I am new to this site. I actually joined moments ago. I had no idea such a site existed, so I am actually glad to be able to connect with people who have interesting questions and ideas (or not), and view some photos of DR. I haven't been to DR in over a decade, and it is my plan to visit very soon. (I used to visit a lot as a child.)

I was born and raised in NYC to Dominican parents. I am fluent in both English and Spanish. At home my siblings and I spoke in Spanish to our parents, and English and Spanish to each other (and cousins, etc). Now that we are married and have children of our own, it's inevitable to notice the fact that our children are not fluent in Spanish. We speak in English to our spouses, friends, and most of our family members. Personally, I am very conflicted by this fact, and would love for my son to be bilingual. It seems that at the age of 12, it is getting harder and harder. All of his schoolwork is obviously in English, and so are his extracurricular activities. However, I will try to speak only Spanish a day or so during the week, and see how that goes.

Ok, having expressed that, I would like to know, has it become increasingly difficult for American born and raised Dominicans to "teach" Spanish to their kids? I have noticed that this is more common now... am I alone in feeling this way? What are your thoughts on this?

Thank you for your time and attention.

Interesting topic. Not one I can relate to myself. Welcome to the Forum. Have a nice stay.

Spanish is a very nice language but not as most Dominicans speak it ..they have amusing short cuts and expressions but I think that it is better to learn the language properly

Welcome, Paradise.

I understand how you feel. While I am not a parent, I am a "Dominican American". My father came here when he was 9, and my mother at 19/20. I have 3 sisters. Instead of this loss of language happening generational, it's happening within my siblings. I spoke both languages as a child, and would wax and wane in my ability to speak both (English ultimately taking over). Over the years it kept coming and going for me. By the time I hit high school, I could fake fluency but was not entirely. Once I started working in warehouse/stock jobs I worked with a lot of central Americans and Mexicans (eventually Dominicans) and this helped my fluency incredibly combined with me taking collegiate level Spanish (the amount I knew helped me with this) to improve my basic understanding of the language. I got to the point through practicing and speak no less than 70% Spanish to my parents where by now I don't speak the Castillian I was taught, but like a true Cibaeno which was my eventual goal to reconnect. On to my younger 18 year old sister, she's stuck in that stage of only knowing about 60% of the language and only the Castillian she was taught in school, horrible vocab and bad conjugation. She can communicate, but not well. Then my two 12 year old sisters don't speak a lick, mostly due to being born deaf. So within me and my siblings we speak (or don't) varying levels of fluency to the point that we sound like we're from different generations of Dominican Americans.

I'd say definitely speak a lot to him and combine it with what he learns in school (spanish courses). He'll thank you later, as I can not imagine not being able to speak with 80% of my family who does not speak english and feeling culturally lost.

I love the way we speak, no bull shit. I CAN speak that ridiculous Castellano nonsense, and might in a more formal setting when needed, but ultimately I much more enjoy speaking the way my family does. No country speaks their language "improperly". I could say that about the Scots who sound like they're butchering English.

Welcome to the forum. The same thing happened to the Puerto Rican. Eventually it was just matter of time for us too. Since you were born and raised in the USA you will only try to speak to your kids in English. It is hard for you to speak to them in Spanish even though you know Spanish because probably you dealing most of the time in your life talking in English. You probably never took them to DR on regular basis. What my wife and I did we talk to our kids in Spanish from the moment they were born and made them watch Spanish TV. We take them to DR at least once a year. They talk like pure cibaeno with the i and everything. The thing is that once they go to school they will be talking all the time from them on in English. And yes it feel awkward when I see someone with a Spanish name and you addressed that person in Spanish and they answer you back sorry no Spanish.

First and foremost, welcome to DT, Paradise

Just like you, I am also a Dominican-American born and raised here in the 'States who is bilingual and fluent in both English & Spanish (oral, read, & write). In our case, it has been probably much easier for us to retain our Spanish language because we had to speak it with our parents and most of our relatives who are not fluent in English. In my case, not only was this my situation but I was also fortunate that my mom was very proactive with my brother and I learning to read and write Spanish by regurlarly taking us to DR, having us read books, magazines, newspapers in Spanish and of course make sure that at home we spoke mostly Spanish as well. Also, I was the 'appointed' translator/interpreter for my parents whenever they had to go run errands like doctor's appointments, going to government offices, or speak to companies over the phone . I don't have children but I definitely understand where you're coming from with finding it difficult to have your child speak in Spanish because you speak English as does your child so it's normal to become 'creatures of habit' and become a little careless with speaking Spanish to the youngsters (I'm the same way with my many younger cousins). I guess some suggestions I could give you are to start having your child read in Spanish, speak Spanish more often as you also suggested and I would take it a step further by suggesting that if you're able to do so, have him spend time in DR, especially over summer vacation because if he is "forced" to speak Spanish to communicate he will inevitably get lots of "practice" and start picking up on the language much better.

I am haivng this issue with my kids. I grew up speaking both but I can't seem to speak spanish to my kids. My son just spent three weeks in DR and came back speaking really good spanish and now only wants me to speak to him in spanish. My daughter know her colors and numbers in spanish but is not really interested in learning to speak it. My husband doesn't speak spanish so it's going to be hard. I hope they pick it up because we travel alot to DR and my family makes fun of them.

Make good on his request, it does wonders. It's how I've perfected mine. It was embarrassing at first for me because I NEVER spoke to my parents in Spanish past the age of 8 or so but it's done wonders for my Spanish over the years.

As does mine. They try to be polite, and the one in DR usually are but it's still awkward and makes one feel inferior (This only applies to my younger siblings as I have no problem...now).

They can't usually speak a lick, and when they can it's a deformed version of Spanglish (this only applies to NuYoricans I suppose as there's no degree of Spanish being lost on their Island).

I say for the better, no more "nene", "bendito" or whatever other nonsense they spew.