Bilingualism is often times seen as a positive quality to have, however there are still people who do not completely understand why the concept of being able to speak more than one language is a good thing. Franklin Ruff, senior producer for Radio America, says that bilingualism in America is not effective for anybody living in the country and that it is simply being used to accommodate those who speak other languages. There are many American who feel like Ruff, and this mentality leads to discrimination, racism, and using language to oppress those, specifically minorities, that are multilingual. The most common form of oppression that minorities face is discrimination which can include racist and derogatory remarks, such as in the case of …show more content…
In recent times, the minority group that has been facing this oppression the most also happens to be the largest and fastest growing minority group in the United States, the Hispanic community. In 2014 there were 55.4 million Hispanics living in the United States which accounts for 17.4% of the total U.S. population. The average age for the Hispanic population is approximately twenty-nine years old, also making them the youngest of other minority groups (Krogstad and Lopez). The younger generation of Hispanics in America are often times the children of Hispanic immigrants. The children of Hispanic immigrants are thought to be multilingual as well as multicultural. Hispanics who are multilingual are often times fluent in Spanish and English. They learn to speak Spanish because it is their parents dominate language. Spanish is usually spoken at home and around family. Hispanic-Americans also become fluent in English at a young age as they are growing up in an environment where they hear both languages. The language used in conversations varies depending on who is involved in the conversation. Among close family and friends, Spanish and English are often mixed into a combination of Spanglish. The same can be said about the two different cultures. Growing up in a Hispanic home means that they will be raid in the Hispanic culture which can include traditions, food and music, but they will also be aware of the American culture of their home country. Being immersed in both the Hispanic and American culture can be an advantage to Hispanic-Americans. Having the ability to speak another language allows an individual to create job opportunities and help navigate the world, have deeper interaction with people of other cultures, and feel a sense of connection with your heritage, history and family (Kruschewsky,