GIVE A CENTIMETRE AND THEY TAKE A METRE

TODAYS WORRY

It’s time for Americans to wake up.  While we have been so engrossed in making sure that new immigrants from south of the border speak English officially, according to the NY Times today the French Americans in Maine have been slowly reinsinuating their native language.

Long ridiculed as “stupid Frenchmen” who spoke neither English nor the French spoken in Paris, these Americans are finding their roots.  A whole generation was punished for speaking French in school and ultimately shunned their language.  Now in Maine under sunnier linguistic skies, they are joining French conversational classes and sending their children to full-immersion French schools.

One wonders if today’s mainstream thought of “English only” will apply to these French speakers.  Or are we only interested in making sure that Spanish speakers don’t take over? 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *