Death of the language **

[Frankn]

We all know that the USA is referred to as the melting pot because so many groupes blended together to form the base of the country, But the question is, "How many generations does it take for the native language of a groupe to change solely to English. I will start with My great grandmother who got off the boat to start the clan here in America. She spoke only Bohemian which can be viewed todak as either Czeck or Slovak. The two languages are similar but have spread apart over time. My grandmother spoke both Bohemian and English fluently. My mother could converse in Bohemian ,but not fluently. That was the end. I know a few words in Bohemian. So that makes four generations to fadeout. I wonder if that is average. Frank

 

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[spartacus53]

You think they had it rough My family, both sides, all spoke different languages

And you wonder why I'm like I am today

 

[Goose-0]

Oh no we don't......we just don't mention it.

 

[greydigger]

When learning my trade I worked with several guys that grew up in Europe during WWII.
When they got a sponser and made it to the USA they all watched TV to learn how to speak American English. They were proud of their learning.
Now, where I live in Oregon, schools are built especially for non English speakers.
I think the "Melting Pot" has been turned way down.
Press 1 if you want to hear this in English.
Wish I had learned my Cherokee Grandmothers language too but at that time it was shameful to do so.
I do hope others retain their ancestors language as well as learning the language of the place where they live.
Osiyo
Grey

 

[BuffaloBob]

We all know that the USA is referred to as the melting pot because so many groupes blended together to form the base of the country, But the question is, "How many generations does it take for the native language of a groupe to change solely to English. I will start with My great grandmother who got off the boat to start the clan here in America. She spoke only Bohemian which can be viewed todak as either Czeck or Slovak. The two languages are similar but have spread apart over time. My grandmother spoke both Bohemian and English fluently. My mother could converse in Bohemian ,but not fluently. That was the end. I know a few words in Bohemian. So that makes four generations to fadeout. I wonder if that is average. Frank

Anyone out there remember this?

Eway allway owknay atthay ethay USAWAY isway eferredray otay asway ethay eltingmay otpay ecausebay osay anymay oupesgray
endedblay ogethertay otay ormfay ethay asebay ofway ethay ountrycay, Utbay ethay estionquay isway, "Owhay anymay
enerationsgay oesday itway aketay orfay ethay ativenay anguagelay ofway away oupegray otay angechay olelysay otay
Englishway. Iway illway artstay ithway Ymay eatgray andmothergray owhay otgay offway ethay oatbay otay artstay ethay
anclay erehay inway Americaway. Eshay okespay onlyway
Ohemianbay ichwhay ancay ebay iewedvay odaktay asway eitherway Eckczay orway Ovakslay. Ethay otway anguageslay areway imilarsay
utbay avehay eadspray apartway overway imetay. Ymay andmothergray okespay othbay Ohemianbay andway Englishway
uentlyflay. Ymay othermay ouldcay onversecay inway Ohemianbay , utbay otnay uentlyflay. Atthay asway ethay endway. Iway owknay
away ewfay ordsway inway Ohemianbay. Osay atthay akesmay ourfay enerationsgay otay adeoutfay. Iway onderway ifway atthay isway
averageway. Ankfray

 

[Cool Hand Fluke]

We all know that the USA is referred to as the melting pot because so many groupes blended together to form the base of the country, But the question is, "How many generations does it take for the native language of a groupe to change solely to English. I will start with My great grandmother who got off the boat to start the clan here in America. She spoke only Bohemian which can be viewed todak as either Czeck or Slovak. The two languages are similar but have spread apart over time. My grandmother spoke both Bohemian and English fluently. My mother could converse in Bohemian ,but not fluently. That was the end. I know a few words in Bohemian. So that makes four generations to fadeout. I wonder if that is average. Frank

The USA was a melting pot, that was years ago. Today we are by design being forced to divide in linguistic regions. Foreign languages no longer fade out. Refusal at assimilation is the norm now.

 

[Frankn]

You mean like Canada, English/French.

 

[naturegirl]

It's been awhile since I Googled it, but I think the US has the most dying languages in the world, most of the Native American languages are gone or going, and will pass without much notice from the people lamenting English as the 'official' lanuage for the USA. We are are a blend of cultures, if you choose to learn a second language, you are ahead of the pack, if you make sure your child learns a second language, you are boosting thier future employment possibilities. Why should one language be a matter of national pride? Especially here. If you have a history of another language in your family, hang on to it, and foster it! what can that hurt? Learn more Bohemian Franken! , with the internet, that might be a fun thing to do!!!

 

[TheHarleyMan2]

Well I can understsand someone wanting to keep thier culture and heritage, but I believe if you want to be here and be American, learn the language.

Just the other day I was at nan oil well and this hispanic man comes up to me and starts speaking spanish to me. So what did I do? Being I don't know any spanish words except those that will cause bar fights and brawls, so I spoke german to him and he had this confused look on his face, he continued to speak spanish to me so I continued to speak german and he continued to have this confused look on his face as to not knowing what I was saying. So I told him I am not hispanic and I don't speak spanish, I am an american.

Then he started to speak english to me. What gets me is why is it that people of other languages seem to think you know their language? Them and I are in my country not theirs, that is my opinion!!

 

[Frankn]

Naturegirl, when I was taking first year French, The instructor said that we were going to learn the "path a composay" or something like that. I asked her what that was. She said it was the past indefinate form. I said I didn't even know what that was in English. That was the point where I decided I would not take second year French. Yes I passed 1st year with great effort. The only thing I know in Bohemian is potsapasoll. Don't ask! Frank

 

[gleaner1]

When I travel abroad, I speak fluent Gibberish.

 

[greydigger]

When you are in a foreign country speaking english to a person that only speaks their native language,
you yell the words louder and they will understand.

A couple of us "Long Noses" worked in a shop with a lot of Chinese folks.
They would chatter in their language just because they knew we didn't understand.
(Have seen this with others).
We started speaking in (?) isthey is uthey utway alktay.
Also in Mexico speaking Farsi can be effective.

These all tend to seperate different peoples.
I think if you are going to live in a different country you should learn the language.
Not necissarily to the exclusion of other languages, but to get along with majority.

I was told that the old USSR had 82 different languages but EVERYONE learned Russian also.

Grey

 

[allan]

Here I found that any drug addict/begger spoke perfect English when I tell them I don't speak Spanish. I switched to the little French I know and it has been working well so far lol .I want to add though that quite a large part of the Americans here speak English as well as their native Spanish. It seems that PR schools do a pretty good job teaching english but they say the biggest help was growing up watching US television in English

 

[spartacus53]

To give a serious reply, I would say it takes between 1-3 generations to lose a language in the USA. SO that would make it an average of 2 generations. That's pretty quick to lose a language. Then again, another factor that has to be considered is the popularity of the language itself. If there are only a few in your area that speak your native tongue you're at quite a disadvantage in communicating with anyone, so it's in your best interest to learn the countries language.

My grandmother spoke 5 languages fluently, but living in NYC she was only using 3 of them. She mainly spoke English, but was able to converse in German which was also prevalent in her Germantown neighborhood. She kept up her French only because she liked the sound of it. I forgot the other 2 she spoke, as she had no need for them.

America is probably the only country I can think of where a majority of people only know 1 language, English. From that, the majority who only speak English cannot speak, or write it very well either.

One you learn a foreign language it's not too difficult to absorb others. I took French for a few years and can still understand the spoken word and read it. I learned Spanish though my ex-wife. Picked up a bit of German from the grandmother and some childhood friends. Now I am in the process of trying to learn Portuguese on my own.

Bottom line, if you don't use it, you lose it

 

[naturegirl]

You're right, spart, once you start learning a second language, it gets easier. Not that I know any, just high school french, and childhood spanish from living in South America. But as the world gets smaller and we get connected online, I think I should learn more of either one, or both of those languages. Communicating can be a wonderful, peaceful, thing! I've toyed with the idea of trying to learn Osage, the tribe is really making a move to keep the language alive and lessons are available locally. But it's one of those languages almost dead, and it's said to really learn how to speak it, you have to HEAR it. It's more 'meanings and phrases implied'...? rather than direct translation. I am not Osage, and I wonder if my learning it would distort it grotesquely, or help keep it alive. Since I talk to myself all the time , using it with someone wouldn't be a problem.


Franken, I'll just use my imagination on your one Bohemian word!

 

[Cool Hand Fluke]

It's been awhile since I Googled it, but I think the US has the most dying languages in the world, most of the Native American languages are gone or going, and will pass without much notice from the people lamenting English as the 'official' lanuage for the USA. We are are a blend of cultures, if you choose to learn a second language, you are ahead of the pack, if you make sure your child learns a second language, you are boosting thier future employment possibilities. Why should one language be a matter of national pride? Especially here. If you have a history of another language in your family, hang on to it, and foster it! what can that hurt? Learn more Bohemian Franken! , with the internet, that might be a fun thing to do!!!

What you are advocating here is a recipe for national suicide. President Roosevelt had it right, he said:

"In the first place we should insist that the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equity with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace or origin. But this is predicated upon the man's becoming an American and nothing but an American. There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much as it excludes any flag of a nation to which we are hostile. We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people." Theodore Roosevelt in a letter to the American Defense Society in 1919.

 

[Frankn]

Cool hand, Take those last 2 lines and send them to congress. Frank