Biographic Information: English, Male, 19yrs
Themes: Biographical information (participant’s age, where participant is from), Participant’s occupation, Participant’s likes and interests (hobbies, sports, etc.), Spanish contact, Participant’s educational/career motivations and aspirations (physical therapy), Participant’s relationship and family, Language use and change, Awareness of languages and cultures
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Transcript:
[00:00]
Interviewer: Hello. What is your name and where are you from and how old are you?
Participant: My name is Xxxxx and I’m nineteen years old and I’m from Las Cruces, New Mexico.
I: Nice. So what do you like to do for fun?
P: Mmm. I like to, uh, you know what wood burning is? [Yeah.] When you like get wood and then you have like that hot like little nail and ya make art. It’s like art almost and I like to do that on my free time when I do have free time ‘cause most of the time I just do my homework because I’m filled up with classes and um I’d say that’s probably the main thing that I do. I like to go out and spend time with my friends too. Uh, Other than that.
I: That’s good. And you’re a student?
P: Yeah, I am studying biology at NMSU and I have a minor in uh exercise science.
I: Mmm. Interesting. So do you like sports or anything?
P: Yeah, I played uh football and I did track in high school. And I follow the NFL (dog bark) quite heavily. And my favorite team is the Dallas Cowboys. I’m a big Cowboys fan. And um yeah, I mean, I watched the Olympics and track and that’s mainly the only sports I really follow is track and football. (dog whimpers)
I: And you haven’t continued your athletic career past high school?
P: No, I, I mean, I broke my leg my sophomore year of high school, really so. But I still continued to do sports after that, but it didn’t really-
I: Just for fun?
P: Yeah, just, just for myself, really. And then my uh yeah, after my senior year, my career in football and track didn’t really go on after that.
I: Gotcha. (dog whimpers and barks) That sounds interesting. Um, (laughs) um, so where do you, do you play any like pickup basketball or with your friends?
P: Yeah. On, uh, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, usually every time at like four, three, four o’clock, I, uh, I go to the activity center at NMSU and I go just play basketball for a couple hours with three of my other friends. We usually play like two on two or something like that. And I don’t know, every so often we’ll go throw the football or whatever, but my friends aren’t really big football players, so.
I: Got you.
P: So I just, yeah.
I: And you said you like the Cowboys? [3:00]
P: Yeah, I like the Cowboys. I follow every single game and I watch them all season and I play, you know what fantasy football is?
I: Mhm.
P: I do a lot of that with my friends and everything too.
I: Yeah, and what made you become a Cowboys fan?
P: Well, my family is all originally from Texas area, so I don’t know all my family members are pretty much Dallas Cowboys fans and kind of ran down to me I guess but I didn’t want to be a Texans fan ‘cause they’re not really good at all, so I pretty much chose the Cowboys. They’re a little better, but ah, they’re still kind of sucking. Not doing too good, but.
I: Gotcha. What about football?- I mean basketball. Do you follow professional basketball or anything?
P: Uh, kind of. I mean, I’m trying to get into it ‘cause like I said, I do fantasy and my friends are, play like they do fantasy uh basketball with all the NBA teams, but if I had to choose a basketball team, I’d probably choose the Spurs, ‘cause also Texas team, and I just I’m invested in all the Texas teams. I was like, I’m a Cowboys fan, so I might as well just be a Texas team in the NBA as well.
I: Gotcha. And what do you want to do with your major and minor?
P: My major, uh, that’s kind of just something very broad for the medical field, but my minor is more specific to what I want to do. I want to be a physical therapist someday, hopefully, and I’ve been doing, I’ve been getting my hours at like PT clinics and all that, so that’s been good, but mainly physical therapy in my future. That’s kind of what I’m going to school for, but.
I: And, what made you become interested (dog barks and whimpers) in physical therapy?
P: Well, like I said earlier, my leg break, (dog whimper) I had to do a lot of physical therapy for that so. It was uh, (dog bark) um [Stop it.] (laughs) for physical therapy [Sit down!] it was- (dog whimpers) it was a lot of PT. (dog barks and whimpers) So, yeah. For that it’s mainly just ‘cause of my leg break and the fact that I broke my leg and I guess I went through all of that and I really couldn’t have gotten out of it without the help of the physical therapists or any of that. So, it was I just want (dog whimpers) to give back in the way that I was given to.
I: Gotcha. And do you like the idea of slow progress for a better outcome?
P: Yeah, yeah, I do. I mean, I feel like if you want any kind of improvement and especially after like an injury like that, you have to [6:00] have some kind of starting point ‘cause you’re not going to be (dog whimpers) able to move fast. Like at the beginning of any injury recovery. I mean you have to take it slow and that’s part of the process of healing and recovering is taking it slow and getting in that right mindset to the point where you feel comfortable enough to start to move at a fast pace again with your physical health and mental health. I mean it all plays a role in how well you recover so.
I: That’s true. Well, let’s switch gears here.
P: Mkay.
I: So the main point of this interview is to talk about your language experiences in a social aspect. So, what do you think- how does language affect you or the use of it in different social interactions (dog whimpers) for you?
P: I would say that language affects the way that I present myself, I guess, and the certain predicament that I’m in, like, if I’m talking in a social aspect, I guess I’m more informal and more in like a comfortable use of words. It’s not like, uh, “sir” or “mister” or nothing like that. I, when I’m talking with someone that I’m comfortable with and I already know, then that’s more of my like social like life I guess I’ll be talking to my friends like saying like things like “dude” and “yo”, “what’s up” (dog whimpers) and those kind of things but also the social aspect is like if I’m talking to like a peer or a classmate (dog whimpers) that’s that’s a social interaction that I have each day and it’s just uh it’s hard to say like (dog whimpers) ‘cause socially (dog barks)
I: Stop.
P: Socially I talk (dog barks) with um, my professors as much as I do, like, my friends and all of that, so, yeah.
I: Gotcha. And, (3.0) that makes sense. So, you think- do you think that your language is a big part of who you are?
P: Definitely. I mean, just knowing that recently I’ve had my, I have a girlfriend who’s from outside of this country. (dog whimpers) She’s from Chihuahua. And not knowing the language in that aspect is crazy because you never realize how much you use your language and like how much you like desire to talk to people when you can’t do it it’s like taken away from you or you don’t understand so I guess it’s it’s so important to me and as a person to be able to communicate with others I mean it’s something you do every single day of your life and it’s something you can’t really avoid or get away from [Mhm.] ‘cause you’re always going to be (dog whimpers) conversing [9:00] with somebody, whether it’s your parents, (dog whimpers) your siblings, or even (dog whimpers) in like a professional atmosphere, like you have to know how to talk and to speak. But, and I guess I’ve had more of a realization since I haven’t been able to really speak in that other (dog whimpers) language. So having that other (dog whimpers) language and not knowing it has made me really want or understand how much (dog whimpers) language means to me, [Mhm.] I guess.
I: So your girlfriend’s from Mexico?
P: Mm hmm. Yes, she is.
I: And how has that been?
P: Like in the language? [In general.] In general? In general, it’s good. It’s, there’s a lot of like, I mean, we’ve been together for eight months now, so gotten to know her and her family and I’ve been to Mexico a few times and that’s been really good for me and for her and just yeah. It, it’s been good. (dog whimpers)
I: (sighs) And how was the first time you went to Mexico?
P: It was good. It was it was interesting, but the one thing that was really the hardest was would have to be the language barrier. I mean, you try to talk to somebody like asking for like simple things is a lot harder than you ever thought it could be because you can’t even ask like, you know, where is this or how much does this cost or those kind of things and you really take it for granted when you don’t have it but that was probably the hardest thing but it was uh, it was really good to go down and see that there’s other countries ‘cause being from the U.S. like you kind of really don’t know that there’s much else, you know?
I: Yeah, and, and so when you went down there, did your girlfriend translate for you a lot?
P: Yeah, she really had to. I mean, when there were certain things that were like really important, that’s when I was translated the most, like the menu of a restaurant or something that actually was relevant to like me in the moment, but I feel like most of the conversations like that she’d have like with her friends and stuff, like not all of it was translated. I mean, I would hear bits and pieces and kind of take in what I knew but she’s not gonna like stop talking with another person and be like, “Hey like this is what they said isn’t that funny.” like it’s like saying a joke like for the second time you know like it’s not as funny as it was like in the moment so.
I: Gotcha that makes sense um and so are you (dog barks and whimpers) trying to learn Spanish or anything yeah I’m actually taking a Spanish class right now I’m at the at NMSU I’m taking the college class and uh It’s going pretty well, I mean I do a lot of practice with Flavia as well and I’ve definitely progressed with my [12:00] speaking a lot (lauhgs) since I first started and she even tells me that and more than, I understand like maybe half of every single conversation that is had between her and her family and everything and with context you know you can pick out certain words and you can understand like kind of what base of what they’re talking about so, but I’m studying that and I should do another two years of Spanish really and hopefully get pretty well at that point so I can talk with and communicate with my girlfriend.
I: And she’s bilingual.
P: Mm-hmm yeah. She’s uh, she’s originally from- or she was born in El Paso but she was raised in Chihuahua her whole life so [Gotcha.] she knows how to speak Spanish and most people from Mexico they are taught English like since they’re little kids you know just like we learned English like when we were little kids and we’ve done English ever since we’ve been in school since young age but it’s the- in Mexico they do both so
I: And would you say it’s easier to hear Spanish than talk it?
P: Definitely i mean (dog barks) understanding Spanish (Dog barks) is a whole different thing from like not understanding.
I: Can I pause this?
P: Yeah.
I: Sorry about that. Okay let’s continue. So we were talking about um, Spanish and English and how it’s easier to understand it when it’s being spoken to you rather than speaking it yourself.
P: So, I guess my whole aspect on that is, yeah, I mean, trying to understand Spanish (clears throat) is a lot easier than trying to learn it, like to speak it. Because when you first start to like comprehend things, you know what they mean, but you can’t really describe what they say. Because directly translating something from Spanish to English is not the same you know like it doesn’t sound the same it doesn’t feel the same like you have to almost think in Spanish to speak in Spanish and if you’re putting words and pieces together like listening and that’s easier to do than to try to translate from English to Spanish and that’s the hardest thing is because you can’t really translate from English to Spanish. You have to talk in Spanish, you know? and there’s no right way other than the way that’s told to you by people that actually do speak the language.
I: Gotcha. Yeah, that’s some good insight to it. So, (laughs) um, let’s switch gears here. Going back to the social aspect of language, um, do you feel that you have to present yourself in a certain way, um like even in this interview, [15:00] um do you feel that you’re not being yourself, quote on quote, or that you’re presenting yourself in a certain way even in this interview because it’s something that’s more on the formal side?
P: Yeah, I mean, you do have to change the certain vocabulary that you want to use because if I was gonna talk with somebody that I’m really comfortable with or I’ve been around a lot and you know they, they understand me and they- you know I don’t want to, I don’t have to come off as a person that’s like formal or nice you know or like whatever I can actually express how I’m truly feeling in that moment [Mhm.] and if I’m in an interview or if I’m talking to a teacher or if I’m talking like something- to somebody that’s important then I change the way that I talk and I change the vocabulary that I use because if I use the vocabulary that I’m comfortable with and express the true emotion in that moment then I’ll be misinterpreted on the person I am and you want to present yourself as a good person almost to anybody in any situation that you don’t know ‘cause first impressions are really important and that’s how I see it.
I: And how was it meeting, you said your girlfriend’s name is Flavia.
P: Mhm.
I: How was it meeting her dad for the first time? Were you nervous? Did you have to um coordinate what you were going to say? And.
P: Yes, it was very nerve-wracking, honestly. And uh it’s really was a lot harder than meeting anybody else’s parents because I didn’t speak the same language like though they do speak English it’s not as well or not as preferred as they would like to speak in Spanish so yeah it was really nerve-wracking and I did have to prepare a few words to say in Spanish that’s why I came off like I was trying and but I was very formal and I was be- trying to be as nice as I could or as nice as possible and I was just trying to uh [Respectful (whispered)] yeah I was trying to be very respectful and of him and that he’s welcoming me into his place and it was uh very nerve-wracking but overall [and,]
I: when you talk to him now, is it different? But, like, you’re more comfortable with him, but you still maintain the sense of professionality.
P: Yes. Yes, of course. I mean, it is, there is more of, like, a comfortable feel between the things that we talk about. It’s not more of, like, serious kind of, you know, more, (sigh) when you’re introducing yourself kind of conversations, but now it’s a little more loose and a little bit of a more comfortable feeling. But, yeah.
I: Gotcha. So do you think that comf- being comfortable is really [18:00] impacting in social situations?
P: Yes, I really do believe that. [When it comes]
I: to language.
P: Yeah, I do believe that. I believe that being comfortable is- really impacts the type of language that’s used when you’re talking to somebody else. ‘Cause if you’re comfortable in that situation, you’re going to talk with a more loose kind of lingo and a loose kind of feel with the person that you’re talking to.
I: And do you also, do you think that depending on who it is, um like for example, talking to your professor versus talking to Flavia’s father like you really have to like switch like a like an on and off switch?
P: Yeah, I, I mean I feel like it really does change with every person but in the example of a professor I mean I switch in a mode where I am more questionable. Like I question the things but also the respect manner between a professor and uh my girlfriend’s dad is the same. The, the way that I present myself in a respectful way and how I don’t want to intrude or come off as rude or intrusive or any kind of thing that would lead them to think that I was disrespectful in any way towards them.
I: But with your friends, you know, you cuss, you [yeah. (laughs)] talk in a different way because you’re yourself and you don’t have to put on a face of professionality, and-
P: Yeah, I mean, even if I was really comfortable with my professors, it’s just not in that kind of setting would you ever want to use like cuss words or [Mhm.] like short lingo or anything like that. But with my friends, yeah, I do feel more comfortable, I guess, but at the same time, like, I wouldn’t even speak that way like in front of my parents. So I don’t know if it’s a way that I should be speaking, you know, [Mhm.] like with my friends even. And it’s not all the time, you know, it’s just like when we’re making jokes or when we’re really frustrated about something ‘cause we can truly express how we feel without the other one judging us. [Mhm.] There’s no judgment involved with your friends as it would be with somebody, my girlfriend’s father, or professor, or my parents. There’s still that kind of judgment that’s sitting in between. And with your friends, there’s not that judgment because they’ve known you for so long and they understand because they’re at the same age level as you or whatever it is, you know?
I: Yeah. Gotcha. Okay, we can switch gears now. So, what’s your favorite color?
P: Um, I would have to say blue. Blue. Yeah.
I: And why?
P: Um, just because it’s more like melatonin and it’s more like a calmer color. It’s not violent on your eyes and the color gives me this certain kind of feeling, but it’s not like a sad feeling to me. It’s more like [21:00] an ocean kind of blue where it’s calm and flowing and it’s a nice kind of feeling. It’s not something that makes you sad.
I: Gotcha. And what would you say is the best thing and the worst thing that’s ever happened to you?
P: Um, I guess I would start with the best thing. I’d say the best thing that’s ever happened to me would have to be when I got my first dog. And that feeling, like, that was amazing.
I: Gosh, yeah. And what about the worst thing that’s ever happened to you?
P: The worst thing (4.0) would definitely have to be, like I mentioned earlier, breaking my leg, and-
I: Yes, tell me about that situation.
P: Oh, okay. So, I was visiting family up in Los Alamos, New Mexico. And they have, they live on like, I think it’s Forest Road ten up there in that area. And there’s a dirt roads everywhere and uh, it was snowing outside and everybody went into town to go get groceries. And I texted my uncle and I said, I was gonna go out on the ATV. And I, ‘cause I just want to mess around in the snow, you know, and have fun. And I uh drove the ATV out in the snow and I went up the road a little bit and I saw that the road to the National Forest was closed so I headed back that way and when I came around the corner I was trying to fix my visor ‘cause I didn’t wear goggles and the snow was getting all in my eyes and I was coming around the corner and I was fixing my visor and uh, and standing up at the same time and trying to steer and all this but then I uh, came around the corner and I s- hit a truck head on and my left leg got stuck on the ATV and I flew off and my leg hyperextended and snapped through my tibula and fibula and now I have surgery. Well that day actually I got taken to the hospital and I had surgery that next morning at seven a.m. and ever since then I’ve had seven screws and a titanium rod all the way through my leg. So.
I: And was that a life-changing experience for you?
P: Definitely was. I feel like without that accident, I wouldn’t be wanting to do what I’m doing with my future. Because with the whole PT and recovering and all that, it was really hard. And without the people I woulda had around me, don’t know how well I would have recovered from that accident and been able to play sports again in my high school career, my senior year of high school. And, yeah. So it was very important to me and it definitely changed the person I am today.
I: Gotcha. And for that social situation, did you try to adjust [24:00] your language in the hospital or anything like that? Or was it just not the right time to thi- even think about that?
P: I mean in the hospital I tried not to but I was off the morphine like crazy like they were just like putting stuff in me constantly, so I was a little more like floaty and like you know saying things and [Mmm.] I don’t really remember much ‘cause my memory was kind of foggy like after my accident happened a little bit but I was just in so much pain that I had no filter with like screaming or like and antagonizing pain you know and like I can’t say I was cussing ‘cause I don’t really remember but, just uh, there was no filter when it came to language really [Gotcha.] I’d say. Because of the circumstances.
I: And when you were going through physical therapy you made a relationship with your physical therapist and did that impact your language skills in that social situation?
P: Yes it did. I mean the first time that I met him it was like if you meet anybody you know or a professor you know you’re very formal you’re very um open to whatever he’s saying and telling you to do but once I got more comfortable ‘cause I was in PT with him for almost six months and and, uh, through those six months, I can say that we got more comfortable with each other, like making jokes and not technically, like, you know, really, really close. But during the time that I was with him each- every week, you know, it was, it was, it was starting to get better and more in an informal way of speaking towards each other.
I: Gotcha. And you recovered well?
P: Yes. I, uh, yeah, I r- I recovered pretty good. I, took me six months and about to, get to the point where I was walking again. And then after another two, three months after that, I started my football season and I played football that whole my, senior year and I did track and with the titanium rod and seven screws and all of that.
I: So that’s good. And you mentioned earlier, you have gotten some clinical experience with a physical therapist. Tell me about that.
P: Yeah, so uh in uh my mom is from Lubbock area and she knew a lady down there that was like friends with my family and I brought in my resume and I m-, I met her and all of that and she gave me the internship to work in pediatrics with uh physical therapy, occupational therapy, all those kind of therapies and I mainly did PT because that’s what I’m trying to specify in, but during that time is, it was really good to have that experience and to have that opportunity.
I: And you were just shadowing the physical therapist? [27:00]
P: Yeah, I would uh, shadow one specific lady her name was Casey [Mhm.] and I would follow her around pretty much all day or do anything that needed to be done like cleaning up rooms after patients would use them or I would sit through a physical therapy session and work with the kids and talk with them and, and try to do things to try to get them to do physical activity when they really didn’t want to and make them laugh and smile and those kind of things.
I: And how did your language differ from talking to the actual physical therapist to engaging with the children?
P: It was, I would have to say with my actual physical therapist it was formal, more formal. But it started to decrease into an informal kind of way but uh, it was definitely more formal than it was with a kid, you know, ‘cause sometimes you get little kids that they don’t really respond if you talk to them how you talk to an adult, you know, and you got to not, not put on like a baby voice, but you know, like you’re talking to them as if you were talking to a kid, you know, [Mhm.] in a lighter tone. And, you know, you can shorten your words and stuff to make it easier for them to understand. And just, yeah, so formal and informal.
I: Gotcha. That’s good. And did that experience really lock in what you want for your future?
P: Definitely. I knew [You enjoyed it?] Yeah, definitely. I mean, after that first day of being able to do PT with kids and that in general, just that atmosphere, I knew that was something like I could walk in and go to work every day and like enjoy my, my job, and,
I: And you’d be satisfied and fulfilled?
P: Yes, definitely. I would be satisfied and fulfilled in, in life in general if I could wake up and go do that job every day and come home at five and, yeah.
I: That’s good. And so now we can switch gears here towards the end of the interview. Um, what? What other activities do you like to do?
P: Mmm. I like to shoot guns and go hunting and fishing and uh all anything outside like hiking and I just I love to be outside I love to be in nature and go on hikes [Mhm.] and breathe in fresh air and those kinds of things.
I: Gotcha. And have you ever shot any animals or anything like that?
P: Yes, I, I’ve shot hog and quail and deer and elk and all sorts of things.
I: And you end up eating them?
P: Yes, yes. We try to use every single bit and piece that we can from the animal.
I: That’s good. Um, is there anything else you’d like to mention or talk about that’s interesting to you?
P: Um, [30:00] I guess, if we’re talking about language, right?
I: Mhm.
P: I guess one thing that’s really been thinking about recently and has been stuck in my mind is what’s been going on recently with going to Mexico. Like most people don’t realize that another language like exists, you know? Because you’re so, you don’t even have to think about talking. [Mhm.] Like you don’t even have to think about speaking to somebody in English, you know, and how that portrays to different countries [Mhm.] and how other people have to understand other languages to be able to communicate with people that are part of their lives and I just think that’s a really interesting aspect and I think a lot of people in the United States should be more open to learning different languages. I mean most of us it’s required to take two years but I took Spanish in high school and I didn’t learn a single thing really you know like I didn’t really grasp, and once you stop speaking it and stop getting taught, then you lose it. It’s gone. [Yeah.][ So, I think that’s something- [And now that]
I: you are dating a bilingual person, you are taking the Spanish class more seriously and more open to it because of the language barrier that you want to overcome.
P: Mhm. Definitely. And it’s really a big motivation to want to speak another language and to want to speak in general, you know.
I: Mhm.
P: You really take things for granted when you don’t have…
I: And it’s, do you feel like you don’t fit in when you go to Mexico because of the language barrier?
P: Yeah, slightly. Slightly. I mean, I feel like sometimes I can’t say what I really feel or say what I want to say [Mhm.] in a certain situation. And ‘cause when I do try to speak in English, sometimes I’m not really understood of how I would want to be.
I: Mhm
P: But, yeah.
I: And do you think Flavia feels the same way, her being bilingual? or her English is pretty good?
P: Her English is pretty good, but I know I’ve talked to her a little bit, and she’s felt like that, like, too. Like, sometimes she can’t think of the words to say [Mhm.] in the right situation, or her sense of humor isn’t really understood, or something. She talks to me about that a little bit.
I: Gotcha. Well, anything else?
P: Mmm. I can’t say I have anything else, other than that.
I: Okay, well, thank you for letting me interview you.
P: Yes, well, thank you very much for interviewing me. It was a nice time.
I: Thank you.
[32:19]
New Mexico Border Spanish Corpus 