Sam Quinn #3

1. YES I speak English.
2. This is something I've often wondered about language/print in the role of forming a nation, and I think it has a huge influence on a nation's development, despite normally being overlooked.

I remember once as a little kid, following my older sister around the mall as she shopped for prom dresses. We had driven up to D.C. for the day to explore some of the larger malls, and my feet were killing me, so I probably complained a ton to my Mom and older sister. However, I recall sitting outside of te dressing room and seeing two hispanic women talking by a clothes rack near me. They were speaking Spanish, & I had no clue what they were saying. That day, little kid me had some big thoughts about language--I just remember blowing my own mind haha. Pretty much, it still baffles me to a certain point today, how one can manage in a new place or country and learn to pick up the language. I know, I know...with enough time people can manage, but I just think it must be so intimidating and frightening not knowing how to communicate! Besides tht, I think sometimes we have a tendency to be less patient with people who are more difficult to understand/have an accent, than those who have a solid knowledge of English. The two women were in front of us at the register, and spoke fragmented English, yet I was super impressed with them at the time, wondering how long they had been speaking English, and if they thought it was hard to learn.

Nowadays, when I reflect on the idea of language, both spoken and written, as it relates to defining and unifying a nation, I understand it's importance. I think it gives people more of a sense of national identity, but I also think that in the U.S. (where people often speak many different languages), it has become a bit of a barrier...the same way it would in other nations. Namely with the impatience and intolerance sometimes shown to people whose second language is clearly English. I just find tat to be a bit of a bummer, and I'll share a personal story to explain my sentiments. One of my best friends at this school is Korean: he moved over here a couple years ago, attended high school and has only been speaking English for 4 years now. At William and Mary, he has a 3.8 GPA, has held many internships with various financial companies, and is one of the most down to earth people I know. Yet every once and a while, he'll mention that people make fun of his accent, or how his emails are phrased.

While I understand that language is important in regulation what a nation standards are, etc, I also just get confused with how we treat people who are clearly trying to overcome this barrier. It takes time!!! And while I know other nations treat others the same way too, I just wish it would happen less...murr :/