As I enter through the doors of my house, without a plan I know that the next words will be in Spanish, the one I know no one will judge. It comes naturally, and it’s easy for the family to understand one another. It’s what I call a home language, because even other Spanish speaking families wouldn’t easily understand mine. All cultures have a way of expressing or defining their identity, but among all they share the qualities that each define those differences. A culture may differ from others because of the way they communicate, food, and even celebrations. A culture may also differ with other cultures by beliefs or religion. Ultimately, cultures may even differ from the different conditions that are expected from individuals. Growing in …show more content…
I went to a very diverse school with many Spanish speaking students. At first I thought we shared similar traditions and culture, but at a young age I learned that it wasn 't true. Many of the families of my Spanish speaking peers were from Guatemala. As some of my friends would speak in Spanish, I feared to answer to them in Spanish. My body would urge me to run home, where I was comfortable speaking it. My Spanish accent was very different in comparison to theirs, and it was even harder to understand some of their words. Eventually, my accent wasn 't a problem anymore, but when I had the confidence in speaking in Spanish; the words I was using sounded “silly” I thought, because they didn 't …show more content…
I thought most of my Spanish speaking friends waking up on a Sunday morning to their fresh homemade empanadas, and then listening to national music as everyone in the house got ready to attend to church. Then, I thought that everyone was as bored as a I was while the priest gave the mass. Perhaps I might of asked my close friend from Guatemala about CCD, but at that moment once again her answer reminded me about our differences. My friend wasn’t going to CCD or going to church events to celebrate a saint’s day, because she was actually Christian. At first with the idea that most Hispanics were Catholic, I definitely felt odd to find out that most of my friends were actually Christian. Their religion wasn 't the problem, but rather my expectations of my Hispanic friends, and it bothered me. I then pictured my friend waking up early Sunday morning to her mom’s breakfast, but it was different than mine. The music played in her house didn’t play the same songs as mine, and maybe she did go to her church’s events but not to the ones I went. However, today I’m reminded to embrace not only my language, but my culture, and most of all the beliefs within my
of the native tongue is lost , certain holidays may not be celebrated the same , and American born generations feel that they might have lost their identity , making it hard to fit in either cultures . Was is significant about this book is the fact it’s like telling a story to someone about something that happened when they were kid . Anyone can relate because we all have stories from when we were kids . Alvarez presents this method of writing by making it so that it doesn’t feel like it’s a story about Latin Americans , when
The following paper will be comparative of the cultures and ideas of the Americans and the Spanish. It will be primarily referring to the paper “Lived Ethnicity: Archaeology and Identity in Mexicano America, by Bonnie J. Clark”. The similarities as well as the differences will be discussed. After the comparisons and contrasts have been established, there will be a prediction of what will happen when these two cultures meet and begin to interact with one another.
While reading this article one of the most shocking sections were when the students were talking to Monzó and sharing their outlook on their place and their language’s place in society. These students even at this early age are feeling how devalued their first language has been. They feel like they have to speak the right* English, only use English in public places, never their first language, and that they must assimilate to the American culture as much as possible. This reminded me of a chapter in Lippi-Green (2012)’s text. Within this chapter Lippi-Green (2012) discusses how in the United States Spanish speakers are not only expected to learn English but they are expected to learn and utilize the right* English determined by the majority and assimilate entirely to American culture. Throughout Monzó and Rueda (2009)’s text the children in conversations expressed their observation of the social order in relation to language and race. This was surprising to me since they are only in 5th grade. During a conversation with one of the children Monzó and Rueda (2009) recorded an alarming statement, “He said that his mother could not be considered American because she did not...
Culture can be found in every aspect of life, even if it is not easily identified. Culture can range from the way someone holds his or her head, to his or her taste in music, to the way he or she speaks. It is truly everywhere. American and Hispanic cultures have a multitude of similarities and differences. These similarities and differences set the two cultures apart. However, their similarities bridge the gap between Hispanic and American cultures. Thomas Wolf once said, “culture is arts elevated to a set of beliefs.” This is true in many cultures, including Hispanic and American cultures. All aspects of culture are either verbal or nonverbal communication, which are both forms of art. Speaking is often seemed as a form of art; however, words
Each year there are many people from around the world that want to migrate into the United States making it their permanent home. Culture shapes and designs the world we live in and our place in it. Individuals and societies examine their surroundings through constant interpretations of what they do on a daily basis. Everyone who lives in any part of what we call “society,” are constantly trying to belong to that are they live in. The term “culture” is depicted in a new context, and includes everything from activities and buildings to language and practices of human beings. People from different cultures have characteristically different practices and a practice that is normal and acceptable in one culture may be abnormal and unacceptable in another.
Latinos often use Christian and religious imagery in their writing. The strongly religious memories and values instilled upon during their upbringing are often also used to represent innocence and/or their childhood ( Najarro ). Most Latinos who were raised in the United States had parents who ardently clung to the strict religious beliefs carried with them from their mother country. Therefore as Latinos struggle to connect themselves with their culture they find the Catholic faith strongly rooted in their past.
Cultural value orientations are the, “basic and core beliefs of a culture; that have to deal with one’s relationship with one another and the world” (McCarty & Hattwick, 1992). All cultures may encounter challenges with the media and society of how their beliefs and values are represented. There are several factors that resemble how cultural values influence a culture, more specifically the Hispanic culture in Yuma, AZ. Some of those factors are, the expression of their individual and collective identity through communication, cultures identity expressed though the mass media channels, examples of the value orientations that influence the groups communications behaviors, and one of the major events that challenged Hispanics identities.
Growing up as a Mexican-American, I was exposed to a completely different range of foods, people, and customs. My household was largely filled with images of Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and other numerous saints. These images as well as a number of different candles and incenses demonstrated my cultures’ strong belief in the Catholic faith. Even the food had a distinctive Mexican taste as the flavors combined with the spiciness of peppers produced an overall mouthwatering meal. Spanish was regularly spoken at home in everyday conversations with family and friends. It was not until I started kindergarten and – to a lesser extent, preschool – that I became fully fluent in the English language. However, I began to acquire English long before by watching educational television shows such as Caillou, Dragon Tales, and Clifford the Big Read Dog. I developed a routine pattern of religiously watching these educational shows where the main characters became like close friends constantly teaching me new things and show...
The definition of culture is the behaviors and beliefs characteristic of a social or ethnic group. Some major elements of culture include values, religion, beliefs, language and symbols. The cultures of Spain are European cultures based on a variety of historical influences. The Spanish culture is primarily based on pre-Roman Celtic and Iberian culture. Accordingly, Roman Catholic is the main religion of Spain and serves as a basis for societal norms with the official language of the country being Castilian Spanish. Most countries in the region share identical past colonization, and geographical structure that became vital in the development of each country; consequently, Spain’s physical geography, climate, and history are factors that have molded its socioeconomic status and political state.
Compare and Contrast Between Hispanic Culture and American Culture I. Introduction The Hispanic population has experienced incredible growth in the past decade in the United States of America. In 2006 it was estimated that the Hispanics cover 11% of the population in North America. Their origin is in Mexico and the few Spanish speaking countries in the Caribbean. American culture is derived from people who originated from the European nations like Italy and the Great Britain.
Coping with two different sides of you can be challenging especially in American society. By being bilingual you always have a small character inside of you telling you what to do and how to react. As being an immigrant myself, I agree on the importance of public language. Human beings have a natural instinct to be happy in socially involved activities. To communicate with your peers and have a mutual understanding is a great blessing. However, that doesn’t mean you disregard the importance of your own mother tongue that made you who you are and gave you a unique identity. Using myself as an example, I speak a tribal language that is full of rich culture and identity, signifying the story and history of our people. My father prefers my siblings and I do not speak any English at home and only speak Pashto. I try to go by his sayings because I believe that by living in a western society and going to English speaking schools, I will gradually assimilate into their community and will be able to communicate without difficulty. Contrary, by not speaking Pashto at home and with family, I will not only lose my language, but my intimacy to my unique culture and heritage. Therefore, I believe that you can use your mother language and public language together to only enhance your confidence in both
The Spanish culture is rich in history. They demonstrate a sense of family, religion and community in order to maintain their heritage. My paper will review briefly the Spanish culture and evaluate the contrast and similarities between them and African Americans. This flow chart will range with differences and similarities on religion, socialization and there place in the future of our country. This journey allowed me to learn a great deal.
Our world is made up of many diverse cultures. These cultures have influenced many aspects of this world that we live in today. Understanding and developing knowledge about these cultures is vitally important. Having the ability to understand other cultures will allow you to look deeper into your own cultural values.
Throughout Richards early childhood development he quickly understood that in order to succeed in America he would have to learn to confidently speak in English. Richard is Hispanic American and although he was born in America, Spanish was the only language that he was exposed to as a young child. He grew up in a home where Spanish flowed freely, but he soon realized outside of his home the language that he primarily knew was foreign. His parents spoke fluent Spanish along with all of his relatives. The brief encounters he experienced of his parents speaking English were only in public places and the proficiency was very poor. Rodriguez’s home was as a safety net for him and his Spanish speaking family with they are his only real connections to the outside world. It wasn’t until Richards encounter with his teachers that he and his family was heavily impressed on the importance of developing a public language. After the encouragement of the visit home from a teacher as a family
...xpressing her Chinese culture. Mastering a second language allows her to articulate her and her mother’s thoughts; it is a foundation for her pride and a foundation to express herself. For Gloria Anzaldua, instead of choosing one language over the other, she chose a mix of the two and fights for it. She realized the value of her language when she lost it and now treasures it. The kind of Spanish she speaks is neither English nor Spanish, but both. It is overflowing with culture from Medieval Spain, France, Germany, etc., just from the origins of the words. It is her pride and a representation of herself, fighting and living. In conclusion, in addition to Lera Boroditsky’s article proving that the structure of language affects how we think, the articles by Eric Liu, Amy Tan, and Gloria Anzaldua show how language is a foundation for a person’s culture, pride, and self.