Over the years, immigrants have found their way easily to the United States. The level at which immigrants are increasing in the United States is alarming which has led to the creation of law that will govern immigrants. As immigrants infest the nation, the cultures in the societies become more with each growth of the population. The United States is said to have the greatest number of different cultures. The immigrants include, Asians, Africans, Europeans and the Hispanics from the neighboring South and North America continent.
One significant immigrant population group in the United States is the Hispanics. The Hispanics have found a better life offering in the United States. There are four major Hispanic groups in the United States, the Mexicans, Cubans, Puerto Ricans and the Latinos. With this increasing population, the language barrier between the Hispanics and the American citizens has become a negative society issue. The most dominant group is the Mexican Hispanics. Many immigrant Mexican Hispanics are not well educated which means that they have little or no knowledge of the American English. 64% of Mexican Americans live in America and this is the reason why Mexican Spanish is dominant in America. Mexicans love their culture and they mix it with the American culture to make it a Mexican American culture. They are primarily influenced with Mexican Spanish and secondarily influenced by American Spanish. The population group has a hard time engaging with the society groups due to the language barrier. Additionally, most Americans have no knowledge of the Spanish language which hinders their level of interaction with the immigrant Hispanics. However, the number of Spanish speaking people is increasing rapidly which has hindered greatly the interaction circles in the society. In an argument by Chavez there is almost a creation of groupings among the American society one that speaks Spanish and the local English speaking population (23).
This division is caused by the rising number of immigrants who speak a different language from the local population. My pick on Hispanics is based on the huge number of Mexican Hispanics in the United States and their adherence to their cultural depositions. This paper will analyze the impact of the growth of the Spanish language in the United States and how Mexican Spanish has taken over in America. Additionally, the paper will evaluate how the local people have come up with ways of incorporating a new language in their society. Mexican Spanish is spoken by Mexican Americans as their central language at home, for religious services and for entertainment. Are the strategies working? If not what might be the most effective way of dealing with this particular linguistic issue.
The negative influences of the Mexican Spanish language in the United States are few and can be changed by proper strategies. For instance, there is a general feeling that Mexican Spanish has led to the growth of slangs among students since it is the central language spoken at home and by Mexican Americans with their family members. This negative influence is highlighted by Borjas who argues that Spanish language has contributed greatly in the creation of words not used in the correct English (87). The author also highlights the pronunciation and articulation difference between Spanish and English. This issue may have negative influence in learning systems in terms of acquiring the most appropriate skills in speaking English. In some schools, parents are greatly opposed to the fact of including Spanish tutors in teaching programs unless they are teaching the language.
Another negative impact of the Mexican Spanish language in the United States is the fact that there are creations of rival social circles. This rivalry is created mainly by the fact that the language is not a common known factor. Chavez argues that it is important to have united social circles regardless of the differences (67). However, language is an important socializing tool and there must be a communication unit to have steady and well created social circles. The fact that most Mexican Hispanic immigrants cannot speak in English does not make the situation simpler. Most Americans hold on to the conclusion that immigrants have to learn English in order to fit in their social systems. Most Spanish speaking individuals in the United States only opt to learn English if they have a compulsory requirement from work or any institutional related qualifications as they value their central language, Spanish.
The growth of the Spanish language in the United States
Out of 10 American citizens there are at least two Spanish speaking individuals (Perez 64). This growth is greatly attributed to both the legal and illegal immigration in the Northern borders of the United States after the annexation of the Mexico borders. According to Chavez since the era of the civil war Mexican Spanish speaking individual have been making their way into the United States (87). The Mexicans have intermarried with Americans and this has led to the increase of Mexican Spanish language in the United States. The issue has become a normal sociological condition and most Hispanics in the United States have generated ways of breaking the language barrier. Most Mexican Hispanics in the United States have ventured into the country to find jobs and educational opportunities. This fact creates a necessity in them to learn how to fit and communicate with the local people. Perez argues that the relationship Hispanics create in the American society is based on their need to succeed in life and not comfortable social circles (122). This fact hinders the efforts created to incorporate these two languages together. Additionally, it is easier to break language barriers through social circles than professional attachments.
The growth of the Mexican Spanish language has become a natural and significant occurrence that the American people have to live with. Perez asserts that this growth has been heightened by the fact that the local population has offered good reception to the new language since they embrace the English language (43). Most Americans have viewed Mexican Spanish as a challenge that they need to embrace and learn how to communicate. However, the feeling is not general since some people have raised the issue on how they need connection with the Mexican Hispanics citing their illiteracy in English language. The same sentiments are shared by Chavez who argues that the lack of versatility in the two languages as preference by the users has created a lack of connection and incorporation of the tow linguistic factors (115). Mexican Hispanics hold dearly their allegiance to their language as a cultural identity while the local citizens believe English should be a common language regardless of the social identity of any American inhabitant. The Mexican Hispanics have blended their culture and lifestyle with the English language although their English has a strong influence of Spanish. They speak both English and Spanish.
Effects of the Spanish language invasion in the United States society
One common scenario in the United States is the fact that the Mexican Spanish language has become part and parcel of the society especially in Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas. In the United States the Mexican Hispanic population has become a remarkable source for human resource since they are a huge number who live in America. The working population has greatly increased in America which has caused many organizations to be considerate in employing Hispanics in regards to their language barrier. Many organizations have implemented effectively mechanism to enable Mexican Hispanics fit into their systems regardless without in depth knowledge of English. According to Borjasmany, organizations have employed human resource managers with the Spanish language knowledge since it is a good blend of languages (77). However, such investments are made by organizations which rely greatly on the labor input provided by the Hispanics. The issue on the source of labor has been greatly supported by a majority of the United States population. For this reason, there has been a general support on the efforts to incorporate Hispanics in the society. This impact of the language has been positive output level of United State’s industries. Incorporating Mexican Hispanics in the labor system has increased the level at which integration of Spanish in organizations. Additionally, many organizations have incorporated Mexican Spanish in most of their advertisements and public announcements since there is a group of them in the United States. In the modern communication strategies applied by major organizations do not ignore the Hispanic population in the United States. This fact has forced Spanish to be used as a support language in almost all organization across the state.
Another impact of the Mexican Spanish language in the United States is in the entertainment system. In words by Chavez the entertainment system has been greatly been influenced by the language due to the increased Spanish speaking roles in films and programs for example Telemundo corporations (99). Additionally, many films produced have subtitles in Spanish as the main language is English. This show how important the language is viewed in the United States and how the society is accepting this change. Borjas indicates that Mexican Spanish language in the entertainment industry has become an artistic component in the creation of films (144). In an analysis highlighted by Borjas, 4 out of 10 Americans prefer films which have scene set on Mexican Spanish language (88). The author further argues that the bonding of English and Mexican Spanish in film creation creates a unique blend that has an awesome reception from the audience targeted. This positive impact of the language has also been effective in the creation of Hispanics film actors, actresses and producers.
Another positive impact of the growth of Spanish language in the United States is in the growth of the social ties between the two cultures. Perez says that language is an important factor in bonding two communities together based on their understanding (56). The author further argues that a society sharing a common perspective on a language has tight ties than the direct opposite society setting.
The American educational system has also been greatly influenced by the rising number of Spanish nationals. In multi-cultural states like New York, Texas and Arizona, most institutions have included Spanish in the education curriculum. This is aimed at enabling the local population to have the basic understanding of the guest language. In words by Borjas, incorporation of Spanish in the education curriculum is important in bridging the gap between Spanish and English speaking individuals (111). Also included in educational systems are extra English classes for foreign students. In these classes Hispanics compromise of the majority of students. The extra English classes for foreign students include writing, articulation and word construction exercises. After these classes the level at which foreign students understand and communicate in English is greatly improved.
Conclusion
It is an obvious assumption that it may take a lot of effort to effectively blend English and Spanish speaking population in the United States. Additionally, Perez points out that all involved parties have the urgency and want to create a common base from which the Mexican Hispanics and the Americans will have a common understanding on their different languages (102). There has been significant development in incorporating the Mexican Spanish language system in the social circles in the United States based on the common factors the Americans and Hispanics share. For instance, the increased number of Mexican Hispanics employees shows how much significant the growth has been towards achieving a common communication ground.
Works Cited
Borjas, George. "Welfare Reform and Immigrant Participation in Welfare Programs" International Migration Review, 2002, 36(4)
Chavez, Linda. Hispanic population booms. Melbourne, Florida: Florida Today, 2011. Print
Perez, Juan. The Hispanic Role in America. New York: ColoquioRevista Cultural, 2005. Print.
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