“Hola! Como éstas?” I approach the cashier with a smile.
“Excuse me?” she replies.
“Oh, sorry, all I want is this. Thank you.” I respond, a little disappointed.
‘But you were talking in Spanish with another employee a minute ago,’ I think to myself. ‘Was it something I said? Was it how I dressed?’ I wanted to talk in Spanish to the cashier, but she didn’t accede to continue the conversation. I thought about it for a second and figured out something interesting.
Many people leave their mother tongues to “fit” in American culture. But why abandon such a critical component of cultural heritage just to fit in a land of immigrants? It happens to a lot of people, and I have seen an increase of people that do not speak their mother tongues. During the Industrial Revolution in the United States, it was almost common to change last names. Usually, it was to get better chances for employment or begin to speak solely English to be able to obtain housing for immigrant families. For example, a friend of mine had her grandfather change their family name to be more “Americanized” after coming to the States so long ago. Now, even though some of those actual habits still exist, the conditions aren’t quite the same anymore.
I speak my native tongue for the simple fact that I am proud of my heritage, but many others just forget about it to fit in or to avoid embarrassment. Others still choose not to speak it for more personal reasons. Another long time friend was bullied in his middle school because he spoke a different language with his math teacher. They teased him and called him an alien from outer space. To older people, it doesn’t seem like much, but those kinds of things can have a huge impact down the line for a kid his age.
“I was told not to speak Spanish, so I never bothered to learn it. I can just understand it, and that’s it,” said another friend of mine when I asked why she didn’t speak Spanish.
“I think it’s too late now anyway.” she tells me in a low voice.
I don’t recall exactly what I told her after, but it went something like this.
“Look, I understand that maybe speaking another language isn’t so appealing to you, but remember, you are carrying a culture and legacy that transcends centuries of generations in your family. It would be such a shame for you to lose it at this point. And besides, knowing another language can take you places! Or at least allow you to get on someone’s good side. But, if you choose not to, I will respect that as well.”
I never understood why people forget about these languages. Maybe it’s something psychological, or something more. However, I want to see a paradigm shift. Therefore, I have a simple proposal.
Do not be afraid of your mother tongue. Speak it with pride, and shout it out loud to the world. It is a superpower. It is a porter of culture, knowledge and life. A language is a powerful tool that can connect with people on a more intimate level. A shared identity that makes people feel like a family, and that makes others want to listen. If you choose not to, then that’s okay too, but if you can, go ahead! People are surprised at what lies in store. More often than not, there are times that it comes in handy and at other times, it allows great bonds to be formed.
Language is something to be appreciated. If others continue to squander the opportunity to spread culture, then the only way to silence them is to speak up, and not only in the mother tongue but in all ways, shapes and forms.
