Week 7&8 - Reading Response #1

The essay written by Myriam Marquez, “Why and When We Speak Spanish in Public,” provides good reasons for different ethnic groups not speaking English in public. Myriam explains that her family has been in the United States for over the past 40 years. Her family speaks and understands English; however, two reasons they speak Spanish in public are to keep close to their cultural traditions by using their native language, and out of pure “respect” for one another.

Myriam acknowledges the feelings that some non-Spanish speakers may have. She realizes that there are people who get offended when her family, or other Spanish speaking people, converse in their native tongue while in public. Undoubtedly, there are paranoid people who think that anyone not speaking English, in their presence, might actually be gossiping about them. While she accepts that fact, she promises to stay true to her heritage, and to be respectful to her family regardless of her location.

Even though she is determined to continue speaking publicly to her family in Spanish, Myriam is also considerate of non-Spanish speakers as well. She explains that if a non-Spanish speaker is in her family’s presence, she will willingly change to speaking English to avoid being inconsiderate. She is also respectful to non-Spanish speaker friends or acquaintances who are around her, because she will not converse in Spanish with another Spanish speaker who is also present. She said that it’s “rude” for people to do that.

There are many non-English speakers in the United States, and Americans should be more tolerant and understanding of that fact. By not accepting another person’s language in public, they are basically expecting that individual to deny their culture and heritage. If there were two Americans in a foreign country, it would seem right for them to speak English to one another, even in public, if that is what feels most comfortable for them.