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Immigrant Languages | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Cultural Experiences in Foreign Languages |  | |
| LorenzoGuapo Triglot Groupie United States Joined 6269 days ago 79 posts - 94 votes  Speaks: English*, Spanish, Portuguese Studies: French | Message 1 of 2 23 August 2010 at 1:07am | IP Logged |
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Here is a video in Portuguese about Russian immigrants still speaking Russian and holding on to their culture, I know many immigrants speak to their children in their native language but my question is, how long do you think these languages can last outside the country where it is spoken? 1 generation, 2, or more?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiPnQY9CFYA 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| galindo Bilingual Triglot Senior Member United States Joined 5032 days ago 142 posts - 248 votes Speaks: English*, Spanish*, Japanese Studies: Korean, Portuguese | Message 2 of 2 24 August 2010 at 3:15am | IP Logged |
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It's pretty much the same everywhere: The original immigrants often never learn their new country's language, but their kids end up bilingual. Then, the grandchildren are often primarily monolingual, knowing only a little bit of their grandparent's language (and better at understanding than speaking). Of course, that's only if they live near the grandparents. If they don't, chances are they will be 100% monolingual.
By the fourth generation, the family has become completely absorbed by their new country, and while they might pass on traditional customs or recipes, their old language has disappeared. That's why it's so funny to hear people complain about immigrants in the US not learning English; that's the way it's always been. Immigrants set up little enclaves and try to hold on to their culture, but each successive generation loses more of it, and the process doesn't actually take that long. 2 persons have voted this message useful |
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