Post submitted by Reading Horizons employee Katie Farber.
I had never put too much thought into ordering a pizza. That is, until I visited Italy. Unfortunately for me, I do not speak Italian. So, besides being overwhelmed by so many different tempting options—they take their toppings very seriously over there—it was difficult enough trying to decode the menu, let alone attempt to translate the final decision. Who knew that “carne di cavallo” translated to “horsemeat?” That is one thing that I definitely don’t want anywhere near my pizza.
The food wasn’t the only experience Italy had to offer. Everywhere I went I was constantly surrounded by a beautiful, romantic language—which I couldn’t understand. Of course, the magic wasn’t lost to me; Italy, with all its majestic fountains, breathtaking artwork, and its graceful assimilation of modern and historical, well it’s captivating to say the least. I definitely did not need any wine to become intoxicated; the culture alone was enough. Still, missing out on the language and full understanding of the Italians was something I could not get out of my mind.
Sure, I could decode body language and facial expressions and, for the most part, communicate with the locals well enough to get by, but a part of me pined after the language. I wanted to—and still want to—learn to speak Italian. That’s when it donned on me; by having the experience of making it through Italy with little-to-no language skills, I can relate to someone trying to make their way through life in the U.S. without English language skills.
Statistics show that “about 1,000,000 people legally immigrate to the U.S. annually” ("Energy of a Nation: Immigration Resources, A Project of The Advocates for Human Rights"). Research done among immigrants revealed that “only 37 % of immigrants say they already had a good command of English when they came to the U.S. Among Mexican immigrants, the number drops to 7%” (Farkas). Additional research done by Farkas, Duffett, Johnson, Moye, and Vine shows that nearly nine in ten immigrants feel that it is extremely important for immigrants to learn English.
English language learning is a difficult task, but as the attitude of the general public and immigrants alike reflects, reading skills are invaluable. “63 % of immigrants believe that ‘all public school classes should be taught in English,’ rather than ‘offering some courses in their native tongue’” (Farkas). Because of my time spent in Italy, trials and adventures alike, I now understand why there are strong feelings about learning to speak English. “English is now the most widely learned second language in the world…over 700 million [people] speak English as a foreign language” ("English Language Guide").
I had always taken my English language skills for granted—like I said, even when it came to ordering a pizza. I am so grateful for my English language comprehension. I just wish I had the same understanding of language in Italy. Let’s just say, it would have saved me from a lot of “interesting” culinary experiences. I was always on the look out for a pepperoni pizza, but I don’t even know if pepperoni exists in Italy. Ordering “peperone” as a topping will get you a nice, all bell-pepper pizza. Go figure. But hey, I’d take bell peppers over horse meat any day of the week. If anybody else out there has a travel story where they “got lost in translation,” please share in the comment section below.
References
•"How to Immigrate to the U.S.." Energy of a Nation: Immigration Resources, A Project of The Advocates for Human Rights. The Advocates for Human Rights, 2010. Web. 6 Jul 2010. <http://www.energyofanation.org/Who_Can_Immigrate_to_the_U_S_Fact_Sheet.html>.
•Farkas, Steve. "What Immigrants Say About Life in the United States." Public Agenda (2003): n. pag. Web. 6 Jul 2010. <http://www.migrationinformation.org/Feature/display.cfm?ID=119>.
•Farkas, Steve, Ann Duffett, Jean Johnson, Leslie Moye, and Jackie Vine . "Now That I'm Here." Public Agenda. Public Agenda, 1/13/2003. Web. 6 Jul 2010. <http://www.publicagenda.org/reports/now-im-here>.
•"All About the English Language." English Language Guide. English Language, 2007. Web. 6 Jul 2010. <http://www.englishlanguageguide.com/english/facts/stats/>.