Almaden Resident

Letters & Opinions

Learning English needn't mean turning back on native language

By Bob Kieve

Our governor thinks that Spanish-speaking immigrants who want to learn English should turn off their Spanish-language television sets.

That observation set off some fireworks. If I had any sense, I'd stay out of the line of fire, especially since, as the operator of two English-language radio stations, I could be said to have a conflict of interest.

But I think I can make the observation more palatable.

As a recent commentary in the Mercury News noted, immigrants should not be encouraged into abandoning their language and their culture and I don't believe that that was the governor's intention. Indeed, instead of "turn off the Spanish-language television sets," he might have said, "give time to the English-language TV."

And that would make sense. People who wish to learn a new language can advance their cause by spending as much time as possible with the media in the new language. Many years ago, stationed in Spain and knowing not a word of Spanish, I gave much attention to Spanish newspapers, magazines and radio. (There was no television at the time.) I didn't give up reading and listening to English. Didn't abandon my American culture. But I soon became passably proficient in Spanish.

That's the routine I believe the governor really had in mind. It's a worthy idea.

Bob Kieve's opinions are heard on radio stations KLIV and KRTY.