Biographic Information: English, Female, 55yrs
Themes: Biographical information (participant’s age, where participant is from, where participant lives currently), Participant’s likes and interests, Education, Language education/ languages in school, Languages spoken by participant and participant’s family, Learning Spanish, Bilingualism and benefits of bilingualism, Translating, Word changes and meaning, Spanglish, Languages and language use differences
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Transcript:
00:00
Participant: This is Spanish or English?
00:02
Interviewer: Hi.
00:04
P: Hello (laughs)
00:11
I: Don’t be nervous.
00:14
P: I’m very nervous.
00:15
I: (laughs) Okay, you’re fine. Um, so today we’re gonna be talking about your language use and your background, okay? Um, so first you want to start with your name on your age.
00:31
P: Mhm.
00:33
I: (laughs) okay. What’s your- [you know my name]
00:36
P: and you know my age
00:37
I: Okay, but my teacher doesn’t, and this is for my teacher.
00:43
P: Xxxxxx. (3.0) fifty-five.
00:48
I: Okay, thank you. Um, so tell me a little bit about yourself. What do you like to do?
00:57
P: Well, I like to crochet.
01:02
I: And what kind of- what else do you like? What kind of music do you like? What kind of shows do you like?
01:07
P: I’m a sucker for Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.
01:12
I: Me too! I love them!
01:16
P: The only reason to watch football these days.
01:19
I: It really is, isn’t it? Um, [he seems like quite the catch] I think so to [I can only hope.]
01:25
P: I can only hope that my daughter can find a guy like Travis Kelce someday.
01:31
I: I can only hope that anyone can find someone like Taylor Swift someday. Um
01:38
P: I think they’re a match made in heaven.
01:41
I: I would agree. So, thanks for not telling me about yourself and more about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. Always a great topic, but we’re going to move on, and my next question is, where are you from and where do you live now?
2:00
P: Well, I was born down south. Around Las Cruces but I currently live in Gallup, New Mexico.
02:12
I: Okay, perfect. Have you ever lived anywhere else?
02:18
P: Um, yeah, I lived internationally a while.
02:25
I: That’s so cool. Do you want to tell me a little bit about that?
02:31
P: Well, it was pretty similar to living in Gallup, you know? Outside of the city limits, there was no running water, no electricity, no education. So, it’s pretty much the same thing. Third world.
02:45
I: Is that how it is in Gallup?
02:48
P: Yes.
02:50
I: Um, okay. Interesting. Um, and that leads me to my next question, education. Um, what languages did you learn in school?
03:6
P: Oh well, English, obviously. And then we were required to take Spanish. Well, I think in high school we were re- were required to take any language, but everybody took Spanish because really the teachers didn’t speak anything else very fluently. So, everyone just took Spanish.
03:31
I: Because it was the best one to learn.
03:35
P: Uh huh, yeah, ‘cause everyone s-, well, yeah, it was like the language.
03:40
I: And that, um, so I know you went to New Mexico State University.
03:48
P: Mhm. Yes, I did.
03:50
I: And you learned Spanish at- in university?
03:54
P: Well, I took my credits because it was required and then when I discovered that I could study abroad for the same price as suffering through language classes, I just went abroad.
04:09
I: Where did you go? [I got my credits]
04:12
P: To Mexico.
04:15
I: Oh, so you learned – [we got on a bus]
04:16
P: in Juarez no cell phones no GPS. They just put us in a bus in Juarez and 48 hours later we ended up south of Mexico City. (laughs) And we spent the summer there. And there was no email even. And then I had all my Spanish credits. To graduate from college.
04:45
I: And would you say you learned Spanish pretty well?
04:48
P: No, I didn’t. Not at all. Because really it was just an experience. It was just you paid your money and you got your credits. And you got the check mark.
[5:00]
I: So you only speak English?
05:04
P: Well, no, later on. I went again. And then I went again because I just liked it, and I had a good time. And then one day. I was like, oh my god, I think I understand. The pluscuam perfective. Yo tengo tu tienes, el tiene and whats it- what is now that plus pla– I don’t remember now ‘cause I don’t think anybody actually uses it in real life. (2.0) Because now I am fluent, I think. I can’t read or write very well, but I can talk. (3.0) However, this guy I married he used to say such a typical American thing you pay your money, and you get your credits there was no proficiency test because you sure are not proficient in Spanish. So, then I had to turn it up a notch and really lower it. So, I just started mimicking people and I would mimic everything they said. And then, all of a sudden, I could hold at my end of a conversation.
06:21
I: I loved to that story. Yeah. I think um well, I- that’s what I always say practice makes perfect and you you know started practicing and now I think you speak it pretty well.
06:39
P: Pues, who it depends on who you’re asking and the time of the day. Do you speak Spanish very well? We could have a conversation in Spanish and then you can be the judge.
06:52
I: (laughs) I, I think we’re gonna to stick to English for now. Um, but that le- does lead me to my next question. So, you can have a conversation, um, what languages do you speak with your family?
07:10
P: Oh, a terrible mix (3.0) of Spanglish because when my children were little ‘cause I would be mimicking, you know, I would try to speak more Spanish, and then they were saying everything wrong and then their father just got very mad and said “Stop! Stop! Stop! Right now and don’t speak another word of Spanish to them because they’re saying everything wrong”. Because I was saying it wrong.
07:40
I: Oh so they were- (over lapping audio inaudible)
07:44
P: Yes, they would say. (2.0) uh I’m trying to remember what they would say. Something about locking the door. Um, (4.0) Que se va echar. ay que echar. La llave. No, el llavin. (3.0) I don’t know it was a long time ago. I probably corrected myself and I don’t remember, why I’d say it wrong, but they always said it wrong. When they would [yeah and they] say it. When they would repeat things that their mother would say, oof that did not go over very well. (4.0)
El- la llave la llave is incorrect.
08:27
I: No, that’s correct.
08:29
P: Oh, so it’s el llave
08:31
I: Yeah, I think. [voy a echar ell lave.]
08:32
P: Voy a echar ell lave en la puente. Oh boy. My son sued to say “la puente” and “la llave” and then one time he made a little trash can in his bedroom and he said, “this is for the trasha” and then that was the end of it. No more speaking Spanish at home.
08:55
I: So you stuck to English?
08:57
P: I spoke English and their father stuck to Spanish.
09:02
I: And they learned both?
09:04
P: Um yes. I would say they probably spoke both equally, but they didn’t know any slang terms in English. They did they because they only knew proper English that was spoken at home. They didn’t know any slang words.
09:21
I: Until they went to the America.
09:25
P: Yes. Until they moved to the United States then they, you know, realized- because one read a lot and she was pretty savvy. The other one, ehhh un poco mas dundo.
09:40
I: (laughs) That’s a nice compliment to her.
09:45
P: Yeah, she um, you know she read a lot I bet if she’d a taken the SAT or the GRE she would have rocked it because she read so many books all the time. But you know, she just refused to do go that route.
[10:00]
10:01
I: Oh well, I’m sure she’s doing okay.
10:04
P: Yeah. [um] I guess.
10:08
I: But that’s a nice segue into my next question. You said that at home you would divide your Spanish and your English. Um, how would you personally divide the two? Like, would you say there was a specific age where you became fluent in one or do you ever mix both of them? Like you said you speak spang- spe- Spanglish.
10:28
P: Oh, I, s-, yeah, I would mix it a lot, especially when there was help in the house. With the help, they didn’t speak any English, so it all had to be in Spanish and so, there was a lot of mix. You know, a lot of mix. I’ll tell you one thing; I do love to get mad and yell in Spanish because it sounds so much more effective.
I: (Laughs)
10:53
P: Con la gran puta! Hacer caso!
10:56
I: I would agree [ha-]. It is more, it sounds tougher.
11:03
P: Yes, it sounds much tougher, and I would no-, I don’t like to swear in English unless I absolutely have to but it’s Spanish, she means nothing. You know, you, just rolls off my tongue. So, it’s a lot more fun in Spanish.
11:14
I: I would agree with that. Um, which is also, leads me to my next question. Um, the benefits of speaking both. So obviously we’ve covered that self-expression is beneficial ‘cause you get to exercise that more in Spanish. But, um, is, are there any others that you can think of?
11:40
P: Benefits of speaking in Spanish and in English?
11:44
I: Yeah, benefits of [well].
11:47
P: Well, I mean, I think it could lead to a better job. You know, I think if I really wanted to cash in on my abilities. I could probably, you know, get a job somewhere, where they need bilingual people specifically. Hoping and wishing if they, you know, and wondering would I get paid more? I don’t know. um, it was always important for me, for my children to know both languages and be fully, fully, fully proficient because I had a friend who worked in the government and she would always say that they were so desperate for fully, truly bilingual people who are proficient and could take tests in both, you know, to get those credentials and um, and that the government, you know, would give, you know, increased salary bonuses based off of those credentials. I’m not just saying you’re bilingual, but you, you know, having that credential to, to slap behind your name definitely helps. I’ve never taken any proficiency tests, so I don’t know that I would pass one. You know, I didn’t, I haven’t had textbook Spanish since the 90s and um, and I just don’t know. And now with Google Translate, why would I? You know, really, why would I go that route and try to take a test because with AI and Google Translator, fshh you know, it’s got me covered if I had to read and write it. But speaking it’s definitely a survival skill, especially if you want to travel.
13:15
I: Do you think you find- you found yourself, um, wanting to learn for, well, you mentioned how for the sake of study abroad you wanted to learn. So, would you say you found yourself like learning or dedicating more time to it for the sake of traveling?
13:37
P: Well, that was my ticket out. If not, I wasn’t going anywhere, but this was my justification to leave the country. You know, I don’t have to stay here. Um, I, ‘cause I, you know, it was painful to be in textbook classroom Spanish. It was painful. It was horrible. [Right. Because-] But and, and it was affecting my GPA. But if I would leave and go abroad, I just paid my money and got my credits. [And it wi-] It was a win-win for me. And then it was fun, and then I just liked it.
14:14
I: Right.
14:14
P: I wouldn’t ever say I really had the intention of learning Spanish. That’s the truth in the early beginning. I just went it out of those general ed requirements. And then lo and behold, look how many credits I have three, three, semesters later. They gave me- literally awarded me a diploma.
13:45
I: Well, there you go. And then you [yeah]
14:38
P: Because I had enough credit, but I had no-, I do think the universities should imply, maybe they do, it’s been a long time. A uh, proficiency exam. You should have to take it not just because you paid your money and got your credits did you get your diploma. The, in hindsight that was a mistake on behalf of the university.
14:56
I: Yeah, um, you’ll be happy to hear that they have since corrected that.
[15:00]
P: Oh good. Yeah, because I was embarrassed to tell people I had a degree in Spanish. (laughs)
15:09
I: It was not very proficient.
15:14
P: Mm mm. No [and that-] back in the 90’s, no.
15:17
I: How would you say your reading, writing, and pronunciation is?
15:24
P: My reading and writing is terrible. That’s the truth. I have not had to read or write in Spanish since 1990, what? (2.0) 9- 1998. [mhm] (5.0) No. 1989. I’ve haven’t had to read and write in Spanish for many, many years.
15:43
I: 1989. [ I put m-] the album by Taylor Swift.
15:47
P: Oh, yeah, maybe that’s why I was thinking [yeah] the 89.
15:49
I: Yeah, [the 89] I don’t think that was the year you were in college.
15:54
P: Um, so, yeah, that’s irrelevant, but I’ve never had to read or write it, so you know. It doesn’t really matter now, but my pronunciation is fine. Like I said, with AI and with Google Translate.
I don’t even feel the need at all to have to learn to read or write it. People sometimes for my job like, oh, can you translate this? and I’m like, Google can probably do it better than I can. So we just run it through Google and then we reread it to make sure that it says the right concept idea, everything. But my pronunciation, I think is fine. There’s a few words, que me cuestan but you know, for the most part and always, always, always, always after a drink or two, it’s a lot better.
16:45
I: (laughs) Thanks for that tidbit. Um, so, would you say that in regards to the translation and stuff
you find that it’s easier to like remember or think of a word um like once you’ve seen it rather than like come up with it on your own.
17:07
P: Um, I don’t know. I mean. There’s just some words I don’t know. It’s just, if it’s not in my vocabulary and if it’s not in my day-to-day routine there’s just words I don’t know.
17:22
I: Right
17:22
P: And I don’t know how or when I would learn them or need to learn them, like whether it be writing them or seeing them. Like if I don’t use it, I lose it.
17:32
I: Oh, th- that’s a good one, that rhymes.
17:37
P: You know, like let’s take church. I hated going to church. Because I didn’t know any words in Spanish. I hated it. And now there’s certain prayers that I only know in Spanish, and I don’t know them in English.
17:54
I: Me too.
17:57
P: It happens.
18:00
I: It does. I, I, have that same sentiment. Um-
18:06
P: What is your first la- language? Is it Spanish or is it English?
18:11
I: I would say it’s both. I don’t think of one before the other because my mom, she mentioned to me multiple times throughout my life. That I didn’t speak for a long time and then when I did start speaking it was in full sentences and in Spanish and English and that was probably because my brain was decoding both and then once it had [oh — you—one of those] what was happening—
18:39
P: My understanding, those kids have a really high IQ. Have you ever tested yours?
18:44
I: I have never.
18:46
P: Hmm.
18:47
I: I’ll just self-proclaim myself to have a high IQ.
18:51
P: (laughs) There’s nothing wrong with that is there?
18:55
I: Of course not. Um, now, would you say that- so, just to recap sometimes it’s hard for you to like think of the words, but if you see it, you recognize it like in Spanish. [I mean]
19:13
P: You have to give me an example. Like if I see the word, well, what happens also is that I think it depends. Like the verb translations and all that? Yes, that just comes normally, but maybe an item. Let’s take um, a headband. (3.0) It takes me forever to remember the word “headband” in English when bincha in Spanish is just much easier. Like I have to look at it and be like, “what do you call that in English?” ‘cause some words, it just rolls off my tongue, a bincha. But if I were to see it spelled, I don’t even know if it’s with a “B” or a “V” Victor or with a “B” burro. I don’t even know how to spell it, but I know the word is bincha.
19:57
I: Um, [But in]
19:58
P: English, I’m like, “hmm, how do you say that in English?” [20:00] There’s some words that just don’t take effect in English. Um, be pendiente. Okay, we’re gonna go here. I want you to be pendiente because I’m gonna pick you up. How do you even say that in English? I want you to be watching the clock because I will pass by. I’m going to pick you up. No, just be pendiente.
20:21
I: Right. I have noticed you say that a lot to people who don’t speak Spanish and they don’t know what you mean. But I- [ I know]
20:30
P: it’s one of those words that just rolls off my tongue.
20:33
I: And it’s one of those that- it’s just- its has a lot of meaning but it’s a very short phrase unlike in English.
20:40
P: But I think it’s understood because nobody ever corrects me and says “what are you talking about?”
20:45
I: Right, maybe they’ll adopt it into English. Which is my next question. You mentioned you spoke Spanic- Spanglish a lot. Um, what is [well, I think] Spanglish to you.
20:59
P: My, My husband. He did not like to speak any Spanglish. He believed that that was very very poor educated, I believe his words were like texmex, pocho, I don’t even know if that word is, is in English but he said that that was just poor vocabulary and poor education to speak. Like say like, la lon- like loncheando. I hear people say a lot of New Mexico. Well, it’s almorzando, that’s the proper word.
21:36
I: Right.
21:37
P: But they say in New Mexico a lot loncheando.
21:43
I: Yeah.
21:43
P: And super. Super. Vamos al super. No. Es el super mercado. You know, those things.
21:52
I: So, you wouldn’t say you speak a lot of Spanglish.
21:57
P: Well, I mean. The more I’m in New Mexico, the more I speak it, that’s for sure.
22:03
I: And what is Spanglish to you?
22:07
P: Well, I think- [how it words—] La lon- la, loncheando. I don’t know. La troca. When it’s a truck they say troca instead of a pila, but I don’t think they even used the word pila here.
22:24
I: Mhm.
22:26
P: I think it’s when they adapt (3.0) English words and put them into Spanish. That is Spanglish to me. But the ba- the poor mix of both is what I speak is a poor mix of both. Like full sentences. One full sentence in the English one full sentence in Spanish and then when I’m at a loss for words, I just use which everyone comes to the top of my head.
22:50
I: So you would say you do more of what’s called code switching, which is like you will insert like a word here and there in a different language or a phrase here and there in a different language without like changing the word itself.
23:06
P: I guess I never heard that concept before, so yeah.
23:09
I: Oh, it’s very big in the linguistics world.
23:13
P: Well, you see you’re gonna properly have a degree in (4.0) language in Spanish. Mine is not proper. I didn’t learn any of that.
23:25
I: That’s okay. You learned lots of other things, I hope.
23:38
P: Mhm. Mhm.
23:30
I: Um, so, now, in within the context of this area of Los Cruces where you’re from. Um, what do you think the role and the value of Spanish is?
23:45
P: Oh, I think you know in Las Cruces it dominates the the market. I mean, you have to be fully bilingual to be living in Doña County and Southern New Mexico. You know, ‘cause if you’re working in the service area you have to be able to speak both because it’s very very possible that many of your clients, customers, and or employees dominate Spanish over English. It just goes with the territory.
24:19
I: mhm. Right.
24:20
P: Like further north you know, if you lived in Gallup, you’d be at a huge advantage if you spoke Navajo, but you know what? Not that many people do. So, you know, you would just be. To an advantage in Doña Ana County to be speaking Spanish. To have the ability. I think it should be required um in elementary school, you know, to read and write it too. I have friends who live in um, on the East Coast and in Georgia, South Carolina, and they just, they they don’t have any Spanish immersion schools. They don’t have any um formal education [25:00] and boy do they wish they did, you know. Whereas in New Mexico I don’t think we realize how lucky we are that so many people do and can speak and I just don’t know that- how many kids are really being educated in Spanish. I know El Paso has some Spanish emergen schoo- emergence schools, I don’t know about Las Cruces though, I really don’t. [yeah, um] But I know El Paso does.
25:26
I: I’m not sure either, but it’s interesting that you made that comparison between the northr- er-, the northern and the southern part. Because one of my questions is um how do you think like in areas like Las Cruces or maybe like the coast of Florida or anywhere that’s bordering like the south part of the or anywhere that’s bordering like the south part of the United States differs from any state that’s in the north or maybe the midwest that doesn’t border another country but it’s just more northern, um how do you think language is different in those two areas?
26:04
P: Um, (2.0) well, like I just said, it dominates your your clients, your customers and your service industry because the immigration, I mean it just dominates the territory. You have to speak Spanish. In the southern you know, areas. And then like I just said, you know, Gallup is obviously surrounded by a lot of Navajo’s and so you know a lot of the Indian dialects but but nobody’s they’re they’re just now teaching it in school is of my understanding. But anywhere else, I think Kansas, Oklahoma, South Carolina, like I said, Georgia, they’re not teaching it at all. Um, I think people wish they could and find somebody who could speak. I think there’s probably a greater demand- or not a greater demand, but like your few and far between finding people who can-who are fully bilingual in those areas. But here I feel like it’s very common. It’s necessary and people know it’s necessary, but I just don’t want it to be lost. I just don’t want it to get lost because, you know. I have an uncle who’s from Mexico, but we know- when he moved to the States, nobody wanted to be the Mexican, so he doesn’t speak any Spanish.
Nor do his kids and it just, you know, ails them that none of them can speak it and boy did they miss- now they really really really wish they did and they live in Michigan.
27:37
I: Where there’s not a lot of people who speak Spanish.
27:41
P: Correct.
27:43
I: Right. Um, yes, I can totally see that in the areas where there’s um you know, border towns.
Or like I mentioned the coast of Florida where there’s more um people migrating from Hispanic cultures. There is a lot more Hispanic influence even in just like society and geography itself um, are there anything- is there anything you can think of like any social differences maybe in like aesthetic or people or stuff like that that you can s- notice between the borders of New Mexico a- o -and the rest of the United States.
28:32
P: I mean, obviously if you’re in Michigan, everyone’s blonde and blue-eyed. Here, it’s a little bit more um, you know, Latino. A little bit more
28:45
I: Right.
28:46
P: I mean, that’s in terms of people, but if, if you also want to talk like the influence is obviously here we have um you know a lot of, of inf-, a- archit-, like architecture influence and landscaping influence and decorations, decor. If you go into a restaurant, it’s or even just someone’s home. Offices the other day I was at an office, a dentist office in Albuquerque, was absolutely beautiful. Um, everything had come in from a Mexico I think it was, it was gorgeous the way that the dentist had decorated it, but it’s that influence of the Latino heritage and culture. And that, you know, you definitely see it in Arizona, New Mexico. Texas. Um, Florida, I haven’t spent that much time in Florida. You know, maybe just Miami, but Miami, you don’t even know that you’re in the United States in Miami because absolutely everybody speaks Spanish. At least in Las Cruces and El Paso you run across people who speak in English, and they will speak to you in English. They can speak both, but in Miami, those people only speak Spanish and they don’t care who you are, they will only speak Spanish to you. And um, bu- but that’s just Miami. The rest of Florida [30:00] I don’t know because I’ve really only been to Miami. And Disney and Disney’s a whole another story. It’s its own little world. (laughs) But. Yeah.
30:10
I: It is literally [But what else] called Disney World.
30:13
P: What?
30:15
I: You said it is literally called Disney World.
30:18
P: Oh yeah, Disney World it its own little world, where everybody speaks every language and everyone’s welcome. But if you go to Miami. It’s terrible. Have you ever been to Miami?
30:29
I: Yes, multiple times.
30:32
P: Oh, well, I, just dread it. One time I got stuck there, for like, I don’t know, it felt like four or five days. It was probably less. ‘Cause my plane got canceled, they lost my luggage and it was just a whole ‘nother story. That’s time for that’s it for a different date. Anyways, I couldn’t believe it. No one spoke English. And nobody cared that I didn’t speak Spanish. I was on my own.
31:03
I: And this is before you were more proficient.
31:08
P: I was fairly proficient, but it just made me mad that nobody was speaking English.
31:13
I: Right. And I feel like that drop [but we’re here–]
31:16
P: That’s and that’s how I feel. Perdon. That’s how I feel. Oh, that’s another word that always just rolls off my tongue, perdon instead of “pardon me”, “excuse me”, perdon just sound better. Um, in Las Cruces, El Paso, I feel like people are so, so kind. People, they, you know, if you speak English, they speak to an English. If you speak Spanish, they speak to you in Spanish, and they’re just very respectful of that. And if you don’t speak one or the other, nobody’s going to dish you. In, in, in that area but Miami no. It’s like what’s wrong with you you’re in my world and you’re on Miami Beach and you should be speaking in Spanish.
32:00
I: Right.
32:00
P: But not- you don’t, you don’t come across that attitude in um, in, in El Paso Las Cruces.
32:09
I: Well, I’m sure that’s nice to hear for the locals. Um, and it also draws a comparison of how it can be very opposite. So in Miami, not a lot of people speak English and they kind of don’t care if we don’t speak Spanish whereas probably for the majority of the Hispanics in the United States they ge- receive that same like feeling and treatment from people who dominate English and they don’t as much and pro- people probably don’t care that they don’t speak English and they’re like. Well, you’re in the United States, so why can’t you speak English? But, you know, sometimes they just have a hard time with it.
32:45
P: But I think in that sense New Mexico, uh at least Southern New Mexico is very very welcoming.
32:53
I: I would agree. I think.
32:55
P: Understanding.
32:57
I: Yes. Especially because there’s such a big population of both.
33:02
P: Yeah, I would say it’s very equally balanced. La-, I would say Las Cruces is- I really think it’s probably fifty/fifty. I would like to know what the low- what the most recent census is. But you know there’s so many retirees and so many people have moved to Las Cruces in the last, you know ten years, as well as immigration influx. I would love to know what the current census is for Doña Ana County.
33:25
I: Yeah. [Maybe]
33:25
P: you can add that to your research and get back to me on it.
33:29
I: I can definitely make a note to find out. What do you want to know? The Demographic?
33:34
P: I’m just curious to know what the demographic is. If it’s like, you know, fifty people who,
who have- who speak English and fifty who speak both. (laughs)
33:47
I: I’m sure.
33:48
P: Just ‘cause I know there’s been al-, I just know a lot of people have moved to less than the last couple of years. And um, ‘cause you know, you can’t even buy a house in Las Cruces. It’s impossible. Lots of transplants I think is what they call them coming in from California.
34:03
I: Right. I feel like at the very least there’s a lot of people who understand it.
34:09
P: Yeah, you might not see it because you’re on the university. You’re on campus most of the time, So you might not be exposed to all that, but, I think the rest of us see a little bit more.
34:23
I: Um, I don’t wanna take any more of your time, but is there anything you want to add before we end this interview?
34:32
P: No. Um, I just, you know, I think it’s important that that an education that that kids can learn and don’t make it a high school requirement, you know. Don’t, don’t make them say “you have to learn that you have to” just teach it. Just teach it from the time they’re in elementary. You know I think that they should really um embrace the opportunity that they have having such a large population of people who are native speakers, and they should, you know, train people to be teaching um and schools and have and have truly bilingual schools. And I think that would just make a huge difference because then you’re not being forced like I was forced to learn it and so I didn’t and I just wanted to get out. You know, I just wanted my credits to be done with it. And then I wanted to just travel some more so I kept going. I went into it for the wrong reasons but in hindsight looking back I think that if they would take a different approach um, in, in the states, especially in a state like New Mexico, especially in a county like Doña Ana where there are so many um people who, who have the opportunity you have the university right there you know let’s produce some some teaching credentials or some light, some just an endorsements to teach and then just make those schools you know bilingual or immersion schools so that you don’t feel like you’re being forced to learn it for those who don’t speak properly at home or for those who only speak and don’t read and write Spanish and that way they don’t have to be embarrassed to say, “oh, you know what? I can’t read and write it”. Even though I don’t think it’s going to be necessary with all this technology, but I do think it’s important.
36:13
I: It’s always good to know. [And that’s]
36:14
P: about it.
36:18
I: Well, I love. [You don’t have]
36:18
P: any more questions?
36:20
I: Umm. Not that I (2.4) can think of.
36:25
P: I know I got off track a little bit. I’m sorry. It’s kind of hard for me to focus, especially because I wasn’t prepared and didn’t, you know think through my answers before.
36:34
I: Well, that’s more than fine because we wanted natural conversation and a lot of content to work with.
36:42
P: Ah, okay, well I hope I gave you content.
36:47
I: Yes, let me end this recording hold on.
36:49
New Mexico Border Spanish Corpus 