Spanish in the United States

¡Hola! ¿Cómo estás? ¿En qué puedo servirle? Get used to hearing such vernacular as this. For a majority of a century now, English has been the primary language of the United States, yet Spanish speakers are growing in numbers. According to the 2010 Census, 15.8% of the United States has Spanish as their native tongue. Already, Texas has a Hispanic population of 36.8%. These statistics can only grow in number. Good or bad, Americans need to brace for change.

Just as immigration was vibrant in early twentieth century Europe, Hispanics are searching for a better life. In many Central American countries, times are very rough and drug sellers are creating animosity. Often times, the anarchy of the Middle East overshadows these Latin countries in the news. From a Hispanic perspective, it makes sense why one would want to flee their country. Chile has the highest Latin American Human Development Index, and it is number forty-five. Although we feel our economy is tanking, even today, come to our country in search of the American dream.

What does such a change mean for us? On the occasional trip to Lowe’s, we find ourselves looking at bilingual signs. We see FLOOR in large, bold lettering and PISO under it. Soon enough, signs like those of Lowe’s will be found in a majority of U.S. merchandisers. At Barnes and Noble, we will begin to see more and more books in Spanish print. A change in the tongue of the United States could cause communication problems. In Belgium, the Dutch north and French south are pondering a split because of the lingual divide. I doubt the United States will break off from itself, however the challenges may become adverse and tough for our government to handle.

To ease ourselves into this transition, we must be aware of a few things. First of all, we can not try to prevent this change from happening. Just as the South could not prevent the Civil Rights Movement, we can not try to rid our country of “Latinos”. Often times, especially in young adults, I find that we assume every Hispanic is an illegal immigrant. The claim is not preposterous, however can be very offensive for those who went through the entire process many of our grandparents and great-grandparents had to struggle through. Secondly, I feel that a majority of Americans should begin to take Spanish. When push comes to shove, we are losing of linguistically monolithic society. Times are changing and the only way to overcome communications issues is to learn how to communicate with Hispanics ourselves. I love the language of Spanish and believe it rolls off the tongue. On the other hand, I feel many Hispanics should aspire to educate themselves in the ways of English. Finally, I feel that we should embrace each other’s cultures. We should welcome Hispanics by appealing for Cinco de Mayo and Day of the Dead celebrations. Maybe some immigrants coming to this country are well trained dancers in the ways of the tango, flamenco, and salsa. If we refuse to welcome such Hispanics, we can only hope a real life "West Side Story" does not erupt all over the country.