DISCUSSION BOARD: The Irish Language and Beauty | Dónall Ó Héalaí | TEDxBerkeley
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Asian Americans Try To Speak Their Native Language
Hey..hey…let me introduce you to your guest host this week, Lindon Bain. He’s posting and moderating the discussion board this week. Welcome, Lindon!!
Lindon has watched the videos and put together a post for you to respond to. He will also be active on the board by responding to your posts.
Lindon’s post:
When we think about what makes up our identity and personality, what usually comes to mind? Maybe it’s where we come and what day we were born. Maybe it comes from what we do as hobbies, or maybe even what we don’t like. But how often does the language(s) we use come into consideration as a part of our identity and personality?
The speaker in our first video for this week, Dónall Ó Héalaí, sheds light on how much of an important language plays in who we are, and why we should never give up on it. If the first video wasn’t enough proof of how important language is when it comes to our identity, our second video is full of students who initially shunned their original language and now wants to get back in touch with it. Now I don’t know who can relate to the students in the second video and who can’t, but I think that we could all do some similar reflection. For those who can relate, have you gotten in touch with your native language or plan to, and if you can, has it shifted any of your views about yourself or the world?
And for those who can’t relate because english is their native language, think about things in your community that make “your english” unique and special, like an accent, and think of ways you could, like Dónall Ó Héalaí said, “celebrate your language”.
I agree with Donall O Healai, we should definitely “celebrate [our] language”. So this week, make yourself comfortable and write in your dialect…write it like you’d say it…and like you’d pronounce it. Spell phonetically, use slang, be familiar…whatever you choose. Or, for those of you who prefer more formal language, use that!! The point of the class is…all languages are equal so whatever is most comfortable for you, is good for us!!
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I would like to say I grew up with two languages I had to become comfortable with, slang and spanish. But being the fact that I was never forced to speak back in spanish, I feel like I lost that side of me that makes me Dominican. Growing up I always understood what was being asked of me whenever my grandparents or my dad would speak to me in spanish, but since I was always home with my mom she never really spoke to me or forced me to speak back to her that way. So I lost my accent when I was about 7 years old and never spoke it again until my middle school years because I never had to. My grandparents and my dad understood english so I would respond in English without understanding the importance of speaking spanish. It didn’t really hit me until I started getting bullied for it and not being able to fit in with those who were also speaking spanish. But it be like that sometimes, I’m just making it a priority now to learn how to fluently speak spanish now so by the time I get older I can pass that down to the youngens cause those videos dead made me feel like I’m losing my family ties because this is the language that is supposed to not only hold us together as a family, but it’s also supposed to hold us as a latine community. Because how am I supposed to share my complicated ethnicity without anything to show for it.
I also don’t want to lose the side of me that quite literally help shape the man I am today, the use of AAVE/ slang. Like bro…. there’s a certain amount of respect that you receive when you use AAVE/ slang because if I spoke Standard American English my whole life I would have been called sherm or just flat out been bullied cause without the use of AAVE/ slang, it lets people know within your community like “oh, yeah you don’t stand with us. You didn’t experience what we experienced so you my son” or “you a lil *****”, which I’ve seen happened before. It actually has happened to me until I was about 8 or 9 years old speaking like everyone around me because although it was deemed improper by many adults in the U.S, there was always something about AAVE/ slang that brought us together as a community. I mean yes the language itself brought us together but being a boy within the community means your influenced easy into walking the wrong path of gangs and drugs because the older people that use this language were also about that about that life. So I’m sure everyone boy within communities like the one I grew up in were faced with very similar decisions and I know for a fact all my friends were. But its also growth to see that lifestyle and choose to walk the other direction and still take pride of this language that is being used within those communities. I feel like this language has helped me become more understanding because its helped me see all sides of a situation, the decisions that one person might see from their point of view and the decisions that anyone else can see from an outside perspective.
I don’t know if any of that makes sense perooo likeee yeah 🙂
I completely agree with you. If you use a language and your parents are fine with it, and you don’t feel compelled to modify it in any way in your life, your original language will eventually become obsolete. You won’t feel it necessary to utilize your native speech until you encounter someone from your own country who mocks you for not knowing it. However, until someone demonstrates the necessity of utilizing the local tongue, like Donall O Healai did, you will be willing to learn it.
Elliot, I agree with your statement about the use of AAVE. It definitely has more uses than most people think. The type of language that is used is dependent on the situation. Being able to effectively use AAVE provides you with a sense of belonging and understanding. Essentially, you speak my language, you understand me.
Elliot, I totally agree with all the main points you made in your response. Especially your point about the use of AAVE. AAVE is something known to unite a community, it’s something that isn’t made to make sense to an outsider, that’s what makes it stand out and so unique.
Yea I could see that part with AAVE, some of my classmates fell to that path where they started repping a set and ended up dropping out and start doing stupid shit. Even the way I talk to my friends is insanely different than in school. But at the same time, I feel like everyone from New York vibes each other, like in City College. I haven’t met anyone who tries to exclude people- everyone here got that chill aura i dunno.
ew why did that become an emoji, I meant :)))
I am quadrilingual, as I already said. I learned Bangla, Hindi, Urdu, and English as a child. Because my parents do not speak English, everyone in my family uses the native language (Bangla). As a result, it is simpler for everyone if we speak in the language that we are all familiar with. Also, my father often tells me to remember my roots. He also advised us not to use English when conversing with one another since, in his experience, when individuals do not speak their original tongue frequently, they forget it and are unable to recall it in the future. He also brought us some books with the Bangla alphabet so that we could practice reading and writing in Bangla. I’ve also seen my relatives who don’t speak Bangla pronounce the term as if they don’t belong from Bangladesh. Outside of my house, I used to be embarrassed to use Bangla. I recall that most of the residents in Jackson Heights are Asian, and every time I visit there, I feel as if I am in Bangladesh. That is how the environment is. People there also spoke Bangla all the time, but I used to converse with them in English. But then I realize if I keep acting like that then from the next generation the Bangla language will be extinct from this country. Donall O Heala expressed the same thing in the video. The TED talk has had such a profound impact on my life. Because, if we think about it that way, native languages will never go endangered on this globe.
100% agree with you if we add society embrace native tongue in school, Society later on would be more flourishing I feel because we allow people to speak in a way they feel most comfortable so that’s more productive for them.
As for you self-consciously not wanting to speak Bangla in public… if you don’t do it like you just said the next generation of your culture, of your language will be extinct from this country so do it. it’s the little things that make us uncomfortable that eventually make us happy.
I wonder, if you don’t mind me asking, if the reason why you didn’t feel comfortable speaking in your native tongue was because you felt inferior those that lived in Jackson due to them living with people that also spoke Bangla? I only ask because you said that you felt embarrassed and that confused me because being around people that speak the same language can be somewhat empowering, in my opinion. But understand how you feel on how native languages can go endangered if people were too scared to speak it.
Jannatul, I find it very admirable of your father to remind you of your roots. He’s already teaching you a very important life lesson, to never forget where you came from. And that’s some advice not a lot of people get the privilege of having. But that’s the greatest thing about this class. To be that “father figure”, so to speak, to empower us and to give us a voice.
Jannatul, I completely agree with everything you mentioned in your response. I find it so interesting and fascinating the things you must face being quadrilingual. I also agreed with what you said toward the end of your response, about the ted talk and languages never going extinct if we hold them to a certain standard.
It is so sad to think about langauge fading over the years and eventually becoming extinct. This might be an unpopular opionion but I believe lanuages should be preserved: held together by people from the inner group and in some cases kept away from the other. I say this because there is always going to be some person ready to disrespect the langauge.
I agree, it should be more common place to speak your native language, that way it will be preserved and known by many for years to come. I am also amazed at how you managed to learn four whole different languages growing up, and how difficult it must have been to learn it all.
I agree with it when you do not speak in your native dialects or do not practice reading/writing in the future you are not able to remember the Bangla words. And Jackson Height is a place where I also feel the city of Dhaka Bangladesh as well because of the crowd of Bengali people in that area. Also, many Bengali people who were born U.S don’t want to speak or learn Bangla at all.
Hi Jannatul, I also had a similar experience with my father. My father reminds me and my siblings that he was born in Mexico speaking Mixtec as his first language and that he will never forget his mother tongue just because he lives in New York. I also agree with you that if we don’t embrace our native language it will be forgotten and I consider that to be sad because the language we use connect to our culture and our identity.
Yeah, honestly, I think we, first and second-generation immigrants, have the duty to continue our parents’ or native land’s language. We have to plant those seeds by sharing our language with our children and our children with theirs. Just like how your amazing father teaches you to value your language. Like 4 languages is INSANE to me, goodjob.
I feel like my native language would be English, of course right because I live in the United States I am educated mostly in English therefore that would be my native tongue but I am fortunate enough to have family back in Puerto Rico where they are native tongue is Spanish and their second language is English. So I am able to pick up Spanish and understand it when being spoke to
I like that the first video, he mentioned that the displacement of indigenous culture and i feel like that can be related to a lot of us who come from the Caribbean islands because so much of the history was wiped so as generations go on it’s harder like he said for the same language to thrive beyond the borders of the community and then eventually to colonization the community loses the native tongue. Bringing back to who you are, language connects you to a deeper part of yourself and if you are that person who has forgotten your native tongue or wants to learn another langauge, do it like 100% do it.
I agree when you talk about the colonization in the Carribean. There is a lot of history there, that most natives don’t even know because of how watered down indigenous culture. There are decades worth of easure because of colonization, although this is true I also believe that there will always be remninse of the ancient language in today’s Spanish. I also agree with the “if you wanna learn just learn”.
“Language connects you to a deeper part of yourself,” you remark, and I agree. After the race, it is the language that identifies you, distinguishes us from one another, and allows us to stand out, especially in this country. So, whatever occurs, we should try to keep our language to a minimum.
Hi Asanti, I like when you talk about the Caribbean Islands being colonized and indigenous people being displaced. It is true that a lot of our history has been removed and as generation and generation passes our native’s languages will be changing because not all generations will learn the same thing.
I fully agree with your statement from the video about the Caribbean Islands, there are tons of Caribbeans that don’t accept their past whatsoever and just try erasing that part of their identities which is harmful to the Caribbeans themselves because if this keeps up eventually people are going to be scared or ashamed of where they come from.
English is my native language but I can definitely empathize with others that find it difficult to hold onto their native roots. One of the ways that makes “my English” unique and special, and I’m willing to bet that everyone can relate, is that the way I speak with my close friends and family members can be completely understood. But if I were to use the same speech that I use in public, I’d probably be looked at like, “Yo, is you good?” You see, I think I’ve said this before but I’ll say it again. Language is more than just about the verbal aspect. It’s also about understanding others without the use of words. We all live on the same planet and each of us has their own problems…that’s a little bit of a rant there for another time. Sorry about that. Anyway, back on topic. LANGUAGE. So, we shouldn’t be ashamed of our native language or even the way we use language around those that we feel comfortable with. I know that whenever most people step out of their homes, it’s like they leave themselves behind. What I mean is, they take off a little of their identity and choose which pieces to put on that will be acceptable when they go out in public. I know that sounds kind of weird and metaphorical but I feel that’s what we do. There’s just one thing that I wish for, that is for everyone to be proud of who they are and not to be afraid to show their true identity. One shines, we all shine! And we can help each other be the best we can be. Thank you for coming to my Ted talk…
Marcus I really enjoyed reading your response. I completely agree with your comment about Language being more than just about the verbal aspect. Only because when you think about it, it’s true. Language is more than the words we are speaking, it’s about the message and connection being given when we speak. Communication overall is fascinating.
Wow, those are words of wisdom, I find it that people most likely code switch due to what society proclaims to be good, depending what society you belong to, just like you said we all live on the same planet but we all experience different problems.
I completely agree with you. Yes, I felt apprehensive about speaking my native tongue in front of people who weren’t family. I wasn’t used to speaking languages other than English until I met some Bengali and Hindi-speaking friends. Then I stepped out of my comfort zone and began speaking with them in my native language more frequently.
Marcus I would have to say first of all I extremely relate to go off topic and I feel like we may speak somewhat similar… but anyway I agree somewhat that people do put masks on in terms of language and culture that shield their true identity, but I don’t necessarily think it’s a self esteem issue…. I would say rather it’s an influence of social capital and safety… I think sometimes people just have to speak standard English because in this society due to racism and conservatism there is a distaste for anything other English. People will literally get more by speaking more standard. That Is not their fault, and their shame for that i believe it a result of societys pressure and not individualized.
Hey Marcus, I agree with what you said in your post. There are different forms of expressing language, for example body language can be use to describe how we are feeling. To add, we should definitely embrace our language outside our homes. When I’m with my friend I tend to speak in Spanglish to express myself better. I would even use Mexican slang with her as well, and if she doesn’t understand what I’m trying to say then I would explain what the certain word means. But both of us tend to learn a lot about each other culture.
Yea, I agree with you 1000%. I feel like we should embrace people for who they are wayyyy more. Which is why I appreciate this class as it’s more accepting and laidback, and we can actually express ourselves. Over the years, I feel like sometimes formality prevented me from actually learning what was being taught. Anyways great TED talk I’m leaving a like and subscribing!
My first language is most definitely english, there is no doubt abt that. If someone were to ask me what makes my English or anybody else’s English so unique I would say “well first off, that requires a multifaceted answer”. Only because when you think about it, what makes any of our languages unique to us? Our friends? Family? Societal influences? It’s quite clear that it all comes down to a combination of all of these components. When I am with friends and family I am free and confident in how I speak, but I am the same way in a school or professional setting. Mainly because the way I have always felt most comfortable talking is a way that seems to have been accepted well in both settings. When I speak I never think about the way I am speaking, I am speaking to express a point, to add to a conversation. Thankfully I have never been in a situation where someone has told me I should not speak in a certain way, and nobody ever should be in that situation. Everybody should feel the right to express themselves freely and with confidence as I have. Only because we are all unique in how our languages have come to be, and how we all express ourselves. Other than that yeah, literally like I said it’s a multifaceted answer so i hope it makes some sense lol.
Mario, oh it totally makes sense and also it is a shame that we live in a society that looks down upon people who express themselves differently. You’re right, no one should ever have to be in a situation where they are told not to speak a certain way. Our language is our identity, so if you take our language away, we go along with it.
I find it amazing how you use the same language you use with your friends in a professional setting because it shows integrity and that you love yourself enough to present yourself how you want no matter the situation. I find that to be encouraging and influential.
Heavy on the I just speak to get my point across or add to the conversation. I lived a long life before I became aware of my accent. I can remember vividly speaking and someone repeating what I said in a mocking manner, indicating to me that my way to say ” volleyball” (iykyk lol) is wrong or funny. Never did I think it was important how I pronounced certain words until high school where everyone was in my mouth and around the corner.
I agree with Mario when he said “‘ When I am with friends and family I am free and confident in how I speak, but I am the same way in a school or professional setting”. A lot of times depends on with whom you talking, and your way of speaking any language changes completely. In my case when I’m with my friends it doesn’t matter how I talk, we talk in Spanish slang and/or “Barrial”. But when I’m with Papi or with Mami I completely change to a formal and not disrespectful way of speaking.
Mario, I have had the exact same experience in learning English. I had not connected to Any other language, and I felt that learning the grammatically correct accepted way to speak English was in fact the best way to speak it as it was created by scholars and it was the most respected by the most wide variety of people. I still do that now because I think it best reflects who I am along with my New York accent and slang.
My first langauage is Spanish and I wasn’t speaking English until I was 5. Between my brother and I, he is known to speak better Spanish and I am not talk about formal. In terms of dictionary I got it but the boy is fluent, his tongue moves with no hesitation whilst mine pauses with every breathe I take. I can still remember when I would mimic English and now I am still an active learner of the langauge. Now on top of being Dominican, I am Dominican and live in the Bronx and was rasied in the heights. Of course, I speak with an accent. One that is very “Spanish” of me and another that sound “hostile” but only exibits the true passion in me. My voice always gives away my ethnic identity becuase without realizing it, my voice fits under the “Perfect Latina”. How you might ask?! Let me tell you an old joke spread around my High School: school ended around 3 and by 4 my body would switch back to Spanish. There were days where I had to stay in school, my body would shift to Spanish, and I would take more time for me to process sentences in English. Eventually people know that “after hours” I wasn’t to be spoken to.
I agree with Shantal when she says “My voice always gives away my ethnic identity because without realizing it, my voice fits under the “Perfect Latina”. In my case, that’s very true, I always, always, always, when I’m speaking English to somebody something in Spanish has to come out of me, and I don’t even know I say things in Spanish after I was done talking to that person. I then realize that I spoke Spanish to them and is because the “Latina” part of me will always come out because is part of who I am.
I find it very interesting that you switch between Spanish and English depending on how much you were using which language. I have never thought about that, and it brings a new light on how language works for people.
I grew up in the Dominican Republic, so I lived there speaking Spanish only, then I moved to the USA and I started learning English. Knowing Spanish and starting to learn English was a very difficult stage to go through because all I knew was Spanish my whole life. Learning English changed the way I see the world, before moving to NY and learning English, I thought that every place was the same as DR; People speaking Spanish, joking around, everybody talking to everybody, and more. Nonetheless when I got here, NY, I saw that the world is not how I thought. In New York, I learned that there are lots of different kinds of people, learned that people have different languages and different cultures, and a lot of time you made friends here in NY, friends who have different cultural backgrounds and traditions as you, and the fact that you both speak English makes it easy to share traditions and culture through your friendship even though you both from different places.
I agree Odilenia, that I appreciate greatly how much living here has allowed for me to expand my perspective on the diversity of language and cultures. I am so grateful that there is a common language that allows for me to enjoy certain aspects of these languages as well, although I know it can never compare to speaking in the true cultural language itself. I would hope to one day understand that experience that you had of changing your perspective by learning another language. I think that truly supports the role that language has on your identity and experience.
I agree with you Odeilenia. My friend and I always share our culture with each other. I would always use Mexican slang when I speak to her. My friend is Ecuadorian and she tells me her stories of growing up in Ecuador. We both share our culture foods, language with each other.
I like your perspective in using the common language of English as an opportunity to connect with people of different backgrounds. I think that the process of learning a new language in itself is very eye-opening because it has the tendency of connecting back to your primary language, prompting you to reflect back on your experiences with both languages.
I have always spoken English. And that’s because I grew up in the United States, in all different types of neighborhoods around Long Island and NYC. Listening to these types of videos have always been difficult for me. I feel like I have a unique experience when it comes to culture and language, as in the lack there of. I am in no way connected with my roots, for many different reasons. I am from many parts of Europe, I am not close to my family that has relations outside the US, and all of my family is 2nd or 3rd generation. I feel like all of my connections, including language, is muddied down and mixed into something that has quite developed into its own culture yet. It can sometimes feel quite lonely, as if I am lacking that community that comes with culture and language. I lost a sense of my spirituality as well. When I was in school I tried so hard to speak proper English, write correctly, and follow all grammatical rules, because that was the closest thing I could find that made sense specific to me, because I didn’t really think I belonged to any other language or even accent (as I wasn’t in NYC at the time). I try to find that community in my accent, and so far it’s been going quite well. Living in New York, I have a lot of pride for my state and city. I can truly say we are the best city in the world. And hearing myself speak with a New York accent, the same accent I use to make fun of my mom for having when I was kid cause I thought it was “sloppy”, I now feel pride that I sound like such a clique sometimes. It makes me feel connected with my culture and my people. I feel like the quick, short, blunt language of New York is such a reflection of our nature. We are impatient, honest, real, kind people. We are a mix of all types of people who speak to get their shit done and mind their business. Speaking to someone with the same accent is like having an inside joke. I am absolutely so grateful for my accent as I finally feel apart of a culture. I absolutely think language is so important to identify and culture.
Hi Autumn, you’re board was so sweet. I love that trying to find your language and culture. But you can say New York is your culture and language because it’s like a melting pot of everything that you’re able to appreciate such diversity that this city/state has compared to other parts of this country.
Autumn I absolutely LOVED your response, it was interesting getting the perspective of someone that, according to you, doesn’t really have a culture because it puts into perspective what you have to work with language-wise. This all comes down to accents and the sorts. I’m very happy you can now accept New York culture as your own and wish that other people struggling can do the same.
My native language would be Japanese, since I was born in Tokyo and stayed there till I was 4. I had not spoken any English until I moved to the United States, where I was able to learn the language relatively fast possibly due to my father teaching me English while in Japan. When I came to the U.S I had gone to American public schools but my mother also made me go to a Japanese weekend school. At the time, I thought that it was a waste of time and my Saturdays, but know I thank it not just for all the good times I had, but because I can still speak my native tongue. I am able to communicate to my mother and my Japanese relatives or friends very well thanks to my mother. I have gone back to visit Japan many times and often surprise Japanese people who try communicate to me in the best English they can, in which I respond to in Japanese. Sometimes I wonder If I consider myself Japanese or American, and it’s hard to choose, so I don’t think too hard about. I am also half Italian, and unfortunately, I do not how to speak any Italian. I cannot communicate to Italian relatives, at least not in their own language. I feel like I am not connected to the Italian part of myself but I still believe I can learn some Italian in the future maybe. Either way, I am still very glad to be able to speak Japanese so I can connect with my culture and heritage.
Hi Angelo, would you say you aren’t able to communicate with your Italian relatives because you weren’t taught their native tongue as a child like you were with English/Japanese.
When I think about what makes up our identity and personality things that come to mind are a person’s history such as race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, physical attributes, personality, political affiliations, religious beliefs. Language plays a big role in a person’s identity and it is a part of our connection. I grew up speaking my native language Bangla. After moving to the United States I learned English and it’s easy for me to connect with new people. While learning English and practicing regularly there was a time I started speaking English with everyone except my parents. Then the children in my family were unable to understand or speak Bangla. However, I realized it was not a good choice to speak in English all the time at home with someone who speaks Bangla. After that, I never give up on speaking Bangla because I still speak in Bangla at home with my family and people who speak Bangla. People from all cultures have their ways of communicating, Language allows us to share our ideas thoughts and feelings with others. When you travel to a new place it’s better to adjust to the new culture, therefore, you can communicate with people in many dialects. The first video, The Irish Language and Beauty and Dónall Ó Héalaí and the second video Asian Americans Try To Speak Their Native Language discussed similar things.
Hi,I would like to add maybe like food as well is apart of our identities because a lot of questionnaires ask what our favorite food is, usually it’s something a part of our culture.
Language definitely allows us to connect with people of similar backgrounds and then people that are not. its so powerful and important to be preserved like Shantal had once said on this board.
I relate to your experience in using English to communicate with everyone after moving to the United States. However, I was very shocked to see how quickly you were able to recognize how it had affected others in your family from speaking in Bangla. I personally think that these types of decisions are what allow us to maintain and pass on these unique aspects of our culture instead of completely assimilating to a dominant language.
That’s great since you were young you took the decision of not stopping to speak Bangla. I agree with what you say, I mean language has to be one of the most important parts of our identity, That’s the way we communicate and behind every language there’s a story, no matter what.
I would say that English is my first language and Spanish is my second language. But although these two languages may be what I use daily outside of my house, it isn’t the language that I feel most connected to. For me, the language that has made an impact on my life has been Mixtec. For this reason, learning Mixtec has always been important to me because it’s what connects me with my Mexican culture. Growing up in a Mexican household has taught me that our language builds stronger relationships with our own family. People tend to think that just because my parents are Mexican they must know Spanish, but that isn’t the case for them. Both of my parents have never spoken to each other in Spanish. For them, the Spanish language is only spoken by the city people in Mexico. My father would always tell me and my siblings, “ I will never forget where I came from and the language I grew up with.” Although my speaking skills in Mixtec aren’t the best, I always try to mimic the way my mother speaks to better improve how I pronounce the words. I guess what makes Mixtec unique is that Mixtec is a tonal language: this means that a single written word can have a variety of different meanings depending on the tone and the stress of its pronunciation. An example of would be the word ko’o ( to drink) ko’o ( Plate) depending on how you pronounce this word it will determine whether you are saying that you are going to drink something or need a plate.
It was definitely surprising to see how you found comfort in a language that was neither your first nor second language. I can relate to your intentions of wanting to learn your native language. Having this intimate language that is able to connect you with a close group of people is a special tool that we can take a lot of pride in when relating back to our own native roots.
My first language is actually Spanish, and I don’t ever recall a moment in my childhood when I wasn’t speaking it. I remember my cousin was also named Emmanuel, so to differentiate they called me Emmanuel queso and him Emmanuel jamón. Even the way we Dominicans make jokes is hilarious someone might randomly get called chuleta or sum shit. Literally everything can be used as an insult. My house was a mixture of Dominican slang and just craziness, it was like 8 cousins in one apartment. In 1st grade, I was taken out of my bilingual class because of my “bad behavior” (literally just ADHD). This was the precursor to a series of unfortunate events. By 3rd grade, I rarely ever spoke Spanish and mostly responded in English, and whenever I did speak Spanish, it was only with my grandmother. And even then, I would forget words and pull blanks – not knowing what to say. Apart of me really wishes to be more connected to my Dominican culture. I feel like I’ve lost something that I can never get back. Sure, I can relearn the language, but the entire course of my life would’ve been different. Whenever I go to my grandma’s house in the Heights, I almost feel out of place, and I honestly just want that feeling to disappear. Enough of the sob story LMAO, but for sure it’s something that I definitely took for granted as a child, which is why I force my little cousins to speak Spanish. The end goal is teaching my kids Spanish if I ever have kids.
I totally understand you, I am dominican and sometimes I have to control myself because not everyone is used to the way we play or the way we talk so they can get offended even when our intention is not to offend. Loosing a language is something I haven’t experienced but I can understand fully how you feel because I can’t imagine myself trying to speak with my grandma and not being able to communicate on a full conversation.
Although I was born in the Philippines and was taught Ilocano as my first language, it is very far from the language that I use to speak comfortably today, which is English. A large contributor to this is the fact that I’ve lived in the United States for the majority of my life where we use English to communicate with everyone. And since there was no need for me to speak this language that I can only remember members of my village community back home using, I lost the language altogether. Therefore, I really relate to the second video where the students show a sense of sadness in not being able to speak in their native tongue. Surprisingly, however, my parents communicate to me in Tagalog, which is a language I understand very well, despite my hesitancy in speaking it. I think that my ties to still being able to understand Tagalog plays a large part as being the connection to my cultural roots because I definitely used to sense a harsh disconnect whenever I wasn’t able to communicate with other Filipinos. This sparked an interest in me to relearn this language in which I find myself doing today by incorporating its use more frequently whenever I talk to my family or Filipino friends. I find the experience quite fascinating as I struggle with the pronunciation of some words or phrases. For example, I still stumble over the word “ngunit” every time because I find that my tongue is not used to the movement when saying it.
I agree, sometimes you do things by memory like understanding a language because you are still connected to your roots and your country. J can understand how language gets forgotten when you don’t use it or practice. Also the mumbling happens to me when I speak English, I am not secure or confident yet so the words just don’t come out.
I an Hispanic and latina, my first language is Spanish. I moved here when I was 13 and went to a school full of immigrants. Everyone spoke Spanish so I really didn’t experience language lost, however, when you are surrounded by people that speak the language you feel comfortable with then you forget your goal, learn English. Everyone spoke Spanish so it was not necessary to speak English in between us (Which I regret because I could have more experience) Now my language is a mixture, I speak Spanish, Spanglish, English, englishpanish. Sometimes I am having a conversation with a monolingual person that only speaks English and my brain does this unconsciously but I say words in spanish (Usually transition words or exclamation oh and bad words :/) so like I would be like “We have to do the discussion board for Caitlin PERO ELLA DIJO that we can submit it on Thursday. That’s usually annoying cbexause then I have to translate that back.
The way I speak and the languages I speak have always been something that has confused me. Technically speaking my first language is Spanish but I forgot all of it when I started pre-k due to me starting to learn English. I still consider my self a native Spanish speaker even thought my Spanish is very lackluster (which i find pretty funny). Also if it wasn’t apparent already I’m a Latino male, just in case there was somehow confusion there. Now, a more interesting topic than what language I speak is how I speak. I was born in Florida and have flip flopped between New York and Florida my entire life, although currently my stay in New York is a lot more permanent.Now, It’s because of this that I don’t know what kind of accent I have, simply due to me having moved from two places so often. I always struggled to answer this question but have never been able to answer this question. Now to answer the prompt question, I’m fully in touch with my native language because m entire family speaks it, it’s a necessity at this point. I haven’t ever felt disconnected or distant from my culture simply due to how close my parents and grandparents are from there, given that my dad and grand parents were born in the Dominican Republic. I hope that those that haven’t found or just aren’t in touch with their culture eventually find that connection because it’s a heartwarming thing to celebrate what your ancestors did in the past or even just seeing your roots.