Pew Hispanic Center’s new, useful report on English acquisition among Latinos

I was able to “sit in” yesterday on a telephone press conference presenting the findings of their just-out study on what Pew terms the “transition” into English amongst Hispanic immigrants. It was illuminating as is the report.

Here are some salient points:

•“Language is a vehicle for assimilation,” said D’Vera Cohn, one of the report’s writers. The fact that, by the third generation and fourth generation-- i.e. the grandchildren of immigrants—94% of the descendants of immigrants spoke English “very well,” means that this cohort is well-assimilated into the values and culture of mainstream America.

•Puerto Ricans assessed their mastery of English the highest of any other “immigrant” group, with Cubans second and Mexicans last. Only 16% of Mexican immigrants said their English was “very good.” This, explained Ms. Cohn, is probably due to the fact that Mexicans enter the country with the lowest educational levels of all Latinos.

•The younger you are when you arrive, the greater the likelihood of your mastery of English. And the higher your level of education in your home country.

•Data on reading proficiency followed closely those on speaking skills.

For the full report, see:
ENGLISH USAGE AMONG HISPANICS IN THE UNITED STATES

Inglés, español o Spanglish?

Ever spoken to a Latino en español and gotten a stony stare in reply? Ever spoken to a Latino in English and gotten that same cold stare? Think you can get over by using Spanglish?
Well, the LA Times feels your pain. Here's a revealing article on the troubles of navigating between idiomas and how some get or don't get around them.
Suerte!

BIDING THEIR TONGUES