New America Media – Claudia Quach
“What does it mean to be bilingual? Simply defined, it is the ability to use two languages…Bilingualism in the United States, however, is a perplexing proposition…speaking other languages, besides English, is regarded suspiciously as perpetual foreignness…we need to first relinquish the fear that other languages will erode the function of our most familiar tongue…English will always be used to maintain a cohesive national identity. Simultaneous usage of secondary languages will by no means compromise America’s rich cultural and historical foundation…While American English is already privileged in the globalized economy, a competency of other languages offers opportunities…”(more)