According to a survey of 266 DGN students, about 37% of students have a parent or grandparent whose native tongue is a foreign language, and barely more than half of those students also speak that language.
Some individuals who speak their parents’ native tongue argue that not knowing a culture’s language makes a person disconnected from it. However, others who don’t speak their parents’ native tongue believe that being connected to one’s culture goes beyond knowing the language. While it is true that knowing the language of a culture has its benefits, it is not the deciding factor in whether or not a person is truly connected to it.
Most of the time, if a person does not speak their parents’ language, it is because their parents didn’t teach them. This is the case for senior Jess Dumlao, whose parents speak Tagalog.
“If I did speak Tagalog, I feel like older Filipinos would love me more,” Dumlao said. “It’s so surprising when a younger person can speak the language since not many actually are willing to learn it nowadays.”
In many communities, older adults appreciate when the youth makes an effort to learn their language. Another benefit of speaking your parents’ foreign language is being able to interact with others within your culture in a way that is specific to you.
“When you go to Greece, there’s sort of an advantage in being able to speak to the natives because you can meet people and connect with them that way,” senior Melania Ratay said.
Some argue that not knowing a culture’s language can make a person feel like an outsider within their community. Senior Julia Heisler, who grew up speaking both Ukrainian and English, was able to connect with her family more easily due to speaking their language.
“If I didn’t know Ukrainian, I would feel more like an outsider,” Heisler said. “It would be a lot harder for me to connect with my family or the people I grew up around. At any of the events or any of the holidays, I wouldn’t really feel like I was part of it.”
While knowing your parents’ language certainly has its benefits, those who don’t know it are not necessarily any less immersed in the culture as anyone else. Language is undeniably an important part of any culture, but there is so much more to it: traditions, values, food, clothes.
“I feel like I’m connected to my parents’ culture in so many other ways, like different clubs and organizations I’m with, within my church community, and then I also go to church camp every year with other Greek kids,” Ratay said.
It usually isn’t an individual’s fault for not learning their parents language, but they can make up for it in other ways such as attending events, learning about their history, or even eating cultural dishes.
“I know so many people that are very connected with Greek culture and Greek values who don’t speak the language,” Ratay said. “I think, with our culture, the most important thing is the values and the holidays and the amazing traditions we have.”
