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These texts help reinforce the importance of Spanish in New York Puerto Ricans' lives. The authors continue, "When visiting the Bronx, Spanish is inescapable; it is on the radio, in the stores and on the streets. Even if you are speaking English to a Bronx Puerto Rican, many times they will respond back to you in Spanish, especially if you are of Latino descent" (Garcia and Nieves-Ferreri). Spanish is the language that makes the people comfortable, and the text also shows that other nationalities, like Chinese and Arabs, who do business in the area, learn to speak Spanish and English to help give them a better rapport and understanding of their customers.
Spanish is the language of the family, and it is the language of the working class in New York. Another author continues, "It [Spanish] is used more in working class families, while English is more frequent in middle class families. It is the preferred language for speaking to parents and spouses. There is strong emotional loyalty to Spanish, although it is not seen as the defining feature of being Puerto Rican (Pousada). This is interesting, because it shows that the family, especially first-generation immigrants are hungry to hold on to their language and culture, not just because they are Puerto Ricans, but also because they are...
They are proud of their culture, their history, and their roots and they are not afraid to show it to the world. That does not mean that Puerto Ricans do not want to speak English. Author Pousada continues, "English is highly regarded for instrumental reasons (education, employment, etc.), and is used in all formal public meetings. It is the preferred language for speaking with friends, workmates, and job superiors. Students use English almost exclusively when speaking to their siblings" (Pousada). This points out how Puerto Ricans blend into New York (and other) societies. They make a point of blending into society where it is important, while retaining their culture, values, and language where it is also important, in the home and in their personal relationships.
The message that not speaking English is not "politically correct" is reinforced in at least some of the media, but other media, such as Spanish-language newspapers and televisions stations and such, actually cater to the idea that Spanish should be preserved to safeguard and help retain culture. The biggest detractors seem to be conservative people who are against immigration due to misunderstanding and/or bigotry. These people seem to believe that when a person moves to this country, they should immediately somehow learn
New York City: An Examination of Urban Design and Space Function as it Relates to Civic Participation The objective of this study is to examine urban design and space function as it relates to civic participation in New York City. Kevin Lynch conducted systematic and scientific-based research on urban design in his exploration of the elements of urban design. Lynch stated that every individual "has had a long association with some
In addition, Lett (1987) emphasizes that, "Cultural materialists maintain that a society's modes of production and reproduction determine its social structure and ideological superstructure, but cultural materialists reject the metaphysical notion of Hegelian dialectics that is part of dialectical materialism" (80). Indeed, according to Bradshaw (1993), "the British cultural materialist knows that the 'radical,' 'subversive,' 'marginal,' or 'dissident' perspective is always superior (9). This author maintains that British cultural
While in high school, she worked as a waitress at a local diner. Most of the population was black, therefore there was little contact with white customers or employees. Margaret feels that she was socially isolated until the 1950s. She was not exposed to white culture; it was foreign to her. She was only exposed to black culture of the time. They were not allowed in certain stores, restaurants,
Cultural Awareness Americans have traditionally celebrated the diversity of cultures that comprises the United States. Despite some reservations, much of the country still believes that the amalgamation of different ethnicities contributes to the richness of American culture. The merging of cultures in the United States has also given rise to conflicts and collisions, as established concepts are confronted and challenged. New belief systems, often developed over centuries, have already redefined prevailing Western
Cultural Studies Comparative and historical analysis are concepts that describe analyzing events in their historical context, by comparing them with other events that have occurred in the past. Events that occur today do not occur in a vacuum, but rather they always have context. The first chapter mentions the confusion in Britain when it was revealed that a suicide bomb attack on that country was carried out by Anglo-Jamaicans. The context
HIV Prevention Cultural Change Typically, culture is defined as a unique way of life that is both shared and developed by a group of people that is passed down from generation to generation and provides a framework that organizes society. While there are differing cultural formations, and these formations depend on a number of complex elements, there are also several similarities that allow a greater "macro" human culture, and various levels of