Rundus: We should appreciate all languages
By Raymond J. Rundus
In a recent letter to the editor printed in the Fayetteville Observer, a reader described an experience during a shopping expedition. She was highly offended that two young women wearing U.S. Army uniforms were speaking in a foreign tongue, rather than in "American." She considered it distressing, even unpatriotic - sort of, I suppose, like flying the flag of a foreign nation in front of one's house, rather than "Old Glory."
I am wondering if that upset shopper made any attempt to speak to these soldiers about the foreign language they were speaking. Perhaps they were assigned to one of the many language schools sponsored by our military, perhaps even learning an Arabic language so they could better serve the allied expeditionary forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. And, if I understand the culture of the system of educational programs in the military, immersion is a significant goal of those programs. And it would be particularly important in language teaching and learning, in which the enrolled students are expected to use the target language fully.
From other nuances in the letter, as I remember it, the writer seemed to have a particular grievance against Hispanic people who weren't able or perhaps not even willing to speak the "American" language. The writer might even be considered xenophobic, or fearful of foreigners.
Just taking into consideration changes in the Cape Fear region in the past 20 to 30 years, we will find many signs, much evidence, that the Latino population is already established, even prominent. Sanford and Siler City, for example, are towns which seem to have quite extensively embraced the /Hispanic influence. Many small businesses are both owned by and cater to this population.
When I observe and talk to Romero and his family, who live at Cypress Lakes where Senor Romero is a valued employee, I become more aware of two great values the Hispanic immigrant culture offers to the larger "American" culture: a dedicated work ethic and a commitment to family loyalty and unity. I envy and admire them in those respects. And the Romeros' two sons and a daughter seem to be adapting to the endemic culture very well.
More globally now: it seems to me that nearly all our successful business enterprises that have customer service representatives are prepared to serve callers in either English or Spanish.
Here are some other considerations about languages and more specifically about language usage on the national and global scale:
Conservative predictions about demographics and population changes in the United States say that our total population growth from 2010 to 2050 will be more than 100 million people.
By that year, minority population numbers will comprise more than half of the total population.
New languages are very slow to emerge, while the number of existing languages is dwindling at a rapid pace.
English is no longer just our nation's language; it has itself become a global language, especially where commerce and travel are concerned.
There are six official languages sanctioned for use in and by the United Nations: English, French, Chinese (Mandarin), Arabic, Russian and Spanish.
The United States does not have an official or legally mandated language for its internal or external communications nor for its publications; however, 30 of our 50 states do have such, and more are contemplating legislation.
Studies show that 97 percent of an immigrant population will eventually have an ability to communicate using American English; it is almost axiomatic that the first generation of children born to immigrant parents will help teach their parents to learn English; by the third generation, the original language of the immigrants will be used sparingly, if at all.
One can be just as illiterate in Spanish as in English or in any other "foreign" language; few are the masterpieces of literature which have been remembered and passed on for generations via the human voice alone.
Illiteracy places a more oppressive burden on a Latino or Asian than does simple monolingualism.
To sum up: we need to work to understand and appreciate speakers of all languages in our midst and not make hasty judgments about their patriotism or value as human beings because of some ill-considered misperceptions - or even irrational fears. Let's all just keep workin' with them as well as workin' on it.
Raymond J. Rundus is a professor emeritus at UNC-Pembroke. He has lived in Cypress Lakes since 1985 and is former president of the Cypress Lakes Men's Golf Association. He can be reached at rjrundus@infionline.net.