American born Dominican children who do NOT speak Spanish - Santo Domingo

#24 - Posted 26 August 2009, 2:20 AM
kmnupe Location: United States, NYC Join date: January 2008 Member #: 283 Posts: 417	RE: American born Dominican children who do NOT speak Spanish Quote: guillermone previously said: Send your child to the DR for summer vacation. He will pick-up Spanish quickly and probably will never want to come back. But of course, as a minor that would be impossible. However, kind of tells my personal experience. I left the DR at age 2 and grew-up in a small predominately WASP New England town which at the time had no hispanics. I did not return to the DR until I was about the age of 16. When I finally went back, I barely spoke Spanish and what little I knew was spoken with a heavy anglo accent. But that one trip was what did it. I fell in love with my country and people, to the point that today, you could not tell the difference between me and a native. Of course, it helped a lot that I married a Dominican born girl, but really that trip as a teen-ager was what made the difference. When I came back the first thing I did was enroll in High School Spanish. Because, I made a lot of friends I needed to learn to communicate with them in written Spanish. I learned rather quickly, probably because of my strong desire to correspond with my friends and relatives back in the DR. Anyway the rest is history. I did not allow my daughter to grow up like me. She is fully bi-cultural and bi-lingual. Born and raised in the states and just like her father, loves the Dominican culture just as much such as the food, music, people and country. She is even into perico ripao and merengue tipico. Neverheless, regardless of the culture and ethnic background, we must al prepare our children for a globalized world. It is a necesity and important to be not only bi-lingual, but also multi-lingual as well. I enrolled my daughter in the Alliance Française to help her acquire additional language skills and to travel when ever possible. Good Post. Sums it up!
	Post IP: 24.188.1.14*

RE: American born Dominican children who do NOT speak Spanish

Paradise my advice to you is very simple, I am a Dominican American born here to parents that came directly from D.R. I speak both English and Spanish fluently thanks to my mother and father. My mother made sure that I would be bilingual. Her philosophy was that since I live here I will learn to read and write English in the school system, so she only spoke to me in Spanish at home. Still to this day I only speak to them in Spanish every single day. She has always corrected any spanglish mistakes by telling me the correct ways to say things.

I can turn on formal and regular dominican spanish in the blink of an eye. I can also read and write spanish very well, and its all thanks to a bit of guidance and dedication. IMO spanish is a part of your identity that you cannot allow to be dissipated throughout your future family generations, if not I think you'll lose yourselves and give yourself a disadvantage.

Since you and your children all speak English its fine when you watch movies etc but everything else you speak should be in Spanish while at home with no company. You may have a different idea of how to teach them but practice makes perfect and after constant usage they will become pros. I can't tell you how many career opportunities are open to me just because I am Bilingual, so do your best to implement this skill and part of their identities.

#21 - Posted 25 August 2009, 3:40 PM
FredCDobbs Location: Dominican Republic, Parque Colon statue of Anacaona Join date: April 2009 Member #: 2573 Posts: 3334	RE: American born Dominican children who do NOT speak Spanish "WHY IS IT......."IF YOU CROSS THE NORTH KOREAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET 12 YEARS HARD LABOR...... BUT, IF YOU CROSS THE U.S. BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET A DRIVERS LICENSE, SOCIAL SECURITY CARD, WELFARE, FOOD STAMPS, AND FREE HEALTH CARE? My daughter Yaina aka ". Chucky la Nina Diabolica "
	Post IP: 66.98.33.5*

#22 - Posted 25 August 2009, 7:32 PM
HateroPardo Location: Dominican Republic, America Join date: June 2009 Member #: 2891 Posts: 839	RE: American born Dominican children who do NOT speak Spanish Great testimony from everyone. I'm raising a tiny one now, and intend to teach him Spanish before English. I've already started to get into practice and try my best to only speak to him in Spanish, even though he is still an infant. I know it will be an uphill battle with TV and so many around speaking in English. Still between numerous summers over there, his grandmother who will be his nanny, and efforts of my wife and myself, I do think it is achievable. I think it all boils down to how serious the parents are in this matter. Many say they want bilingual kids but will not sit down with their kid and read to them in Spanish, etc. Also some people claim they want to have a bilingual kid but can only BARELY speak either Spanish or English Language is a skill, and like any other it must be kept sharp by reading challenging material and going outside your comfort zone on occasion and trying new conversations. http://englishquisqueya.ning.com
	Post IP: 68.174.68.13*

#23 - Posted 26 August 2009, 1:39 AM
Paradise Location: United States, NYC Join date: August 2009 Member #: 3459 Posts: 8	RE: American born Dominican children who do NOT speak Spanish Hi again, I had a conversation with my son about the topic. He and I agreed that I would speak only Spanish a coupe of times a week. ONLY SPANISH. He expressed to me that he really wants to be bi-literate. Today, we listened to songs in Spanish (salsa) and he enjoyed it very much. Your replies are very encouraging to me... THANK YOU. I know that studies indicate that the plasticity of a young brain allows children to acquire a (second) language faster and easier. So if some of you significantly improved your Spanish at an older age, this only shows that dedication and true desire really matter. I am well aware that it takes time, and continued effort. The payoff, however, is priceless: more opportunities in the future as well as a better connection with family and culture. Thanks again. GN.
	Post IP: 69.119.242.17*

#26 - Posted 26 August 2009, 6:51 PM
The_Analyst Location: United States, NY/NJ Join date: March 2009 Member #: 2281 Posts: 87	RE: American born Dominican children who do NOT speak Spanish Paradise my advice to you is very simple, I am a Dominican American born here to parents that came directly from D.R. I speak both English and Spanish fluently thanks to my mother and father. My mother made sure that I would be bilingual. Her philosophy was that since I live here I will learn to read and write English in the school system, so she only spoke to me in Spanish at home. Still to this day I only speak to them in Spanish every single day. She has always corrected any spanglish mistakes by telling me the correct ways to say things. I can turn on formal and regular dominican spanish in the blink of an eye. I can also read and write spanish very well, and its all thanks to a bit of guidance and dedication. IMO spanish is a part of your identity that you cannot allow to be dissipated throughout your future family generations, if not I think you'll lose yourselves and give yourself a disadvantage. Since you and your children all speak English its fine when you watch movies etc but everything else you speak should be in Spanish while at home with no company. You may have a different idea of how to teach them but practice makes perfect and after constant usage they will become pros. I can't tell you how many career opportunities are open to me just because I am Bilingual, so do your best to implement this skill and part of their identities.
	Post IP: 69.115.197.12*

#27 - Posted 26 August 2009, 7:30 PM
Perez Location: Dominican Republic Join date: March 2008 Member #: 443 Posts: 240	RE: American born Dominican children who do NOT speak Spanish Same thing here, I was born in NY and my parents came from DR. It was thanks to them that spanish became my first language because my parents always talked to me in spanish. If you are born in U.S. there should be no excuse not to speak spanish well , unless you are ashamed or Your parents didn't taught you some spanish. But I'm pretty sure that they have bilingual classes why not enroll your kids there?. It is very important for their future, and that way, they can have an identity. I talked to some folks that don't speak spanish eventhough their family are from a spanish speaking country, and let me tell you, it is ugly, ugly, ugly!
	Post IP: 71.75.9.11*

#25 - Posted 26 August 2009, 2:22 AM
kmnupe Location: United States, NYC Join date: January 2008 Member #: 283 Posts: 417	RE: American born Dominican children who do NOT speak Spanish Quote: FredCDobbs previously said: "WHY IS IT......."IF YOU CROSS THE NORTH KOREAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET 12 YEARS HARD LABOR...... BUT, IF YOU CROSS THE U.S. BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET A DRIVERS LICENSE, SOCIAL SECURITY CARD, WELFARE, FOOD STAMPS, AND FREE HEALTH CARE? Because you got to be out of your mind to cross into N. Korea and you're punished for being a complete MORON! ...Sorry for the Hijack lol!
	Post IP: 24.188.1.14*

#28 - Posted 26 August 2009, 7:44 PM
JARABACOENCE Location: United States, THE SKE Join date: August 2009 Member #: 3443 Posts: 119	RE: LOLOLOLOL Quote: kmnupe previously said: Quote: FredCDobbs previously said: "WHY IS IT......."IF YOU CROSS THE NORTH KOREAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET 12 YEARS HARD LABOR...... BUT, IF YOU CROSS THE U.S. BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET A DRIVERS LICENSE, SOCIAL SECURITY CARD, WELFARE, FOOD STAMPS, AND FREE HEALTH CARE? Because you got to be out of your mind to cross into N. Korea and you're punished for being a complete MORON! ...Sorry for the Hijack lol!
	Post IP: 170.232.192.1*

#29 - Posted 26 August 2009, 9:26 PM
Paradise Location: United States, NYC Join date: August 2009 Member #: 3459 Posts: 8	RE: American born Dominican children who do NOT speak Spanish The Analyst & Perez, Thank you. Your advice makes a lot of sense.
	Post IP: 69.119.242.17*

#30 - Posted 26 August 2009, 10:50 PM
chillaxin201 Location: Dominican Republic, Boycott Dominican Tourism Join date: May 2008 Member #: 731 Posts: 2064	RE: American born Dominican children who do NOT speak Spanish Quote: kmnupe previously said: Quote: FredCDobbs previously said: "WHY IS IT......."IF YOU CROSS THE NORTH KOREAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET 12 YEARS HARD LABOR...... BUT, IF YOU CROSS THE U.S. BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET A DRIVERS LICENSE, SOCIAL SECURITY CARD, WELFARE, FOOD STAMPS, AND FREE HEALTH CARE? Because you got to be out of your mind to cross into N. Korea and you're punished for being a complete MORON! ...Sorry for the Hijack lol! Why is it that if you come from CUBA, you become a resident as soon as you step ground on U.S. soil. Fred, don't attack people that come from other countries illegally. They don't come here just because they want to. They come because they have to. People risk their lives trying to come to the U.S., Cubans in life rafts, Dominicans heading to Puerto Rico and Mexicans with the Border. And getting married for papers is up to $30,000 U.S. NEGATIVE things that the UNITED STATES HAS DONE IN LATIN AMERICA , HAS FORCED people to leave their country for years... My family exiles of Balaguer!!!!!!!!! Who put Balaguer in power in 1966? and kept him there for 12 years? Edited on 8/26/2009 10:56 PM by chillaxin201.
	Post IP: 173.52.79.16*

March 19, 2010, Updated 7:17 AM
Search

Login \| Not a member? Create your account \| Lost your password?
User		Password

Advertisement
Sponsored Links