Talking points # 2 on "Aria" by Rodriguez

Context/Premise

• Teaching
• Public language
• Private language
• Culture
• Family
• Closeness
• Americanization
• Individuality
• Silence
• Lack of concern
• Public society
• English
• Spanish
• Bilingual

Author's argument:

Rodriguez argues that even though English is very important to learn, people that are bilingual should not be discouraged to speak their own language because their language is a special part of their culture. If a family is forced to speak a foreign language like English it is possible that it may hinder communication among the family.

Evidence:

1. Rodriguez said that after English became his primary language he no longer knew what words to use in addressing his parents.
2. Rodriguez said that they remained a loving family, but no longer as close. They no longer were bound together by the knowledge of their public separateness.
3. Rodriguez would have been much happier with his public success he says if he had not recalled what it was like earlier when his family conveyed their intimacy through their private language.

Questions/Comments/Points to share:

This article was sad to read because this family had a very close bond and when they stopped speaking Spanish they began to drift apart. Their language is what made them close and without it they became like a regular American family. They should have been encouraged to learn English, but not encouraged to abandon their language completely. I have a friend who is from Mexico and his family was like Rodriguez's before they stopped speaking Spanish. His family is very close and him and his family do everything together. At home they speak their first language; Spanish. Even when I am over there they speak Spanish and I believe their "private language" brings them closer together.

This article by Rodriguez reminds me of "An Indian Father's Plea" because this young Indian was forced to change his culture just as Rodriguez was. Both Rodriguez and the Indian boy are both culturally different than I am, but that is not neccessarily a bad thing. Both of these people were americanized and their culture was altered because of it. Rodriguez no longer spoke spanish to his family and the Indian boy no longer wanted to do what he was taught to do growing up. So I guess what I am getting at is why are we so against different customs? Not everyone is brought up like me and I accept that and I wish that people could continue to pratice their culture without being discouraged to do so.