Future of Spanish in the United States

De Lorimier

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From Wikipedia:
Future of Spanish in the United States
Generally, US Hispanics (13.4% of the population in 2002) are bilingual to some degree. A study by Simmons Market Research found that 19% of the Hispanic population speak only Spanish while 9% speak only English, 55% have limited English proficiency and 17% are fully English-Spanish bilingual.

Intergenerational transmission of Spanish is a better indicator of the future of Spanish in the United States than crude numbers of native Spanish-speaking immigrants in a given moment of time. Although Latin American immigrants have various levels of English proficiency, Hispanics who are second-generation American in the United States almost all speak English, but about 50 percent speak Spanish at home. Two-thirds of third-generation Mexican Americans speak English exclusively at home.

There are more Spanish speakers in the United States than there are speakers of French (another language inherited from European colonization), Hawaiian, and the various Native American languages taken all together. Living an exclusively Spanish-speaking life is viable in some areas due to the constant influx of immigrants and the prevalence of Spanish-language mass media, such as Univisión, Telemundo USA, and Azteca America. Also, because of the North American Free Trade Agreement, it is now common for many American manufacturers to use trilingual product labeling in which the same text is repeated in English, French, and Spanish. Apart from the businesses that have always catered to Spanish-speaking immigrants, a small but rapidly increasing number of mainstream American retailers are beginning to provide dual-language advertising and in-store signage in both English and Spanish.

Spanish is the most widely taught non-English language in U.S. secondary schools and institutions of higher education ([3]), indicating its importance among non-Hispanic Americans.

Perhaps these factors can guarantee the survival of the Spanish in the United States, but it is necessary to remember that historically the original languages of immigrants tend to disappear or become greatly reduced through assimilation and generational change. The Spanish language has disappeared in several countries and territories during the 20th century, notably in the Pacific Island nations of Guam, Micronesia, Palau, Northern Marianas, and Marshall Islands. In the Philippines, it has now virtually died out (2,658 speakers, 1990 Census). In addition, the English-Only movement seeks to establish English as the only official language of the United States.

However, there are many factors which indicate that the status of Spanish is in a healthy state. The State of the Union Addresses and other U.S. Presidential speeches have been translated into Spanish following the precedent set by the Clinton Administration. Official Spanish translations are available at Whitehouse.gov. In addition to this, some non-Hispanic politicians who are fluent in the Spanish language have often delivered speeches in Spanish to Hispanic majority constituencies.
Interesting part of an interesting article from Wiki.

Spanish is the bi-official language in both Puerto Rico and New Mexico. There are large groups of Spanish speaking communities in California, Texas and Florida.
Like the quote mentions, official documents are not translated in Spanish. Heck! One of the good qualities of Bush is the fact that he speak Spanish (I think)!

What's the future of the Spanish language in the US?

Thoughts?
 

Dida

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We should allow only 1 official language, and encourage everyone to use it. But seriously, the mexicans are taking over our country, they might have lost CA, NM, and Texas, but what they get in return is the whole USA.
 

Plexus

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Could you be any more xenophobic, Dida?

Spanish will be seen more, sure, but English still is and will remain the language of business, politics and higher education.
 

Civlord

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That lack of tolerance is typical from the middle ages. We should live in diversity everywhere. We should learn to respect our neighbors as they are without intolerance.
 

Bugfatty300

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Still, there is no reason not learn English if you expect to live in the U.S.
 

SeleucusNicator

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German approached similar levels in the 19th century. There was a time when even Presidential campaigns had to translate materials into German, because the German vote was big.

Also, New Mexico, if I'm not mistaken, has had Spanish as a co-language since its inception, and most of the Hispanics there are actually leftovers from the American conquest, rather than immigrants. They've been living as US Citizens since 1848 and, from what I hear, despise the newcommers.
 

sysyphus

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I was on a business trip a number of years ago to a steel plant in East Los Angeles, I was shocked at how many people there spoke very little english, though most of the people I dealt with did.

Coming from a bilingual country myself, I think it's something America should embrace. I basically learned French for free from billingual packing. :D
 

WS78

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Why limit your lingual skills to just English?
That's just ignorant. The more you know, the better.
At least I wished I was paying more attention during German and French class.
I now wish I learned Spanish, Chinese and Japanese!
 

Civlord

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most of the Hispanics there are actually leftovers from the American conquest, rather than immigrants. They've been living as US Citizens since 1848 and, from what I hear, despise the newcommers.

Those from Porto Rico, for example. They were conquered by the americans in 1898, so they can't be properly considered "immigrants". Most of the families have genealogical trees that date back from the times of the Spanish colonization. If they can prove that, they are not immigrants at all.
 

Bugfatty300

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WS78 said:
Why limit your lingual skills to just English?
That's just ignorant. The more you know, the better.
At least I wished I was paying more attention during German and French class.
I now wish I learned Spanish, Chinese and Japanese!

Having an official language doesn't mean Spanish or Chinese classes or languages will be outlawed.....

It just means if you only know Chinese or Spanish and want to live in the US, you should have at least a basic grasp on English instead of depending on translations alotted by the government the rest of your life.
 

Pyrite

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"But seriously, the mexicans are taking over our country, they might have lost CA, NM, and Texas, but what they get in return is the whole USA"

They come to rape our white women, and steal our jobs!

Way to follow your supposed God. Love thy neighbor as thyself hypocrite.
 
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There is no officially recognized language by the government, nor should there be. Of course, English is the defacto common tongue. The US should start teaching foreign languages earlier. My 4-yr old is already learning Spanish, but I'd wish I'd started him sooner.
 

Damnyankee

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Pyrite said:
"But seriously, the mexicans are taking over our country, they might have lost CA, NM, and Texas, but what they get in return is the whole USA"

They come to rape our white women, and steal our jobs!

Way to follow your supposed God. Love thy neighbor as thyself hypocrite.

And Cigerates killed my father, and raped my mother :lol:
 

downtown

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and to those against me...I have two words for you...come on! coooooome onnnn!

well...okay

/familyguy
 

ANDL33

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Limiting yourself to just one english is pure signs of ignorantness. (Not even a word but still, too bad.) Take the advantage of being able to learn spanish as a second language just like how us Canadians take the advantage to learn french, though I would chose spanish over french anyday.........
 

Pyrite

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"Limiting yourself to just one english is pure signs of ignorantness"

BEST SENTENCE EVER!

Were you speaking of old english? I agree, old english rules!
 

Shadylookin

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I obviously can't stop people from speaking spanish but having english be the "official" language would be better since things can get lost in translation and it would be bad if people were exploiting loop holes in laws created by a translation.
 

amadeus

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Dida said:
We should allow only 1 official language, and encourage everyone to use it. But seriously, the mexicans are taking over our country, they might have lost CA, NM, and Texas, but what they get in return is the whole USA.
100% right. If you're going to break our laws, steal our jobs, and gobble up our welfare dollars, they'd darn well better assimilate into our culture.

Nikita Khrushchev was right when he said that America's final defeat would come from within. :(
 
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