Has speaking Spanish become a stygma in the U.S.?

Question

With the illegal immigrants issue, it seems to me that there is now a sentiment against all immigrants, including legal permanent residents, and, especially, against those whose native language is Spanish.
What do you think?

Well, I didn't mean the immigrants who do not speak English. I mean that some immigrants who speak very good English don't have the choice or freedom to speak Spanish because people look down on them.

I speak four languages, Spanish being my native language.

Answer 1

you should be proud that you're bilingual
most immigrants are at least bilingual , they speak their native language and English.
Of course in public and when dealing with Americans you should talk to them in English since most Americans can only speak English:)) but between you and your friends i don't see nothing wrong to speak your native language!
And it is not stigma it is just plain dumb and ignorant to judge people.

Answer 2

I think people should come here legally, and that our borders should be secure. But I don't give a darn what you speak here as long as you are trying to learn English or speak it already. I see alot of people who come here and have never learned and they don't teach their kids either. In my area, some of the schools have 30-40% of the kids in middle school who speak no English at all- and they suffer because of it academically. That's really sad to me because I wonder where they will end up as adults. I think a large part of the sentiment is not against Spanish really, but that alot of the people waving those Mexican flags and shouting Viva Mexico where here LEGALLY. That was not the best image to present to the U.S public. In addition, I am white and married to a hispanic guy and there were times in May I did not go out alone. I was threatened and at one point almost attacked. And our child is stigmatized because she looks "gringa" but is half Mexican. It's just all a big mess now.
All that said- I also speak 4 other languages, and one of them is Spanish.

Answer 3

I think every person should be respected, not importing their origin or culture because there has been japanese, chinese and many other people talking their native language in the US but you never see them being mocked

And as for the illegal immigrants THEY IMPROVE OUR ECONOMY you never see an american serving up your daughter's happy meal or staid at a hotel and see an american getting your room cleaned up or have you ever known of an american that is waiting in the parking of a hardware store that would do a day of work for 35 bucks!! c'mon dont ignore the reality...

Answer 4

I think it really depends on what part of the country you are in. For example, in Miami, it is strange and awkward of you DONT speak spanish. Even the people who are from 2 english speaking parents understand quite a bit of spanish. When I went to California though a little while back, even though I am pale, and look very caucasian, the minute they heard spanish out of my mouth I was branded a "mexican." I know speaking spanish has bad social stygmas in some parts of the country, but at least here in Miami, it is a necessity to live.

Answer 5

it has always been a stygma of sorts.... I believe the main point putting aside the racsim and bigotry is that once people come here to live it appears lazy and stupid not to learn the language. I was in France for 2 weeks and made an effort to communicate in French. It doesnt take a scholar or a genius. It breeds mistrust and it may appear insultingly isolationist to speak in a foriegn tongue... it is by CHOICE not circumstance and it screams LEAVE ME ALONE I DO NOT LIKE YOU, I just want your benefits. Again I will not insinuate the motives but this is how it comes out.

Answer 6

Yes

but it's not really something new. If you look at American history there has always been this weird duality about being the land of immigrants and hating when we have to many immigrants.

so when we have an influx of groups of people coming in the country (or on smaller levels into cities and towns)

a long time ago it used to the Irish and then the Chinese today it's the Latinos

hopefuly we will grow out of it

Answer 7

Hm? No, dont think its a stygma, otherwise students of other races would not sign up to learn it in high school so often! Spanish is a bigger language than french or german in the regard to how many people learn it.

In regards to if people take special notice of it, of course. But its not like they sit there and hate you for it. In fact, none of them will even know if you are a legal resident or what not. I mean really, how would some random person know if you are a legal resident or not?

Better question: is there some kind of mark we should look for to see if you are a legal resident before we get weirded out because you speak spanish?

No, its not a stygma, its indifference.

Example: at the BestBuy I work at, some spanish speaking gentlemen were looking at car audio, and when the department head (who was female) asked if she could help, she was told they wanted to speak to a man about car audio.

What they did not know: she speaks spanish too. She may of been white, but she took it in high school. And it infuriated her what they were saying, she told me they were calling her a "*****" and saying that "why would a woman know about speakers?"

So she got mad and went to the break room. Later, one of the guys came up to customer service and actually brought issue with a manager, because he thought he was being discriminated against!

Me? I dont speak spanish, but every once in a while I get a customer in home theater, or even just people I meet on the street, who speak spanish. What bugs me is that I dont know what they are saying.

At work, I've learned a few times from spanish speaking co-workers I was being called names, and insulted for my weight, and people were saying I knew nothing about home theater equipment.

But I do! I've FIXED some of this stuff before, I know how it works!

So we're just ticked. I mean, how would you like it if you and I were having a conversation in Spanish, and suddenly I started speaking German (assuming you did not know it)? You'd want to know what I was saying, because it might be about you!

And what gets us more: some people (immigrants they have told me themselves) have been in the US for years, and never bothered to learn English! They talk to me through their kids or such.

Imagine what its like on our side, those of us who do not speak spanish do not know if you are being hostile, docile or whatever when you speak spanish. Some people tell us to learn a new language and speak spanish, what we dont understand is why is it we have lived here for all our lives and its the newcomers that get to decide who learns a new langauge?!

My grandfather came here from Ireland only speaking Irish. He learned English out of courtesy, and in his diaries I've read that he was frusterated with his fellow Irishmen who wouldn't learn it too.

Another image: someone new walks into town. You go up to greet them and they just brush past you, and take a job. LAter you learn they cannot speak your language. How are you supposed to get to know them, to understand them?

How can you be neighbors when divided by an invisible wall?

So no, we dont place a stygma on a spanish speaking person. We are just incredibly frustrated.