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 h89Kb5729297; Tue, 9 Sep 2003 16:37:05 -0400 (EDT) Date: Tue, 9 Sep 2003 16:37:05 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <000001c37712$014bfe20$1a01a8c0@cccchs.org> 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: "Sylvan Rainwater" <sylvan@cccchs.org> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ESL:9464] RE: Illiteracy X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook, Build 10.0.4510 Content-Type: text/plain; Status: O Content-Length: 3620 Lines: 98 Antje, I think you are very eloquent about what unites a country, and what creates a culture. Tanya's question is a good one for sure. If not language, then what? It is true that in America, we have special challenges in communication, because we do come from different cultural backgrounds and that includes different language backgrounds. To take a common example -- in many cultures it's not okay to say "no" directly, so there are various understood ways to let someone know you don't really want to do something, or whatever. But if you are not from that person's background, you may not understand. So in America, we tend to be more direct, because it's safer in terms of really understanding what we mean. I think the English-only movement is trying to respond to Tanya's question, and trying to use language to unite us. But I believe that is misguided. In fact, English *does* unite us, but that's not all that does, nor is it even the most important thing. The most important things are the ideas Antje talks of, and the values Ken talks of, and even the love that someone else (sorry, can't remember at the moment) talks of. The willingness to try to communicate, to negotiate meaning even when it's difficult. The respect we can have for every single person here. ------- Sylvan Rainwater mailto:sylvan@cccchs.org Program Managaer Family Literacy Clackamas Co. Children's Commission / Head Start Oregon City, OR USA -----Original Message----- From: nifl-esl@nifl.gov [mailto:nifl-esl@nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Antje Meissner Sent: Saturday, September 06, 2003 8:00 AM To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: [NIFL-ESL:9442] RE: Illiteracy Tanya, I like your questions. <SNIP> But the students in my program in Tallahassee feel very different: They love America, that is, the "idea" of America. For them America is not an ethnicity, a language, a place to make some money in, but it is often the promise of a better life, a better future for their children, a hope for counting as an individual and not fall prey to dictators, wars, famines etc. Now, a lot of these people work in menial jobs, are exploited, poor and struggle, but this is their hope and their reason for being here. I believe strongly that the "idea" of what a country wants to be can "unify" that country and mankind as a whole. A mutual respect for each others struggles, a helping hand from those who already have a lot to those are trying to get there, and even though "love" sounds like a strong word for a German ( for us "like" is about as emotional as we can be, but after three years I "americanize" more and more), I think Ken has a point. I even believe that this is a lesson Europe has to learn and maybe maybe maybe .... America could lead? I hope this makes sense. My written English is often not that great. Antje Meissner --- ttweeton <ttweeton@comcast.net> wrote: <SNIP> > My question to all of you is , what should be a > uniting factor in any > country? If language will not unite us and Religion > certainly will not > unite us , Food will not unite us, Customs will not > unite us because we all > have our own , What will? What will happen when we > begin to misunderstand > one another because we cannot communicate well? > Isn't that already > happening? Should the country try to preserve > anything of its culture? What > should it be? Will we end up living in our own > little ghettos, all speaking > our own seperarte languages? OR, maybe the real > question , instead should > be, What makes a country??? > Tanya Tweeton > Adult ESOL > Fort Lauderdale, Florida >
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