No offense to the LGBT community, but as a bilingual student in MPS for eight years, the Macedo piece was of a lot more interest to me (I also strongly disliked Anderson’s use of the term maricon on page 342 since homosexual would have sufficed). Macedo’s piece speaks to me because it addresses an important issue for me, a common language for all peoples.
I don’t care if it’s English, Chinese, Spanish, or an invented language, it’s a dream of mine that all peoples of the world will one day have a unifying mode of interaction. Language is not a biological trait-like a person’s sexual orientation- it’s a cultural construct that if all people shared would help reduce the strife that exists in the world today. Proponents of English only may have bigoted motives, but their desire that all people in America have no problems communicating with each other is okay with me.
Am I selling out my people by saying this? The answer is no. A person need not be defined by the language they speak. I am merely advocating a change that would allow me the opportunity to exchange ideas with any person in the globe. It’s a pipe dream due to the “empowerment”(377) that language seems to instill in people, but it’s something that I hope world leaders will one day think about.
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I definitely see what you are saying and how it is a great dream to have...
ReplyDeleteHowever, what do you (or anyone in class) think would all have to be done in order for this to happen? Would changing the mindset of world leaders be enough? Would/could this ever be able to happen within any of our lifetimes?
My guess would definitely be no...what do all of you think?
I think a common language throughout the world would be nothing but a benefit. I am not an "English-only" advocate. I do respect other cultures and the languages spoken in those cultures, but imagine a world where there was no language barrier. Imagine the problems that it would solve...
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ReplyDeleteAs an English teacher, I feel passionately about words, words, words. Words are power. Just last week, however, in conjunction with the novel we're reading (As I Lay Dying), I had my seniors think about the power(lessness) of words, as seen in the novel, two poems they've read, and their own lives. After some serious discussions, we agreed that words *often* fail us. And they fail us for several reasons: we don't have the words to describe certain emotions, some of us do not have the education to use the words we need, or the culture we live in does not have words for what we need. I have to disagree that one common language would be beneficial for us; on the contrary, I feel knowing more and more and more languages (which I don't and suffer for) will only give us more and more power over our own lives.
ReplyDeleteI would also disagree that, "A person need not be defined by the language they speak" for using language is one of the *only* ways we can *define* ourselves.
While I do see some benefits to everyone speaking a universal language, I feel that we would be missing out on the many mysteries and other perceptions and meanings that arise from other languages. The loss of culture from a universal language would be astounding. If everyone spoke a universal language as well, where would individuality come from? Would we grow more and more alike until we were all the same person? Or would we keep our "old" language with our "new universal language"? What would this language be as well? Living in America we would probably jump at English, yet who is to say English should be it? What right do we have to decide that? Who decides that? What about the feelings of inferiority of those that don't speak English? It is a complex idea and an interesting idea, yet I feel it is impossible based on a few of the questions I have raised.
ReplyDeleteAny attempt to create a universal language, or a English only society, is sure to end in failure. Language is not only words, but a part of someone's identity. It is their culture, their history, and their family. The concept of a universal language devalues other languages. As teachers, we need to teach our students that the use of "standard" English in today's society is necessary, but also, the fact that they may speak another language, even Ebonics, is an invaluable asset.
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