1 / 24

LAVIS III Language acquisition and social integration of Hispanics in NE Mississippi

LAVIS III Language acquisition and social integration of Hispanics in NE Mississippi. Patricia M. Lestrade Mississippi State University. Effects of Immigration Laws. 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) Amnesty Provision in IRCA 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

trula
Download Presentation

LAVIS III Language acquisition and social integration of Hispanics in NE Mississippi

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. LAVIS IIILanguage acquisition and social integration of Hispanics in NE Mississippi Patricia M. Lestrade Mississippi State University

  2. Effects of Immigration Laws • 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) • Amnesty Provision in IRCA • 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

  3. Purposes of study • Hispanic demographics • Hispanic opinions about life in MS • Language acquisition and use

  4. IV NE Mississippi 20 counties Tupelo Starkville Eupora V III I VI II

  5. Questionnaire in Tupelo (54 volunteers) • 31 Interviews in Eupora, Starkville, and Tupelo

  6. Population 34,400 500 Latinos II

  7. Starkville Population 22,000 300 Latinos

  8. Eupora Population 2,300 90 Latinos

  9. Demographic results(85 informants) • Young: Average age 29.5 • 70% married; 90% live with family • 54%: 8-12 yrs of school • 35%: 1-6 years of school • <10% speak English well

  10. Services to Hispanics in NE Mississippi • Churches: Spanish services and English classes • Community college: English classes • Established Latino residents

  11. Poor course attendance • Teachers do not speak Spanish • Vocabulary inappropriate • Scheduling • All classes very elementary

  12. Television as language aid • 40 of 54 have satellite access • Only 20 of 40 watch any English language programming • 7 of 14 without satellite never watch television

  13. English at work • Repetition by customers • Gestures and paralinguistic cues • Bilingual or sympathetic co-workers

  14. Away from work • Avoid asking questions • Watch cash register totals • Point to menu items • Go out with someone who speaks English

  15. Living in Mississippi • Why Mississippi? Work, cost of living, safety • Language problem? • Racism? Not like the Southwest

  16. Factors in favor of language maintenance • Cultural transmission • Identity marker • Support for Spanish in the community • Growing popularity of Spanish • Limited English acquisition

  17. Factors favoring language shift • Distance from border • Dispersion of MS Latinos • Need to communicate • Desire for economic success

  18. Challenges for Mississippi • Social and economic integration • Information dissemination • Education for Latino advocacy • Translators • Language educators: Spanish and English as a Second Language • Maintenance of economic growth

  19. Summary • Demographics follow US patterns • Very recent Latino arrival • Mostly first generation • Positive climate for Spanish • MS unprepared to meet needs

More Related