Return-Path: <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id h6BMZrC22639; Fri, 11 Jul 2003 18:35:53 -0400 (EDT) Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2003 18:35:53 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <3F0F38F5.44FC5B8A@morehead-st.edu> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "m.white" <ma.white@morehead-st.edu> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ESL:9146] Re: hello X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.8 [en] (Win98; U) Status: O Content-Length: 7784 Lines: 148 Jane, Hindi is a fascinating language. I had the privilege of living & studying in Benares (Varanasi) for six months as an undergraduate. The official language of India, it's actually just one among a host of others in the subcontinent (more accurate I think than "country"). I personally view all languages equally - even isolated dialects are rich, systematic, and complex - and perfectly serve the needs of the people who speak them. Globally & domestically, we know this belief is not held by most people (e.g., urban black English, Hawaiian pidgin, Appalachian dialects, etc.) However, I don't think "linguistic positionality" was / is a valid issue in regard to our "pleasant banter". I am proud of my Native American, Black, & Portuguese heritages. My proficiency in Portuguese is limited because it was not the dominant language spoken in our home (despite it being my mom's first language), nor in my classrooms, nor on tv, nor spoken by my friends & peers. I do feel comfortable with many aspects of the Portuguese culture, and, Portuguese food & music remain my favorites. Internally, I have not made any "value judgments" concerning being part Black & Native American - they're American ethnicities. Imbued pride, the extended family, involvement in germane activities, and most importantly, the immediate family all play roles in maintaining immigrant / international cultures & languages in the home. My wife is Japanese. Our son has listened to Japanese from birth along with English (a Japanese only policy in our home would have been preferable - if I also spoke the language). My 17 year old son currently has more than a little facility with Japanese writing, reading, & speaking. He had his mom, Japanese tutors, Japanese classes, aikido lessons, and many visits with family & friends in Tokyo. In very small-town Kentucky, my son's thoroughly exotic background has not engendered any feelings of shame or inferiority in him. (It helps that he's amiable, and relatively intelligent, good-looking, and athletic.) He's grown up knowing who is, where he comes from, and where he can go.....my wife & I have made sure of that. We sacrificed - he benefited. We hope. As an ESL / ESOL professional development specialist at Morehead State Univ. for the state of Kentucky, an important component of my training sessions is cultural diversity. Many of the adult education practitioners I work with find this component to be the most enjoyable and eye-opening, not surprising given the composition of the state's population..... On the other hand, I arrived on this campus as the director of the English Language Center. I had similar positions at the University of Guam & Clark University in Worcester, MA. One of the biggest challenges I relished as an ESL teacher & administrator was to dispell the notions (thru actions & words) international students held entering the States and my program. I'm a black American.....you can imagine the task. Dari, Afghan Persian, is a very beautiful language. I learned it in the Peace Corps. The Saudi employees I trained at Saudi Arabian Airlines spoke a version of Arabic that had a tonal quality noticeably different from what I've heard on the streets of Cairo. Jane, what's my point in all this rambling? I think you you took the content of our "pleasant banter" completely out of context. I personally do not feel the thread of our discussion implicitly or explicitly placed any value judgments on people, places, languages, and cultures. Review the participants and the discussion. What a wonderful thing that a variety of people, apparently from a spectrum of backgrounds, took a little time to engage in mutually enjoyable banter. And, yes, French is truly a wonderful language! Maurice White Quidnunc@aol.com wrote: > Hmmm....all this talk about French being such a wonderful language... > But I haven't heard any comments about Hindi or Marathi, which were > other languages mentioned in this conversation. I'd be interested > to know ways to help those language be maintained in the home. > I'd like to know more about those languages in cultures since I am > less familiar with them. > > It is interesting how some languages are valued over others - I think > we need to stay mindful of that and the messages we convey through > this sort of discussion. By mentioning that French is wonderful, and > "should always be promoted" are we implicitly saying that other > languages and cultures are not worthy of attention? > > I don't intend to take away from the pleasant banter, but I do feel we > need to be careful of the value judgments we implicitly or explicitly > place on languages, people, places and cultures. Members > of "the other cultures" really pick this up and oftentimes internalize it > or live with a feeling of shame. > > Jane Rosenthal > Language and Education/University of Pennsylvania > IELP Instructor/Temple University > > In a message dated 7/11/2003 2:41:25 PM Eastern Standard Time, "Susan Ryan" <susanefl@hotmail.com> writes: > > >Andre. > >France is a wonderful country with so many beautiful things that should > >always be promoted!! > >I wish I could speak their beautiful language! > >Susan > > > > > >>From: "m.white" <ma.white@morehead-st.edu> > >>Reply-To: nifl-esl@nifl.gov > >>To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> > >>Subject: [NIFL-ESL:9133] Re: hello > >>Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2003 13:55:44 -0400 (EDT) > >> > >>Andres, > >> > >>Bon Jour! You've introduced a new thread and a new personality to the > >>listserv. Hey, it's summer and respites are needed and expected. > >> > >>Andres, I'd say you have a pretty good command of English. Although I've > >>never heard you speak of course, your email syntax and vocabulary > >>demonstrate a certain proficiency with our language. Follow up with some > >>of the > >>tips other subscribers have given (classes, immersion environments, > >>anglophone friends). > >> > >>As an aside, my mother is Portuguese as well. I suffered the typical > >>American syndrome - speaking the int'l mother's tongue early, then dropping > >>it in favor of "not being different". How about you? I realize what > >>multilinguists many Europeans are - for the most part Americans are not > >>interested in other languages to "your" extent. This is changing though. > >> > >>Paris has got to be one of the most beautiful cities I've ever visited. > >>The political relationship between France & the U.S. may still be on shaky > >>ground, but I'm not fazed. When Armstrong does in fact dominate the > >>tour.....the win will only further polarize feelings on both side of the > >>Atlantic ;) > >> > >>Maurice White > >> > >>Andres Muro wrote: > >> > >> > I am confused. The tour de france went through a villiage in India, or > >>is your husband from france. Do you all have the Outdoor life network? They > >>show it live every day. > >> > > >> > I wonder if NIFL or GW object about us talking about the tour? After > >>all, the tour is from a country that we should not be mentioning, much less > >>promoting it. Hey, maybe we will get into trouble for this entire thread. > >> > > >> > Andres > >> > > >> > >>> usamant@comcast.net 07/10/03 06:46PM >>> > >> > I'm from India and I follow it too! One year it went through the village > >>my > >> > husband comes from..... ! > >> > regards > >> > Ujwala > >> > > >> > This message scanned by RAV anti-virus. > >> > >>This message scanned by RAV anti-virus. > > > >_________________________________________________________________ > >The new MSN 8: advanced junk mail protection and 2 months FREE* > >http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail > > > > > This message scanned by RAV anti-virus. This message scanned by RAV anti-virus.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Thu Mar 11 2004 - 12:16:11 EST