Time to embrace Spanish language: it is on the rise

By Jessica Paradysz
March 18, 2015

Graphic designed by Joey Rettino

 

Spanish is taking over. Elements of culture are everywhere; Shakira and Pitbull songs booming on the radio, Sofia Vergara’s comical character on “Modern Family,” and “hablo español” signs on everything from billboards to store signs. According the U.S. Census Bureau, The U.S. is the fifth largest Spanish-speaking country in the world, behind Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina. The trend is expected to increase, as the Cuban writer Humberto Lopez Morales stated that America will have the largest number of Spanish speakers by 2050. Amidst the growing power of Spanish culture, those with Hispanic heritage are fighting to keep their culture alive in the states and searching for their own American dream.

According to state master.com, Pennsylvania ranks as the 14th largest state with Spanish speakers, with a relative population of 436,254. New York and New Jersey rank higher, at number five and eight respectively.

The presence of Spanish speakers is influenced by a variety of causes, immigration being a principal example in recent years. However, immigration remains a controversial topic. President Obama vowed to achieve immigration reform, yet a variety of issues have impeded this process.

Contributing to the controversy of reform is the growing animosity towards immigrants. In Philadelphia in 2006, Geno’s Steaks issued a policy of “Speak English” when ordering their famous cheese steaks. Blazoned across the store was a sign reading, “This is America, when ordering, Speak English.”

Owner Geno Vento died in 2011, and his son is keeping the sign in accordance to his father’s last wish.

According to the Historical Society of Philadelphia, there is a large population of people with Mexican descent residing in South Philadelphia, a vibrant area known for its unique shops and home to Geno’s.

Furthermore, According to the Census Bureau statistics of 2010, 13 percent of the population is comprised of Hispanics and Latinos, which represents the third largest demographic in the city of brotherly love.

21.2 percent of the Philadelphia population speaks a language other than English at home.

According the United States Department of Labor Statistics economic News Release from May 22, 2013, “In 2013, there were 25.3 million foreign-born persons in the U.S. labor force, comprising 16.3 percent of the total. Hispanics accounted for 47.8 percent of the foreign-born labor force in 2013.”

Although a large amount of the immigration controversy surrounds immigrants from all countries vying for jobs with American citizens, immigrants have boosted the economy.

However, those with Hispanic heritage are losing their culture.

According to the U.S. Census bureau, 75 percent of Hispanics age 5 and older speak Spanish. However, the number of children speaking Spanish will decline, as it is projected to fall to 2/3 by 2020.

These alarming statistics are juxtaposed by the incredible amount of Spanish speakers and the large presence of Spanish elements in popular culture.

According to PBS.org, “Immigrant languages are usually lost by the third generation of speakers.” Therefore, families with Hispanic ancestry are racing to preserve their rights and customs.

Valerie Ruiz, senior communication major, is the second generation of her family from Colombia. Her family keeps the language and traditions alive by speaking both English and Spanish in the household. She originally studied both English and Spanish, and decided to minor in Spanish at Cabrini.

Ruiz hoped to expand her Spanish knowledge at the collegiate level and “Better [her] vocabulary and learn more about different Hispanic cultures and their literature.”

The cultural and grammatical knowledge she has garnered has opened herself up to promising and rewarding career opportunities. Ruiz said, “I am able to apply to jobs where I can speak either English or Spanish and know I can communicate well or translate for someone. I think everyone should learn Spanish or any language for that matter.”

“Now, there are so many Latinos and so many jobs that require to know a little bit of Spanish. Being able to speak another language is so beneficial and great. You connect yourself to your world & the Spanish speaking world!”

At the heart of the issue, Hispanic adults want to preserve their culture, and according to a 2012 Pew Research study, 95 percent of adults insist that future generation should speak their native language.

Ruiz realizes that many Hispanic families living in America lose an essential part of their culture. Yet she is bridging the gap between her past and present.

“I find it so unfortunate when culture is lost in foreign families who migrated to America. It’s amazing for children to learn about their families’ cultural background and learn the language. This does not occur in my family. I can admit that the family I do have living in America are considered to be ‘very Americanized.’ However, my brothers, myself and my cousins are still very into our Colombian culture. My parents, aunts [and] uncles here make sure we do not forget where our family comes from and I am glad I can speak with my grandparents because they do not know any English, which is okay. I love when they teach me how to improve my Spanish even more.”

Darianny Gutierrez grew up in New York with a strong and colorful Dominican Republic culture radiating in the Washington Heights section of New York City. Gutierrez is a second generation and was raised by her grandparents.” I’ve been to the Dominican Republic a couple of times and we are very energetic people that party a lot. We eat a lot of rice and beams with chicken and plantains and we dance to mostly bachata and merengue.”

“At home I speak Spanish and I am a fluent Spanish speaker. I was raised in Washington heights in New York City where most of the people are Dominican and almost all if my friends are Dominican which helps keep my culture alive.”

Gutierrez, a sophomore, arrived at Cabrini last fall, the winding roads and cathedral of trees was a very different atmosphere than her hometown.

“It was very hard transitioning to college because I went to school with mostly fluent Spanish speakers who were Spanish. I wouldn’t change my culture for anything because being Dominican is a very big part of my life and also a big part of the United States because it opens up more opportunities to people.”

The Spanish language has a rich history and is part of the fabric of American life. PBS.org reports that Spanish and English have coexisted for over four centuries, and that Spanish has been spoken in American longer than English.

Dr. Cynthia Halpern, chair and professor of romance languages at Cabrini, illustrates this point, as “The Spanish Empire came to the New World beginning in 1492 and finally extended as far north as Oregon and many cities along the coastal region were given names such as Los Angeles, San Bernardino, San Diego, etc.  The Mexican republic inherited these vast underpopulated territories when it achieved its independence, but in 1848, it lost them to the expanding North American republic.

“In some ways, Mexicans still view these territories as Hispanic territory, after all Los Angeles is the second largest Spanish-speaking city in the world, after Mexico City.“

“We must remember that the people from Latin America are no strangers to the United States.”

Spanish is more than a language, it is vibrant with colorful history, customs, literature and music that are integral to the history of the world, past and present.

As Halpern explains, Spanish and English are more closely linked than one would think. Her insightful comments are only heightened by the words of a renowned writer. Halpern said, “Carlos Fuentes so aptly expresses these ideas in his work ‘The Buried Mirror.’  He points out that the North American and the Latin American cultures have so much in common: both face challenges with crime, drug trafficking, homelessness and environmental issues.”

“Both, however, also share their gifts. The North American culture has its films, music, books, ideas, politics, journalism and language, while the Latin American culture has its deep sense of respect for the elderly, for what is considered sacred, for the family unit, as well as a desire to maintain their language and culture while co-existing with North Americans in the United States.”

Hugo Balta, president of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and coordinating producer for ESPN fittingly expressed that “diversity is the cornerstone of this country.” Balta has worked for NBC, CBS, and Telemundo.

Amidst the turmoil of controversy and animosity that surrounds the rise of a new language; we must remember that we are all immigrants, in a sense.

We are proud to be Americans but we cannot forget the heritage of our ancestors. The Statue of Liberty greeted the tired, poor, huddled masses as a beacon of hope during the first waves of immigrants, and their stories have formed America’s history. Diversity is what makes the land of the free such a unique and opportunistic place to live and thrive.

Colleges across the nation offer language courses, some are requirements. Instead of considering brushing up on verb endings and reading Spanish literature as just another assignment, students should enjoy these culturally fulfilling courses as learning another language places students a step ahead in the competitive job market.

According to the Dana Foundation, “Researchers have shown that the bilingual brain can have better attention and task-switching capacities than the monolingual brain, thanks to its developed ability to inhibit one language while using another.”

Dr. Halpern cites the a Smart brief announcement in February 2014, and reports that “the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) stresses that language learning is key to a world-class education. According to U.S. Secretary of Education, “encouraging students to learn multiple languages will give them the tools to compete in a global world.”

Halpern understands that in order to have an excellent education, students must learn another language to be successful and marketable citizens of the world.

“Today, a world-class education means learning to speak, read and write languages in addition to English.”

Dan Woog, contributing writer for Monster.com wrote “Seventy-nine percent of North American recruiters cited Spanish as the additional language most in demand by employers.”

Knowledge of the Spanish language is vital for business and international affair related careers.

Caroline McCarthy, junior Spanish, religion and American studies major with a social justice minor, has followed her passion of Spanish through college which has opened up many enriching academic opportunities; her horizons have been expanded through learning and inspiring trips.

“I decided to study Spanish as a major because I’ve had classes off and on for nine years before coming to college. The language is natural to me and it can lead to a great variety of career paths for my future.”

McCarthy has been inducted into the Spanish Honors Society this year and participated in a service trip this past Spring Break.

“Cabrini has presented so many opportunities to help me become more confident with the language. This past March, I was fortunate enough to go to Guatemala, which helped me tremendously, and next May, I’ll be travelling to Ecuador, then back to Guatemala- All because of Cabrini and the connections we have with people in other countries.”

“The Spanish language, along with the history, culture and literature, can help bridge gaps with people and opened my eyes to a whole new language, culture, and world.”

“Spanish is beautiful,” Gutierrez said, “and I feel like it changes the United States by contributing to the melting pot of cultures.”

Ruiz said, “Before, I know there was a lot of discrimination towards Latinos and Hispanics. Although there is still some stereotypes and people who do not accept the Spanish culture, it is not as bad. Young adults are becoming more into Spanish songs and shows, they get a taste of something different and enjoy the different beats of the Spanish music. I think it’s becoming a great change for the better.

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Jessica Paradysz

Jessica is a junior communication major and Spanish minor. She currently is the Perspectives Editor for The Loquitur. Jessica is passionate about writing and believes that the paper is a great platform for students to showcase their creativity. She is one of the social media and marketing chairs for the Cavalier Dance Company. As a writer, she knows that dancing can tell a story. Everyone has a story to tell, and she is excited for the stories that will fill the pages of the paper this year.

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