| At the risk of making a politically | | | | focus on is the absolute amazement I have |
| insensitive statement, I offer my deepest | | | | that any of us can actually learn to talk at |
| apologies for the following article if I | | | | all. How in the world did early human beings, |
| offend anyone in anyway. | | | | who were arguably much dumber than we current |
| | | | human beings, even develop ways of |
| Our country has long been a melting pot of | | | | communicating effectively with one another? |
| ethnic diversity and amazing tolerance for | | | | |
| cultural differences. Lately, however, our | | | | And the English language with all it's |
| national ethnic stew has taken on the | | | | multiple word meanings and rules, has to be |
| un-mistaken flavor of our neighbors to the | | | | strong evidence that alien beings must have |
| south and I've developed a terrible case of | | | | visited with us in the past and played some |
| indigestion. Mexican food just doesn't sit | | | | cosmic practical joke on us Americans! I feel |
| well with me. | | | | sorry for those who are attempting to learn |
| | | | English as their second language because it |
| As a mother, I've noticed this influence of | | | | really makes absolutely no sense at all! Back |
| Spanish culture into my own home life, most | | | | to the point though. |
| noticeably in the programming my 4 year old | | | | |
| watches. Dora the Explorer, Diego and Handy | | | | I feel that eventually to function in our |
| Manny are just a few of the shows peppered | | | | ever changing society, everyone will need to |
| with Spanish seasoning, and I must say, I'm | | | | know both English and Spanish. I will always |
| not sure if I'm for this or against it. | | | | firmly believe however, that English should |
| | | | remain the national language if for no other |
| I've always been proud of my national | | | | reason than to protect the last shred of our |
| heritage, the place where I was born, but | | | | cultural identity we have left. |
| lately, my patriotism has suffered a bit. | | | | |
| Political correctness and tolerance have gone | | | | I don't believe that to be a politically |
| completely overboard and we are rapidly | | | | insensitive statement, but I could be wrong. |
| losing any sense of U.S. culture that may | | | | I certainly never thought I would see the |
| have actually once existed. | | | | destruction of the religion this country was |
| | | | founded upon, so who knows, I guess I better |
| Regardless of what side of the fence you may | | | | not take the chance. The Spanish population |
| be on this issue, pardon the pun, we all must | | | | will eventually be the majority and I have no |
| admit that this trend seems to be here to | | | | doubt that they will stick together and |
| stay. | | | | protect their national heritage unlike we |
| | | | have, so we better get used to it now if we |
| With that in mind, I decided to learn | | | | want to survive. |
| Spanish. My kids are already doing it, and I | | | | |
| don't want to fall to far behind them like I | | | | Our children will absolutely have to know |
| did with the pesky computer and all that went | | | | Spanish, so I guess it's okay to encourage |
| along with that societal shock wave. | | | | them to do so. I'm not sure how we Americans |
| | | | are still getting away with English class |
| So I went online, of course, and did some | | | | being a required course in our public schools |
| research. There are really some great | | | | while Spanish, German, Italian and so forth |
| programs out there that can get the old | | | | are still considered electives. It's just a |
| synapses firing in the right direction to | | | | matter of time before we get around to it I |
| begin learning again. It's amazing how early | | | | suppose, our law makers are still busy with |
| on in life we stop adding to our vocabulary | | | | killing Christmas you know. |
| and how that portion of the brain kind of | | | | |
| just seems to shrivel up and die. | | | | I do understand the idea of people coming to |
| | | | our country and still wishing to hold onto |
| I put a link in my author's bio for the | | | | their own culture. What I don't understand is |
| program I actually ended up using. As this | | | | why I must give up mine to accommodate them. |
| article is not intended to sell you on any | | | | |
| particular course, I won't focus on that | | | | When in Rome, I suppose... |
| aspect of my bilingual journey. What I will | | | | |