The purpose of this assignment was to write a 5-6 page research paper on how language or literacy affects your specific topic. The topic I chose was how the English language affects the lives of immigrants migrating into the United States.
Below is my Final draft for the Exploratory Paper:
Demetrios Tzanetatos
Professor Zayas, Rodwell
Fiqws 10103, 10003
17 September 2020
The New Language
“SPEAK ENGLISH!!” is a term that has been thrown in the faces of immigrants living in the United States for many years. But is it true that immigrants do not speak English? According to the U.S. census data 86 percent of immigrants living in America from 1900 to 1930 spoke or learned the English language (Landgrave par. 1). This number has only increased throughout the decades and reached 91 percent in 2010. A question that can be asked is why do the 9 percent of immigrants that live in the United States today find it harder to learn English or why some Americans feel so bothered when they come into contact with an immigrant that cannot speak the language. It is no secret that immigrants who speak the English language when living in the U.S have a higher chance at being successful than those who do not. While those who are not literate or communicate the English dialect are more likely to fall victims to racial discrimination and economic hardships. The acquisition of the English language has created a social and political barrier for immigrants coming to the United States causing many to lose faith in the American Dream. However, studies have shown that with the proper guidance this language barrier can be broken.
Surveys done on the immigrant population have shown that all immigrants believe that learning the English language is a necessary step in assimilating themselves into the American society. However, there are many factors that come into place when trying to learn a new language. It is well known that the use of language is represented in the left hemisphere of the brain. The most important parts in the left side of the brain in relation to language are the Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area which are in charge of language development, speech production, articulation, and comprehension (Cortez). However, according to Dr. Ping Li, Professor of Psychology and Linguistics at Pennsylvania State Universitythe left hemisphere of the brain is not able to learn a new language by itself. In order to acquire a new language, the brain must use both its left and right hemispheres. Studies have also shown that children have a much better chance at learning and retaining a new language than adults do. This is because when a child learns a new language, they are able to store that new language in the same part of the brain that holds their native language while adults who learn a new language store the knowledge in another part of their brain (Cortez). Another reason as to why children are better at learning a new language is because they have more time to learn the language and less complex words to remember. According to the U.S Census from 1980-2010, 97 percent of immigrant children from the ages of 6-12 learned how to speak English upon arrival into the United States which is the highest among all other ages (Landgrave 6). On the other hand, the data shows that immigrants who are over 40 years old are the lowest percentage in English acquisition. While an increase in immigrants who speak the English language are starting to flourish the problem with the older generation remains the same. Information taken from the U.S. census data shows that immigrants coming to America the most are from the ages 19 to 40 years old. This causes a massive problem in their ability to learn English because during the time that a child would spend learning the language, they cannot due to the fact that they would most likely be working and supporting their families. This inability to have extra time to learn English causes immigrants to work under people who speak the same foreign language as them which leads them to never acquiring the English language.
Immigrants who do not speak their host nations language are more likely to be victims of racial and political discrimination and economic hardships. “We have room one language here, and that is the English language” this quote is from former President Theodore Roosevelt gives rise to the nationalistic ideology that people in America should only speak English (Klkatz). In the United States of America there is no official language according to the law because of the large immigrant population however there have been several states who have passed laws relating to the “English Only” movement. The “English Only” movement began in the late 1900s with the main goal of making the English language the official language of the United States (Hartman). This movement has led some states to have only the English language on government documents such as voting ballots. People living in “English Only” states must communicate to local and state governments only in the English language. Finally, one of the most important advances “English Only” supporters try and urge is in making the English language the only language spoken within teachers and students in schools, ending bilingual education (Hartman). The discrimination against immigrants and the language they speak in America has seemed to be a never-ending issue throughout the past several decades. The effects of this discrimination are known to make immigrants lose faith in the American society and political parties which have sworn to protect the people. A poll taken by the Pew Research Center in 2018 showed that 26 percent of Americans who have come in contact with an immigrant who did not speak English stated that it bothered them (Landgrave). This annoyance of one’s language have been magnified in some cases across the country. There have been countless stories across America of citizens threatening to call Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on immigrants who speak another language when out in public. According Pew Research Center in 2018 there were about 44.8 million immigrants living the U.S and within that 44.8 million immigrants only 53 percent claim to speak English very well (Budiman). This leaves the remaining 47 percent of immigrants who do not speak English well or even at all open to insensitive threats made by Americans who feel bothered at their lack of language. The inability to speak English also plays a huge factor on the job opportunities immigrants can receive. Immigrants who are not literate in English struggle finding work in America and when they do most the time, they receive below minimum wage and work in unsafe places.
It is no surprise that the English language has a major effect on American culture and society and knowing how to speak the English language is highly beneficial for anyone living in the United States. Learning English cannot only help immigrants graduate with a higher educational degree but also help them receive higher occupational salaries and most importantly help ease their way into assimilating themselves into the American society. According to the New York Sun immigrants from the ages 18 to 24 who speak English are three times more likely to graduate high school and enroll into college than those who do not. The ability to speak English can also raise salaries by 20 percent for immigrants living in America. A benefit for immigrants learning English is that they will be bilingual and that can open the doors to international jobs as well as improve their mental health. Studies have shown that being bilingual can delay dementia for several years in older people (Cortez). Another benefit for bilingualism is the improvement in memory retention, this is because when you learn a new language you must memorize the vocabulary which increases your brains power to remember.
One of the most significant way Americans can help guide immigrants into better assimilating themselves into the American society is through the education system. According to the U.S. Census in 2015, 23 percent of students in America were immigrants. All of which are coming from different backgrounds and educations each child wanting to improve or learn the English language. Americans can help the process of immigrants coming into a new country by letting go of their nationalistic ideology and letting foreign students be connected to their culture and ethnicity as they learn English (Williams). Due to the fact that English acquisition is a difficult process, Americans should motivate immigrants in learning the language instead of making insensitive comments about their lack of English. In the United States there are many educational programs for immigrants of all ages which help them learn the language, find a job to help their families, and help them integrate themselves in society. One major program is the Citizenship and Assimilation Grant Program that started in 2009 which provides resources, support, and information to immigrants helping them live a better life in America.
One of the biggest difficulties immigrants face when arriving to the United States is the acquisition of a new language and the racial discrimination, they face due to not knowing how to speak or write English. The nationalistic ideology that plagues this country’s ability to be open to all cultures and ethnicities creates a hard life for any immigrant trying to integrate themselves in the American world. The English language is major part of the American identity however without immigrants settling in the U.S. and spreading their cultures the American identity would not be something so great and prideful. As politician Ted Cruz said “Imagine a legal immigration system that welcomes and celebrates those who come to achieve the American dream” instead of threatening and arguing with those who are trying.
Works Cited
Landgrave, Michelangelo. “Immigrants learn English: Immigrants’ Language Acquisition Rates by Country of Origin and Demographics since 1900” Cato Institute, 17 September 2019. www.cato.org/publications/immigration-research-policy-brief/immigrants-learn-english-immigrants-language.
Isphording, Ingo E. “What Drives the Language Proficiency of Immigrants? Immigrants Differ in Their Language Proficiency along a Range of Characteristics.” IZA World of Labor, Aug. 2015, wol.iza.org/uploads/articles/177/pdfs/what-drives-language-proficiency-of-immigrants.pdf.
Ingraham, Christopher. “Nearly Half of White Republicans Say It Bothers Them to Hear People Speaking Foreign Languages.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 8 May 2019, www.washingtonpost.com/business/2019/05/08/nearly-half-white-republicans-say-it-bothers-them-hear-people-speaking-foreign-languages/.
Cortez, Rafaela. “What Happens to Your Brain When You Learn a New Language?” Unbabel, 13 Nov. 2019, unbabel.com/blog/brain-language-learning/.
Budiman, Abby, et al. “Immigrants in America: Current Data and Demographics.” Pew Research Center’s Hispanic Trends Project, Pew Research Center, 20 Aug. 2020, www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/2020/08/20/facts-on-u-s-immigrants-current-data/.
Klkatz. “Did Theodore Roosevelt Really Say That?” Pennlive, 2 Mar. 2007, www.pennlive.com/americanhistory101/2007/03/did_theodore_roosevelt_really.html.
Hartman, Andrew. “Language as Oppression: The English-Only Movement in the United States.” Poverty & Race Research Action Council, 2005, www.prrac.org/newsletters/mayjun2005.pdf.
Fina, Anna De, and Kendall A. King. “Language Problem or Language Conflict? Narratives of Immigrant Women’s Experiences in the US.” Discourse Studies, 2011, citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.661.2990&rep=rep1&type=pdf.
Williams, Noel S. “The Best Thing We Can Do for Immigrants: Help Them Learn English.” Governing the Future of States and Localities, 16 Oct. 2014, www.governing.com/gov-institute/voices/col-best-thing-immigrants-help-them-learn-english.html.
How this assignment relates to my growth? Parts of any CLOs that address this growth?
This paper helped my growth because it gave me the confidence to complete an assignment that was very stressful and difficult. It was difficult because this was the first time I wrote something entirely off the research done without any perspective allowed. Another way it helped me grow as a writer was by the immense research done before I even began writing. I have written research papers before however; this was the first time I have written something entirely on the research I have done without showing an opinion. Finally by completing this assignment I improved my ability to locate academic sources which has helped me in future assignments.
The Course Learning Outcome that I addressed in my growth was CLO#6. This CLO was locating research sources in the library database and evaluating them for credibility and bias. My personal growth after completing this assignment was my ability to locate research sources with ease. This relates to the CLO because I needed to locate academic sources through the CCNY library database that explored my topic. This was difficult because the CCNY database was something new to me and I was not sure as to how to properly use it. Although, one day in class a professor from the school discussed how to use the database and find sources. After learning how to use the CCNY database my stress alleviated and I slowly began to write my paper.
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