2 in 3 Hispanics Living in US Can’t Understand Basic English, Even When They’ve Lived in America for 15 Years – IOTW Report

2 in 3 Hispanics Living in US Can’t Understand Basic English, Even When They’ve Lived in America for 15 Years

hispanic communities self-segregate, which prevents them from learning English proficiently

NationalEconomics-

A new study done by the Center For Immigration Studies (CIS) finds that 67% of Hispanic immigrants have a “below basic” understanding of the English language, making them functionally illiterate (in English) in their daily lives.

Even more surprising: English language proficiency was not strongly correlated with the length of time said immigrants lived in the US.

In fact, the study observed almost no difference in English language skills between newly arrived Hispanic immigrants, and those who have lived in the US for 15 years.

And to be clear, this study was not focused on illegal immigrants (migrants)—we are talking about legal immigrants to America, who have been given citizenship status.

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26 Comments on 2 in 3 Hispanics Living in US Can’t Understand Basic English, Even When They’ve Lived in America for 15 Years

  1. They can’t be bothered to learn since everyone bends over backwards in Commiefornia to accomodate them in Spanish. In other words, laziness.

    My son goes to Germany every year for one to three months for horse competitions. He has a strong desire to learn German so he can communicate with the German trainers and just function there. Some towns where he stays are pretty small and not everyone speaks English. He practices German on an app all year and can speak as well as write a pretty decent amount of the language. He is working with a Czech horse trainer this summer and they communicate in German! No language laziness there.

  2. Cowgirl, I do confess one reason a long weekend in Prag was so enjoyable for me (my friend’s mom, who is originally from there, too me) is because so many people there speak German, so it made it easier to go around and do things. BUT I hastily add that there are many incentives and fun ways they have around the city for people to pick up Czech words, and by the time you leave from even a long weekend, you could have a decent amount of basic Czech phrases and conversation starters. And if you speak Czech to a Czech, they love it, you don’t get stupid stares at your stumbling progress (like in some countries). They are super nice; I love it there.

  3. Heck. I’d be happy if ordinary Americans could speak English.
    In a coherent way that doesn’t inject new, made up words every other day. I’ve given up on the La Raza losers and their lost cause.

  4. @Lisl, it looks like a difficult language! What sorts of ways do they encourage people to pick up a few words? I do like trying to speak in the language of the country I visit!

  5. It’s only polite to attempt to speak the native language of the host country. If you’re not proficient it can provide some hilarity as well. But the attempt is usually appreciated.

  6. I can vouch for this. A co-worker and her mom came here to CA in the early ’90s from El Salvador. Her mom still speaks no English. She can’t even answer when I say hello. She can’t write her own name, either.

  7. IT’S VERY SIMPLE.

    You require these mexican children to attend 500 seat LECTURE HALLS after school, on the weekend, and 1 (not 20 dumb liberals), bi-lingual teacher conducts English class. You are exempt when you can pass a level proficiency exam.

    SAME WITH IMMIGRANTS. You keep your immigrant status as “pending” until you can prove you can speak English. Every year, when you renew, the immigration office gives you a speaking comprehension test. You fail, you lose your immigrant status and can be deported back to your country.

    GUESS WHAT? Other countries already do this! They don’t just give that shit away for nothing, you gotta earn it.

  8. Italian

    “pesh-shay” is fish. Pesce
    “pes-Kay” is peach. Pesche.

    Hilarity ensued when I got a very nice iced tea and complimented the barista.

    Nice iced tea. What is the flavor? Fish? He looked at me funny until I realized that I had screwed up and then
    I corrected myself
    Then we both erupted in laughter after I explained my pesce/pesche confusion.

  9. I remember that I had to take an English Test when I became American citizen. Looks like they changed some things now: —From U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) site:
    “You Are Exempt From The English Language Requirement, But Are Still Required To Take The Civics Test If You Are: Age 50 or older at the time of filing for naturalization and have lived as a permanent resident (green card holder) in the United States for 20 years (commonly referred to as the “50/20” exception).Jun 1, 2015”
    Exceptions & Accommodations | USCIS
    https://www.uscis.gov › us-citizenship ›

  10. It fries my potatoes every time a baseball player (making many millions of american dollars per year) needs a translator for an interview even tho he’s been in the minor leagues 5 years and the majors for 5 years – 10 years and the sob can’t say “basa-ball been goot fer me.” He can’t learn the language but he can take the dinero (Latin American Baseball Hall of Fame my a–.)

  11. The welfare department has printed all it’s materials in Spanish for decades.
    I had a dose of this crap today at the dentist. Mexican in the chair down the hall with a translator. Her translator said she has been in the US since 1993. ‘Too old’ to learn the language but not to old to be using government benefits paid for by working stiffs.

  12. This is despicable.

    Whenever I travel to an Espanol speaking country – ON VACATION – I tale a dictionary/ phrase book with me. I try to speak asuch Espanol as possible, out of respect to the host country and I am a guest/ visitor.

    It infuriates me whenever some longtime legal and/ or illegal person Hispanic here refuses to learn our language. They are disrespecting my nation!

    All I have to say to them is this – ! Me te de la lengua en el culo de tu Madre !

  13. If I moved to Mexico Id learn Spanish first , hell you cant tell friend from foe without being able to understand them.When I lived in Florida I went looking for a restroom on south beach and it took forever to find anyone who spoke English. They should only speak English in schools and to be a legal citizens .

  14. The Older Mexicans were True Indians when I Was Younger ! They Came From a Hunter Gatherer Backround so While they were Learned in their ways, they had no chance Here ! So their Children supported them and they were never expected to Learn English really ! But they set up a Community so quickly that they were able to do without English… Change the Ballots now !

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