual education and its benefits for immigrant students? Lack of Bilingual Education has been a problem for immigrant students for decades, affecting immigrant students from the 1800s up to now causing major problems in families. As for Richard Rodriguez, in the article "An Education in Language" the author Richard Rodriguez presents his own personal experience how difficult it is to keep a family together when the native language is not spoken at home. He shows examples of his life while growing up, and how he disconnected from his family and connected to his teachers. In addition, he discusses the different views his parents had regarding higher education.
Once years pass and age begins to accumulate, there is a period in one’s life where age begins to catch up to those three things. The body begins to ache a little more, the mind begins to lose its sharpness and a spirit may begin to have a different perspective. The same is said to happen to bilinguals and the aging effects that occurs with children and adults. The aspect of aging in bilingualism can be broken down into two different sections. The first is the age at where bilinguals begin the process of learning their second language and the second section is chronological age.
Neither did I expect to receive so much schoolwork in an American school. Not knowing how to speak English made seventh grade scary and difficult. As I looked at the other Latino people speak English, I envisioned myself speaking like them. I thought I would never learn the language because it seemed too complicated, but this new environment pushed me to work harder. With determination, I started writing down English words in my notebook and repeating them every day.
Nowadays, people are facing many issues about bilingual effects on the people. Some people are saying bilingualism affect their life,emotions,ideas and so on ,other people do not agree with this situation .In this essay I will tell bilingual affects on the people. It includes three parts of the essay. Inıtıally, ¬¬¬¬¬¬¬Bilingual provides a new perspective on emotions,new insight,gestures and mimics for people.
If both of the languages that bilingual people speak are valued in the wider society, then it is likely they will use both their languages in a wide variety of contexts (for example, in the home, church, community, and school) Almost all disscutions are connected with feelings because when someone tells to another one about a subject such as family, school, work, etc they feel that he or she deeply understands him or her, so that there is not that barrier which appears