The Identity of an American Puerto Rican Essay example -- Race Identit

The Identity of an American Puerto Rican Am I "American" or "Puerto Rican", a question that wanders along the halls of my mind all the time? Many Puerto Ricans might not agree, but I feel that I am, "American", Puerto Rican American that is. As a child my own parents deprived me of my culture and true identity. They spoke to me in a language that many Puerto Ricans refused or detested to learn, English. The only thing I can actually say that I know about Puerto Rican heritage is the comida we shared during family gatherings. "In Spanish the words are habichuelas con arroz; in English, rice and beans; and in any language they translate into the food staples of island life" (p. 59, Fernandez). I went to Puerto Rico when I was four years old and haven’t been ever since. I remember limbers and roosters crowing and hot floors burning my feet but nothing about my generations past. It’s sad to know nothing about an island that many of my own kind are very proud of. I’m clueless of what my Puerto Rican people h ave actually been through. Political, economics, social relations and identity issues, what about them, I wonder. All I know about the island’s history is that we are Puerto Ricans from an island in the Caribbean called Puerto Rico. We are Puerto Rican Americans to my knowledge. We are Puerto Rican Americans because we are a commonwealth island being assisted by the American Government so that gives us some affiliation to being American. Those of us who were born and raised in the United States are Puerto Rican Americans whether we want to admit it or not. The majority deny that they are American, maybe because of our historical past with governmental issues and struggles in the early and late eighteenth century. Who knew we w... ...r school day mornings with the pledge of allegiance, the "Star Spangled Banner", and "America the Beautiful", teachers hoped to instill the love of country that would make islanders 100 percent Americans" (p.56, Fernandez). Americans had many visions for the Island of Puerto Rico of which many, till this day, are still trying to be touched on. From fighting the Spanish-American War to invading the island, the Puerto Rican people did not once stop fighting for what was there’s. Americans tried so hard to make Puerto Rico a little America but through many struggles, were denied all rights. Puerto Ricans have to admit that, though they are not an official state of the United States of America, they are in a sense, still Americans because they have citizenship. And because some finally accepted the English language as a second language, whether by choice or by force. The Identity of an American Puerto Rican Essay example -- Race Identit The Identity of an American Puerto Rican Am I "American" or "Puerto Rican", a question that wanders along the halls of my mind all the time? Many Puerto Ricans might not agree, but I feel that I am, "American", Puerto Rican American that is. As a child my own parents deprived me of my culture and true identity. They spoke to me in a language that many Puerto Ricans refused or detested to learn, English. The only thing I can actually say that I know about Puerto Rican heritage is the comida we shared during family gatherings. "In Spanish the words are habichuelas con arroz; in English, rice and beans; and in any language they translate into the food staples of island life" (p. 59, Fernandez). I went to Puerto Rico when I was four years old and haven’t been ever since. I remember limbers and roosters crowing and hot floors burning my feet but nothing about my generations past. It’s sad to know nothing about an island that many of my own kind are very proud of. I’m clueless of what my Puerto Rican people h ave actually been through. Political, economics, social relations and identity issues, what about them, I wonder. All I know about the island’s history is that we are Puerto Ricans from an island in the Caribbean called Puerto Rico. We are Puerto Rican Americans to my knowledge. We are Puerto Rican Americans because we are a commonwealth island being assisted by the American Government so that gives us some affiliation to being American. Those of us who were born and raised in the United States are Puerto Rican Americans whether we want to admit it or not. The majority deny that they are American, maybe because of our historical past with governmental issues and struggles in the early and late eighteenth century. Who knew we w... ...r school day mornings with the pledge of allegiance, the "Star Spangled Banner", and "America the Beautiful", teachers hoped to instill the love of country that would make islanders 100 percent Americans" (p.56, Fernandez). Americans had many visions for the Island of Puerto Rico of which many, till this day, are still trying to be touched on. From fighting the Spanish-American War to invading the island, the Puerto Rican people did not once stop fighting for what was there’s. Americans tried so hard to make Puerto Rico a little America but through many struggles, were denied all rights. Puerto Ricans have to admit that, though they are not an official state of the United States of America, they are in a sense, still Americans because they have citizenship. And because some finally accepted the English language as a second language, whether by choice or by force.

Texting, Bad or Good

When it comes to texting, people either love it, hate it, or just don’t even try because they may feel that they are â€Å"too old for that young people stuff†. Some people will promote it as one of the easiest ways to communicate or consider it a waste of time and murderous to the English language. I, for one, consider it a blessing and a curse. I can see both sides of the subject. I do agree that people shouldn’t text in some situations or places where it is considered rude, dangerous, or where it would take away from the human interaction that people need to mentally survive. Some may argue that with the rise of texting, it has hindered our grammar, the way we interact with others, and possibly our business relations. I used to be a cashier at a grocery store, and from a personal point of view, when the customers were on their cell phone, it made my job as a cashier rough to do. When that happens, the person isn't paying attention because they are busy texting or talking to someone on their phone. It made the job difficult because you were trying to get their attention for a payment method and sometimes had to repeat yourself two or three times. Then, other customers waiting get impatient and look at you like you aren’t doing your job in a speedy fashion. On the other hand, texting can be great and beneficial in some situations. I’ve been in some situations where it was easier to send a text message. At my church I either play the piano or I’m in the sound booth doing the Media for service. From the sound booth to the platform, it’s at least one hundred feet or more. There have been occasions where people on the platform and sound booth needed to tell each other something about the sound or some other situation. It was easier and faster to send a text message to each other rather than trying to read facial expressions or hand signals. All in all, texting is what you make of it. There are some situations in which you need to have respect and not text, such as classrooms, church, and driving in your automobile for example. The thing to do is use common sense and think, â€Å"Is this safe? Is this respectful to others? If I were teaching, would I be okay with people’s attention being divided? † Most of all, we need to just use our brain and use moderation. We can survive without our phones. Our society survived for hundreds of years without mobile devices. I’m pretty sure we could too if we had to.

English Is An International Business Language - 1399 Words

The surest factor in accelerating the development of a universal way of life is proved by the spread of English. Language - the great agent of homogenization, it is the wave on which culture is transmitted. If English becomes the main language of communication, the consequences are obvious: culture of English-speaking countries will be dominant in the world. English is the first universal global language. Although there may be as many people who speak different dialects of Chinese language, as well as English-speaking, nevertheless, English is undoubtedly more distributed geographically, really it is more versatile than the Chinese. And it grows rapidly amazing. The aim of the research is to prove, that English is an international business language. Background A few decades ago, English and Russian languages were the international languages of communication. But after the collapse of the Soviet Union interest to the Russian language fell slightly, and nowadays English prevails in the arena of international communication. Its distribution contributes to objective and subjective reasons: the power of speaking in English (US, UK). The distribution map of the English language covers almost the entire planet Earth. Apart from the fact that around half a billion citizens of the planet believe English as a mother tongue, more than six hundred million people choose the English as the second language. English gradually began to migrate to the colonies and had to be used by localShow MoreRelatedThe Importance of Understanding Cultural Differences in International Business Communications950 Words   |  4 Pagesglobalization, organizations rely on international transactions to take place to keep their business running. Even with knowledge of how important international interactions are for their companies’ success, miscommunication occurs and someone involved in the transaction is left scratching his or her head. This is a result of the lack of cultural training and understanding. This paper will discuss the different implications that have been discussed in the international business world. This paper will addressRead MoreWho Do You Choose the Major of English to Study?1336 Words   |  6 Pageschoose the major of English to study? Why do you choose the major of English to study? There are three reasons why we choose the major of English to study: English is an international language There are 1,500,000,000 people in the world speak English, and 1,000,000,000 people are learning it while 75% of the world’s letters and postcards are written in English. Despite China, the United States is still a leader in technical innovation and economic development. English is used in the UnitedRead MoreEnglish Is A Global Language1474 Words   |  6 PagesEnglish is a global language in the earth Language is a form of communication between human beings. There are hundredths or thousandths of languages in all around the world. Everyday people communicate in different forms using language , Everyday people communicate in different forms using language. Out of all the languages, there is one common language used by everyone which is English . The English that is now used as an international language around the world . English is currently spokenRead MoreEssay English: A Friend or Foe?666 Words   |  3 PagesToday English is the language of international law, international politics, business and diplomacy. Day by day more minor languages disappear, and English becomes more commonly used and global. Scholars argue about how globalization of English and bilingualism around the world would affect other languages and cultures. Most of my friends think that bilingualism and globalization of English will improve the lives of people around the world; however, the situation will only encourage competition andRead MoreEnglish in the World Today1733 Words   |  7 PagesEnglish as an international language Of the 4,000 to 5,000 living languages, English is by far the most widely used. As a mother tongue, it ranks second only to Chinese, which is effectively six mutually unintelligible dialects little used outside China. On the other hand the 300 million native speakers of English are to be found in every continent, and an equally widely distributed body of second language speakers, who use English for their day-to-day needs, totals over 250 million. Finally, ifRead MoreEssay on English Language: The International Language515 Words   |  3 Pages Language is important because its one of the main ways to communicate and interact with other people around us. It keeps us in contact with other people. English language is an example for the importance of a language because it is the international language and has become the most important language to people in many parts of the world. It is most widely used in communicating around the world, Also it is spoken as the first language in many countries. English is playing a major roleRead MoreCase Study Review: Language and Globalization: â€Å"Englishnization† at Rakuten1199 Words   |  5 Pages1 Was â€Å"Englishnization† a good idea for Rakuten? What are the costs/benefits of such a policy? Rakuten’s decision for â€Å"englishnization† of the company is 100% in line with the trend that â€Å"English is now the global Language of Business† Englishnization of global corporations: Strategy is Needed by Sebastian Reiche blog.iese.edu It still doesn’t mean an easy transition. People naturally oppose any changes and that can lead to higher costs especially in the beginning stages. The way MikitaniRead MoreLearning A Foreign Language : Your Choice921 Words   |  4 PagesForeign Language: Your Choice Introduction It is certainly true that English is the ‘lingua franca’ of the business world, however this does not necessarily equate to â€Å"I speak English, so I do not need to learn another language†. The movie ‘Lost in Translation’ received good acclaim in 2003 for the portrayal of two Americans meeting in Japan ponders over themes such as loneliness, alienation, struggles that mono lingual English speakers face when they are forced to rely on the language skills ofRead MoreGlobalization Of The English Language1249 Words   |  5 Pagesout of four of the world’s population speaks English to some level of competence† (NADRAG, TIHENEA, and STAN, 2013). It is well known that English is a globally used language and holding balance internationally, but after all how can we ‘dig deeper’ into it? Although undisputedly English is today’s international lingua franca, the comprehension of globalization of the English language of its hi storical origin, further consequences (to other non-English speaking nations), and trend of benefit withRead MoreEnglish Language866 Words   |  4 PagesProject-English English Project Presented by: Date: May 10, 2012 Index 1. Presentation Page 2. Index 3. Introduction 4. Origin of English Language 5. Origin of the English Language 6. Origin of the English Language 7. How did the English Language spread around the world? amp; English as a major business communication around the world. } 8. Conclusion Introduction The English Language has been spoken for many years, in this project I will talk about