Why Americans Should Not Be Uncomfortable Hearing Other Languages

Ah, here we are. The issue of English being thought of as the superior language in the United States.

This article I’m writing was inspired by a book by Paula S. Rothenberg entitled “Race, Class, and Gender in The United States.” I recommend it. This book challenges your opinions.

The main point that I am here to make is that in the United States, languages other than English should be respected.

In America, our national language is English. It is not illegal to speak another language here, as that would be insane.

Many people come here without mastering English. Maybe they are on vacation. Maybe they are refugees looking for safety. Maybe they are an immigrant looking for more opportunities here. So, they haven’t mastered English upon arriving here. Guess what? That is fine. Being fully immersed in the English language here will have them learn it very quickly. Either way, what language someone speaks does not affect you. Because like I said, It is not illegal to not speak English in America.

If I seem like I’m giving some attitude it’s because.. some people do in fact think that because they live in this country and they only speak English, that is how everyone must be. And they have entitled it the “English-Only Movement.” Lovely.

In Chapter 6 of Rothenberg’s book, she discusses a story about Sephora, the high-end makeup store, hiring Spanish speaking workers to accommodate Spanish speaking customers. Nice and inclusive, right? Wait for it.

These workers were not allowed to speak Spanish on their lunch break or to each other. This story is absurd. It is wrong to not let them speak their native language in the workplace, especially if their ability to communicate in their native language is the reason they were hired. This is unfair and is discrimination.

Another aspect of this topic is that those who are bilingual have a fear of code-switching in the workplace in America.

What is code-switching?

Code-switching is alternating between two or more languages in conversation. So maybe, they will speak comfortably in their second language but then switch to their first language to get their thought out with more ease. Code-switching happens subconsciously. It is natural for speakers of multiple languages.

So what kind of work environment should have workers be scared to occasionally speak in their native language? None. Welcome to America.

It seems to be a debate on whether or not a worker can speak anything but English on their work time. It should be very clear that when they are not on work time, that they should be able to speak however they’d like. I don’t see in any circumstance where they should be told what language they can speak if it is their personal time.

This issue shows us what we already know, that there are many Americans that struggle to accept other cultures. It’s disappointing.

We can help this effort by making sure to create the opposite of this environment in our workspace. In my classroom, ENL students will not be forced to only speak English while they barely know it. Of course, they will be allowed to communicate in their native languages as they learn because there is nothing wrong with that.

Again: There is nothing wrong with speaking your native language. It is a part of you and it is beautiful. It should be embraced and celebrated. Be proud of who you are.