Being Bilingual

The Truth behind Being Bilingual

Can you speak other languages besides English? How would you react if someone orders you to speak only in a certain language and that language is your second language? Many Americans who came from other countries, such as immigrants, face this kind of dilemma. Many of them find talking only in English difficult, because English is either their second or even third language. Some of them do not even know how to speak English at all, and those are the one who really suffer the most. In the article Latina Ordered to Speak English to Daughter, the Author informed us about a case between a Latin American mother who was ordered by the judge, to speak to her 5-year-old daughter in English only, in or out of their home. The State District Judge, Samuel C. Kiser, who was overseeing this child custody case and the one also being accused of unfair judgment said "If she starts first grade with the other children and cannot even speak the language that the teachers and the other children speak, and she's a full-blooded American citizen, you're abusing that child and you're relegating her to the position of a housemaid." Some may agree on what Kiser is stating and some may not. In the article, it shows that Kiser is just concern about the child's future, but his action and judgments toward bilingual people is contempt and sarcastic.

First, Kiser relates that if a person only knows how to speak one language, that person is only qualified as a low class person and his or her job qualification is only into hard labor jobs. He acknowledges that in his quote "you're relegating her to the position of a housemaid." I think he is wrong because many Americans in America who speak English as their second language do become successful. According to a study by the University of Florida, University of Miami, and the Florida Department of education, people who speak more than one language earn almost seven thousand dollar more than their English-only counterparts. Look at Carlos Santana, Antonio Banderas, Jackie Chan, Bruce lee, and other celebrities who are born and came from other countries. A lot of them became successful and some of them even use their own native tongue to become successful.

Secondly, a lot of Job industries today prefer employees that can speak other languages besides English. According to a comparison data from 1971 to 1991, salaries for bilingual employees were between 2.2 and 9.3% higher than monolingual employees. For example, in Los Angeles Unified School District, bilingual teachers get a bonus of up to five thousand dollar annually according to www. Puertorico-herald.org. Also in Canada, Bilinguals are less likely to be unemployed. According to www.cpfns.ednet.ns.ca, Bilingualism is an asset in gaining a job in the top companies. Bilingual candidates can enter the job market and change jobs more easily than monolingual persons.

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