2008 Woodie Awards
Language in the U.S. can be a hot issue
'What is Español?' takes look at effects of language on American culture, Latino culture on English
Majeed Badizadegan
Issue date: 3/2/07 Section: News
Chips and salsa were on hand as a small group of students and faculty met to discuss the cultural implications of bilingualism, specifically Spanish in the United States.
The event "¿What is Español?" was sponsored by the Centro Cultural Cesar Chavez but was held at the Asian and Pacific Cultural Center, where there was more space.
During the discussion, many topics regarding Spanish in the United States were covered.
There are approximately 28 million Spanish speakers in the United States, according to the 2000 U.S. Census. Oregon is home to nearly 400,000 of those Spanish speakers. Much of the conversation centered around "English Plus," a non-binding U.S. House resolution encouraging multilingualism. Oregon is one of four states to have passed similar resolutions, the others being Rhode Island, New Mexico and Washington.
"Language is a very politically charged issue ... language is never just language," said Juan A. Trujillo an assistant professor of foreign languages and linguistics.
Trujillo went on to say that language is not always the only factor that plays a role in legislation - that there are often ulterior political and social motives that affect decisions about bilingual legislation in government.
Besides legislative and political issues that stem from this topic, attendees also discussed social issues and the link between language and culture.
"If you strip down culture and language, what is left?" asked Octaviano Merecias, a contemporary Hispanic studies major.
The discussion eventually came to English as a Second Language programs and the social impacts that these programs may have.
ESL is designed for those who are learning English as a second language, and many people find that these programs are very effective.
There were mixed feelings regarding ESL, though many saw it as an educationally progressive establishment for students learning English as a second language.
Another topic discussed was "Spanglish," a blend of the English and Spanish languages.
"Is there such thing as Chinglish?" Merecias asked, referring to a combination of Chinese and English.
Trujillo argued that considering "Spanglish" a hybrid language is a common misconception. He explained that the combination of English and Spanish is a prime example of cultural impacts on language.
"Imposition of language in any nation is a result of colonization," Trujillo said, referring to lack of acceptance of the Spanish language.
Some of the attendees expressed that they would like to see a change in the attitudes toward Spanish in the United States and would like to see it viewed in a more positive light.
Merecias added that he wanted people to be "more aware of the potential benefits" of Spanish and bilingualism in the United States.
The event "¿What is Español?" was sponsored by the Centro Cultural Cesar Chavez but was held at the Asian and Pacific Cultural Center, where there was more space.
During the discussion, many topics regarding Spanish in the United States were covered.
There are approximately 28 million Spanish speakers in the United States, according to the 2000 U.S. Census. Oregon is home to nearly 400,000 of those Spanish speakers. Much of the conversation centered around "English Plus," a non-binding U.S. House resolution encouraging multilingualism. Oregon is one of four states to have passed similar resolutions, the others being Rhode Island, New Mexico and Washington.
"Language is a very politically charged issue ... language is never just language," said Juan A. Trujillo an assistant professor of foreign languages and linguistics.
Trujillo went on to say that language is not always the only factor that plays a role in legislation - that there are often ulterior political and social motives that affect decisions about bilingual legislation in government.
Besides legislative and political issues that stem from this topic, attendees also discussed social issues and the link between language and culture.
"If you strip down culture and language, what is left?" asked Octaviano Merecias, a contemporary Hispanic studies major.
The discussion eventually came to English as a Second Language programs and the social impacts that these programs may have.
ESL is designed for those who are learning English as a second language, and many people find that these programs are very effective.
There were mixed feelings regarding ESL, though many saw it as an educationally progressive establishment for students learning English as a second language.
Another topic discussed was "Spanglish," a blend of the English and Spanish languages.
"Is there such thing as Chinglish?" Merecias asked, referring to a combination of Chinese and English.
Trujillo argued that considering "Spanglish" a hybrid language is a common misconception. He explained that the combination of English and Spanish is a prime example of cultural impacts on language.
"Imposition of language in any nation is a result of colonization," Trujillo said, referring to lack of acceptance of the Spanish language.
Some of the attendees expressed that they would like to see a change in the attitudes toward Spanish in the United States and would like to see it viewed in a more positive light.
Merecias added that he wanted people to be "more aware of the potential benefits" of Spanish and bilingualism in the United States.
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