Languages in America: A Pluralist View (Bilingual Education & Bilingualism, 42)

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.Languages in AmericaA Pluralist ViewBy Susan J. Dicker Multilingual MattersCopyright © 2003 Susan J. DickerAll rights reserved.ISBN: 978-1-85359-652-0ContentsAcknowledgments, vii,Introduction, viii,1 Language and Identity, 1,2 The Melting-Pot Mythology, 38,3 Common Misconceptions About Language Learning, 82,4 Languages in the Schools, 115,5 The Modern Official-English Movement, 164,6 Challenges to Language Restrictionism, 216,7 Lessons in Multilingualism Beyond the United States, 257,8 The Possibilities of a Pluralistic, Multilingual America, 300,Epilogue, 321,References, 323,Index, 348,CHAPTER 1Language and IdentityINTRODUCTIONIn the first part of this chapter, some basic linguistic concepts regarding the nature of language are presented, along with examples. Language is viewed as a shaper of personal and cultural identity. Language and accents may also be the means by which one group of people culturally stereotypes another, whether the two groups speak different languages or speak variations of the same language. Language is then viewed in its role of connecting individuals to each other. As people move through their day and through their lives, changing the style of their language or changing from one language to another is a natural way to express their relationships to the people with whom they interact. Finally, language is viewed in relation to other characteristics that define individuals. Languages and accents are changeable; physical and racial traits are usually not. This is an important concept when considering the situation of immigrants who relocate to a country with a language different from their own. Acquiring proficiency in the new language may not alter the way they are seen and treated by the larger society.The second part of the chapter applies the above concepts to a larger context: the relative status of cultures throughout the world. As a result of world history, some nations and the cultures that predominate in them have acquired greater power and prestige than others. As a consequence, the languages identified with them also acquire relative status. The discussion then focuses on the situation of non-English speakers in the United States. The low status of many of these groups derives from the low status of their countries of origin and is reflected in the low status conferred on the languages they speak. The history of the United States is marked by periods of repression of immigrant and minority languages. The most recent evidence of this repression is the current official-English movement.Examination of the rhetoric of this movement reveals its basis in anti-bilingualism, anti-bilingual education, and a melting-pot ideology. The concerns underlying the movement are legitimate: issues of national unity, equality of opportunity, and integration. However, it is argued here that the repression of non-English languages does little to resolve the problems that have fostered these concerns.LANGUAGE AND PERSONAL IDENTITYIt is not surprising that our native language is often referred to as our "mother tongue," a term that recalls our earliest memories and influences. The term itself has different meanings. The sociolinguist Tove Skutnabb-Kangas (1981)hypothesizes five definitions of "mother tongue" depending on who is defining it. For the sociologist, mother tongue is the language one learns first. For the linguist, it is the language one knows best. For the sociolinguist, it is the language one uses the most. For the social psychologist, it is the language one identifies with and through which one is identified. For the lay person, it is "the language one counts in, thinks in, dreams in, writes a diary in, writes poetry in" (Skutnabb-Kangas, 1981: 18).For most Americans, there is only one language that fits all of these definitions. But a large part of the world' s population makes use of two or more languages duri