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Jeniffer Nunez

08 November 2017

Professor Batty

English 28

The Meaning of a Language

There are over fifty languages in the world that people use in their daily lives. For

example, I grew up learning Spanish, but also picked up learning English as well. I also learned

other languages by watching TV or listening to music like Sign Language, Italian, and French.

Though I was never told to always speak one language, I would always speak different languages

at a time to my family and friends.

In this world we live in there are some countries where there is only allowed to speak

only one language and be taught on language. As of for here in California adults and children are

allowed to socialize and engage in a conversation with each other in their own way. People

should have the freedom to speak in any language they want every day. Not be told to speak in

one language or forget about their language they are born to speak and be forced to speak only

one language.

Language is the method of human communication, either spoken or written, consisting

the use of words in a structured and conventional way. There are many languages in this world

for people to read, write, and speak.. Language contributes to ones identity by giving away

ones social identity, cultural background, and stereotype.

To begin with, social identity is giving a sense of who a person is based on their group

and appearance. For example, the Garcia girls from the book How the Garcia Girls Lost Their

Accents, they grew up in an island and socialized with their families as how they were taught
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when they were little. (Alvarez: Pg. 12) Standing here in the quiet, she believes she has never felt

at home in the States, never. Yolanda is the second youngest of the Garcia sisters. When she left

her husband, she had an identity crisis, had a eating disorder, and went to a mental hospital for

not knowing or wasnt sure who she was. Her sisters and her had to move to the United States

due to their father (Carlos) getting in trouble with the police. So he got help from a the family

enlisted the help of a CIA operative, Vic, to get them out of the country AND be part of the

Dominican Republic. Which none of the girls, including the mother (Laura) didnt like the living

style they were living in. Laura didnt like having to become middle class in the United States.

Second, cultural background says a lot in a language. For instance, the clothing that

people wear and the homes they live in. People dress differently every day because of their

culture background and who they are. The homes they live in also says a lot of a language and a

persons identity. Not so wealthy people tend to have apartments, live with other people, or rent

a room by themselves or with someone else. As of for wealthy people live in big houses. But,

many choose which they prefer where to live and identity themselves as.

Lastly, stereotype in a language is learning a generic language when growing up

differently. Depending on how the parents prefer to teach their children which language they

want them to learn. Whether, it is one language at a time or two at a time. Some children pick up

learning ore than one language at a time. For example, I grew up learning both Spanish and

English both at the same time. Along with my other siblings, they also grew up learning both

Spanish and English at the same time.

In conclusion, language can identify a persons identity, cultural background, and the

stereotype in a language. People do seem to communicate with one another now a day in their

own language along with a different other language. Language is important in life, especially
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having to learn English. English is mostly talked around the world. Which, many are to know the

English language to communicate to one another here in the United States. But, there are also

translators that are able to translate one language to another to help the other person understand

what another person is saying.

My counterargument for this essay is that people have the freedom to speak which ever

language they are taught. They are able to speak as many in different countries. People can

identify themselves in many ways. No one can be taken away their culture, language, or identity

they grew up being. People have the right to embrace themselves with the culture they grew up

in, the language they grew up speaking, and embrace themselves how they want to be identified

as.

(LEV VYGOTSKY, 1968) LANGUAGE AND CULTURE ARE THE FRAMEWORKDS

THROUGH WHICH HUMANS EXPERIENCE, COMMUNICATE, AND UNDERSTAND

REALITY.

(Geo Willians), You can never understand one language until you understand at least two.
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Work Cited
DUNBAR, RM.Grooming, gossip, and evolution of language. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard
University Press.
c1996., 1996. ISBN: 0674363345.

ALVAREZ, JULIA. How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents. Hill, Chapel: North Carolina
C2010., 2010. ISBN: 9781565129757

COLONA, K. Language Development (education). Research Starters: Education (Online

Edition). 2017