According to Wikipedia
Multilingualism is becoming a social phenomenon governed by the needs of globalization and cultural openness.What I don't understand is a one-size-fits-all approach that assumes that if folks in the local area are not English speakers, they are Spanish speakers.
Take our local Sears at Stadium Plaza (granted, in Tewksbury, on the northern fringes, but still a Lowell store). Even when it was K-Mart and clerks were from Cambodian families, the second language was Spanish.
Entrance to the Sears at Stadium Plaza
Closeup of Sears Entrance
So, I went to the 2010 Census data and Lowell has 21,513 people of Asian ethnic heritage and 18,396 who noted themselves as being Hispanic. We also had 3,867 who claimed to be of two or more races.
So, my question is, is Spanish the "default" second language and if it is, by consensus, should it be? I actually have no firm answer in my mind, but am looking for other thoughts, aside from the predictable "if they can't speak English the heck with them".
For enquiring minds, yes, I was in there purchasing something Sunday morning at about ten.
Regards — Cliff
1 comment:
I've also marveled at local mainstream retailers and their apparent demographic swing-and-miss. My ignorance won't help me guess how many among the local Southeast Asians speak one specific language that could help on bi- or tri-lingual signs, but Khmer would seem to be at least one missed opportunity.
Canadian restaurants in the remote Rockies printing menus in Japanese was my most counter-intuitive/surprising lesson learned of this sort, and I know that "common sense" often works against us when considering the accommodation of other cultures. As for those who are offended when it's not English everywhere, I marvel at how completely they miss the economic point. When I'm outside the country, I learn more German/French/you-name-it from bilingual signs than any other single source of language. Different scripts are harder to decipher, yes, but it's an important bridge to English, and we shouldn't be discouraged to see it used.
Post a Comment