[78-L] speaking english,

[fnarf at comcast.net]

When I was doing extensive newspaper research in places like Minnesota and Iowa, I found that the Midwest states up until about WWI, and in some cases WWII, had dozens upon dozens of German-language newspapers for the many first-generation immigrants who, like all first-generation immigrants, struggled with English, or never tried. The second gen speaks both; the third gen only English. This has always been true.

Polish and Norwegian and, ahem, "Bohunk" ones too.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Geoffrey Wheeler" <dialjazz at verizon.net>
To: 78-l at klickitat.78online.com
Sent: Thursday, April 29, 2010 11:37:34 AM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific
Subject: [78-L]  speaking english,

Buster warns: “Caution, xenophobe alert:”

I would venture to guess that many mid-size city newspapers get letters 
from readers harping on “speak English”  I live in a Midwest city with 
a strong Central European ethnic base. Many of these letter-writers 
have last names that suggest that heritage. In writing their letters, 
they seem to have forgotten that when their ancestors came here, they 
likely spoke little or no English. What cities today provide the 
programs New York City had in the 1920s and ’30s, and perhaps earlier, 
to help immigrants acclimate to the language, American civics, and 
other aspects of American city life? As for Tim James, never trust a 
politician with two first names.
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