And Oji-Cree, which will probably be more prevalent in future years given the relative birth rates.
Yes, but during the period of heaviest immigration, virtually all of the major employers in the US were English speaking. Being limited to a minority language meant dead end jobs without any responsibility or chance to talk to the people who could promote. Therefore, most immigrants pushed their kids to learn English so they would have chances to succeed that the parents did not. Furthermore, there was little cultural awareness. People did not think of their culture dying out or that it was so important to prevent it from dying out. And last the idea of preserving culture is a third generation thing. The first generation is grateful for a second (hopefully better) chance at life, the second has heard all the horror stories about the homeland and finds a second language, etc. just a big burden and generally do not teach their children but the third generation hears whisps of stories about the homeland and starts getting homesick. These are generalities, of course. In my experience, very few third generation members wish to learn the language and immigrate. I am the only one out of my family and I know two others families, each with only one member interested in returning to the homeland. The rest see their heritage as trivia and think I am crazy for returning, at least prior to 9/11. 9/11 did give them cause to think but nothing more.
Isn’t that true of most countries with cultures that mingle? Also, other languages borrow a lot of English words.
I don’t live anywhere close to a border, but my neighborhood is multicultural – Hispanics, African-Americans, Kurds and Asians have joined us and we’ve settled in together. In the seventeen years that I have lived on this street, I have seen neighborhood signs, restaurant menus and recorded messages go from all English to a blend of Spanish and English. Recently I saw a sign that was all in Spanish. I think it is exciting to see the changes happening!
Is Finnish spoken anywhere besides Finland?
I went to visit a Canjun friend in Louisiana and he took me to Mamou to meet his parents. It is in the heart of Cajun country. They surely know how to throw a good party on Mardi Gras! My friend’s parents were in there seventies or eighties and spoke only French. My friend was fluent in both English and French. His children speak English with just a smattering of French. Now they are having children who know no French at all. A little sad to see.
Are any of you familiar with a language called “Gulla” in coastal South Carolina?
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Zoe writes:
> Is Finnish spoken anywhere besides Finland?
Muffin writes (two posts above her):
> Here in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, English is the most
> common lanuage, but French, Italian, Finnish (yes, Finnish) and
> Ukranian languages are often heard.
Zoe further writes:
> Are any of you familiar with a language called “Gulla” in coastal
> South Carolina?
Gullah has been discussed several times in SDMB threads about English. What did you want to say about it?