I Just Want To Be Successful
I grew up in a household where both Spanish and English was spoken. Granted, the reasoning for my parents speaking Spanish was to communicate things they didn’t want us kids to understand. I was always upset with my parents not taking the time to teach me Spanish as it would have been so beneficial to me. After taking three years of Spanish in high school, I actually grew to dislike the language as it pointed out all the wrong in what I thought I knew. My grammar was horrible and took away all of my confidence when I did try to speak it. I didn’t have much trouble understanding it, but once it came to responding I would freeze up and try and speak English very slow or even loud at times as if they couldn’t hear me. I was ashamed of my attempts at communication. My parents felt that my generation would have far less need for the language where as my parents used Spanish as their only means of communication. Gloria Anzaldua perfectly describes the important role language plays in one’s self identity.
My father was born in Mexico and my mother was first generation of Mexican father and a Puerto Rican mother. While reading Anzaldua’s “How To Tame A Wild Tongue” the stories sounded identical to experiences my parents had while growing up in America. Spanish being both of my parents’ first language they struggles once they entered the school system. Teachers would disciple whenever Spanish was used in the class. As they grew older even my grandparents would encourage them to stop speaking Spanish! Anzaldua would be outraged if she were to hear this. In her words this was linguistic terrorism, not wanting to keep the Spanish language strong within the family and failing to pass it onto the next generation. I had to ask, why not encourage the language of my ancestors? why not indulge in the language?
I found my answer when I sat down and asked my grandmother. My grandmother claimed that she wanted my mother to be successful in life. In order for my mother to be successful in life she had to neglect her native tongue and speak perfect English!? For what? Why is this even an idea? It is understood that we are our language. Our identity is our language and culture, it’s who we are. If someone were to take that away from us, we become objects that can be molded and controlled. Denying someone their language takes away from who they are, in turn it takes away their identity. My identity is no longer in my control and is left to someone else to appropriate. With the loss of the our identity we lose control over our body.
To my grandmother, success in America was measured by how well my mother spoke English. Is this still true today? I believe speaking English certainly helps in the foundation of your success, but knowing other languages can do just as much for you ask English can. A prime example would be my brother. He wanted to learn Spanish and picked it up while he was in high school. He is not only proficient in Spanish, but is head of the bi-lingual department at his Bank of America branch. His branch recently announced that they will no longer be having non-Spanish speakers working by the end of the month. Although I know this is not the case for many native Spanish speakers, it is comforting to know that society does provide successful positions for those who wish to speak their native tongue.
