Biographic Information: English, Female 34yrs
Themes: Biographical information (age, where participant is from and where they grew up, the participants education and background, future aspirations in terms of education and career), Work and education ,Languages spoken by participant and participant’s family and friends, Varying language use dependent on preferences, customs, and situations, Word meaning and changes in word meanings, Slang and “proper” vs. “improper” language
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Transcript:
[00:00]
Interviewer: Hello, so thank you for participating in this interview. Today we will be talking about your language use and background, and I’ll have um I’ll be asking you a couple of questions.
Participant: Okay. Sounds good.
I: For starters, can you tell me a little bit about yourself?
P: Um, well, I am a mom of a two-year-old boys- I mean two boys. I’m sorry. (laughs)
I: You’re okay.
P: I grew up in a in a Hispanic- in a Mexican household. Both my parents um were born in um in Mexico. As well as my, my grandparents. Um I have- there’s a total of eight of us. So I have three sisters and four brothers. So, I come from a a big family. Um, [1:00] let’s see uh right now, I’m currently attending New Mexico State. Um, I’m pursuing my degree and communication disorders and I’m wanting to work in the speech language pathologist as a bilingual. Just because we ha- we live in a cu- in a community where the majority of the people speak Spanish, and so that’s what I’m, you know, passionate about is um working with bilingualism. And I think that’s about it. [Awesome.] So far.
I: So, you mentioned that you’re from, you’re from Las Cruces, right?
P: Um, I was actually raised in Los Angeles. I was born in Sun Valley, California.
I: Oh, so you’re from Sun Valley, California, and you were born and raised [2:00] in Las Cruces or?
P: No. Actually, I was born in Sun Valley, California, and I moved down here when I was maybe about three years, so I pretty much I lived here all my life, so I was raised here in Las Cruces.
I: Oh, awesome! So, you’re still living in Las Cruces right now?
P: Yes, I am.
I: And have you lived anywhere else besides Las Cruces, and where you were born?
P: Um, no like I said I was born in California, and I lived there about three years, and then I’ve lived in Las Cruces since then. So I’ve been here about thirty-one years.
I: Oh, okay, okay. Um, how old are you?
P: Um, I’m thirty-four.
I: You’re thirty-four years old, awesome! And you mentioned, you have uh two little boys?
P: Yes, I do.
I: Oh! How old are they?
P: I have an eight-year-old, and then I have a 9 nine-month-old.
I: Oh, that’s so [3:00] cute.
P: Yes. (laughs)
I: Super, super cute. Okay, the next question I have for you. You said you’re currently attending New Mexico State. Correct? [Yes.] And what are you currently studying?
P: Right now, I’m doing communication disorders.
I: Okay, what made you choose this career?
P: Um, I wanna say, my oldest son. Uh, he does receive um speech therapy, and he’s been receiving it since he was about a year and uh that made me want to go down this path. Um, was to be able to be more about it. To learn more about the you know, language disorder, or any speech, speech disorders and uh just so that way um I can be informed on how to help him. Um, so that’s what made me choose that and now that I work at the schools, it makes me, [4:00] you know, want to continue my education, and that just because, I can see myself helping you know others. you know, with whatever struggling with.
I: Yeah, I love that. [So.] I think, I think that’s really important, and I think there are a lot of kids that need help with it. So, I think it’s good being able to be there and help them. That’s awesome.
[Yes.] before I take this- Oh I’m sorry?
P: Oh, no, I was gonna add on to that [Oh okay, yeah.] that I wanted to do bilingual I learned in one of my classes that um they are needing a lot of bilingual speech pathologists. Because there’s there’s not, you know there’s not a lot that are like bilingual. They’re only they’re just one, either English speaking. And so, I important, you know? To get more people wanting to go for this career.
I: Definitely. Yeah, especially because I feel like it’s a population that would just continue- it’s just gonna continue to grow. [5:00]
P: Oh, yeah.
I: So, I think it’s- that’s amazing. Before you chose communication disorders, did you have any other like career in mind that you wanted to pursue before?
P: I did! Um, when I was younger, I told myself that I wanted to be a veterinarian, I wanted to work with animals. And as I got older um, I, you know, growing up. I was always I guess, like the troubled kid. [(laughs)] (laughs) So, I and I just I wanted to be a social worker, because I remember growing up when you know I wasn’t making the right choices, I um always had a lot of like, you know, social workers involved. And you know, not because I lived in a unhealthy home. It was just because, you know, maybe the crowd I hung out with.
I: Yeah.
P: Um, maybe you know, just I guess, not wanting [6:00] to like do anything, not going to school and things like that. So, I guess social work was what, something that I wanted to do. But um as soon as I had my first child, and I started noticing, you know. Noticing that he was having, like a either a speech delay, or a language delay or or a disorder. Um , that’s when I decided to change my path. But I always wanted to do a career where I was able to help people out. I mean social work would have done it. But I mean once I started looking deeper, then I was like, oh, you know, I think um an SLP would be a good job for me.
I: Aww. I love that! That’s amazing! And are you nearly done with school?
P: Um, yes, actually, this is my senior year. So, I’m excited. (laughs) Just a few more months and we’ll be done with one semester, and then I have one more semester. So yeah, this is my bachelor, [7:00] I’m still um.
I: Okay. Awesome well um, good luck and congratulations. You’re almost done! [Yes, thank you.] What are your plans once you’re done with school?
P: Um, you know, right n- that’s the question that I asked myself. [Mhm.] Um, because I guess I’m a little confused on what I wanted to. I uh, I’ve been a substitute teacher for about over a year and I’ve been really enjoying the teaching part. So, um, I don’t know. I definitely I do wanna apply for the schools. Like, as a you know, a position in the schools. I haven’t decided if I want to still continue as an SLP or if I wanna um go into getting my teaching license. [That’s awesome.] Yeah. So, I still, I’m still in between. I, I’m really passionate about, you know the communication disorders. [8:00] That’s what I’m passionate about. But then, when I work in the classroom, and I work with, with students that are, you know, might have a speech delay or a language, you know, delay. Uh, it makes you wanna work with those students. So, my preference is to work- keep working at the schools.
I: Schools- Okay, uh so you said, you’re currently working at the schools. Um do you work- what grade level are you working with? Or? Yeah? What grade level?
P: It varies. I worked from kinder through middle school, uh [Okay.] but I mostly have only worked. I worked in the classroom with with the bigger group, but I’ve done like um mostly like the um EA SPED. So, it was like for like special education. So that’s the teacher that goes and helps the students that have IEP’S, that might need that extra support and doing their work. So I mostly do that. But uh like, I said, I’ve done in the classroom as well. [9:00]
I: Oh, nice, perfectly. [Over lapping speech, audio inaudible)]
P: but mostly elementary?
I: Ele- Elementary. So, with that being said, once, you do finish school, and you decide whether you want to do SLP or teaching. Are you leaning a little bit more towards a certain grade level, or are you like up for like just any opportunity?
P: Um, I think as of right now I any opportunity as long as um it’s in the el- elementary. [Okay.] I don’t think I’m ready for middle school or high school. Eventually I wanna work my way up there. But as of right now, I I’m gonna stick with elementary.
I: Oh, I love that. Honestly, I think working with little kids is amazing. They’re just such a [It is.] character. They’re just something else.
P: Yeah. (lauhgs) And it’s fun. I love working with kids. I can honestly say that that’s one thing that I want to keep doing is working with kids. [10:00] [Mhm.] I think because I have kids of my own. So [(over lapping speech, audio inaudible)] yeah, and like I said, if I’m able to help my son out now, both of them, you know, and I can, you know, still be the helping hand for somebody else. Then I’ll do it
I: Awesome. Oh, I love that. Well, I know you’re going to do amazing. So best of luck.
P: Thank you.
I: So, uh we’re going to drift a little bit from like um your career, like your education. So, we’re going to go into language information. [Okay.] Um can you tell me what your first language was?
P: My first language was Spanish.
I: Spanish. Okay. And do you speak any other languages? I, I do remember you saying that you were bilingual.
P: Yes, I am bilingual, so I speak Spanish and English.
I: Spanish and English. Oh, awesome! Um, did you learn these languages at home or in school? like, how did you learn both languages? [11:00]
P: Um, I think for Spanish since both my grandparents were, you know they were born in Mexico, and as far as my mom as well they spoke Spanish at home. So that’s when I first learned Spanish. And then I guess when I started grade school is when I started kinda like uh, I started learning English. So I kinda started drifting away from Spanish. I was still in bilingual classes. [Uh-huh.] But I spoke mostly English in school.So English was taught at school and Spanish it was taught at home.
I: It was taught at home. Okay, do you remember, like around what grade um level you learned English [Umm.] While you were attending school? Like roughly?
P: Mmmm I wanna say it would have had to been, maybe, like in head start. So I was probably like four, maybe.
I: Oh okay, okay, okay.
P: Yeah. So [12:00] yeah, [Four years old.] it’s been a yeah, it’s been quite a long time.
I: I think that’s awesome, though, because, like knowing two languages, I think it’s, it’s amazing.
Yes, and it’s good, you know, especially cause if you ever need to interpret for somebody you can.
I: Definitely. What language do you use the most like today?
P: Um, I use both. I use Spanish and English.
I: You’re- you use both roughly the same. Yes. yes, especially now that I work at the schools, I feel like, I’m starting to use both more.
I: Ooo okay, well, that’s awesome!
P: Yes.
I: Have you ever noticed if your language varies based on like who you’re speaking to or like the environment that y-, that you are in?
P: Um, I think so. Um, I think maybe like when I’m at work, I feel like my language might be a little bit different. I feel like, because maybe I need to be, [13:00] I guess, more professional [Hmm.] and I mean don’t get me wrong. I’m comfortable at work. But I feel like when I’m here at home, like I’m maybe my language is different.
I: Yeah.
P: Like, I know, like at work if I’m speaking to somebody, and we’re talking in English, we’re only talking in English, and I feel like when I’m at home, I tend to mix both languages up. Like I’ll talk Spanish, and then I’ll be talking Spanish, and then I’ll say English word, or vice versa.
I: Yeah, you like incorporate both.
P: Yeah, at home more than at work. I mean, it just depends who I’m talking to, I guess.
I: Okay. [Um.] So you said at work it depends like on like the parent that you’re speaking to like the student.
P: Yes, because, [(overlapping speech, audio inaudible)] you know, there sometimes they’ll be just only English speaking. I’ll just be English. But if I know that the person speaks both. Then I guess I kind of like, I’m comfortable too, you know [14:00] to say a word in Spanish.
I: Yeah, wow, okay, that’s very interesting. [Yeah.] And when you’re at school um yourself like attending your classes do you uh speak a certain language? Do you incorporate both? Or how do you go about um utilizing those languages?
P: Um, I feel- I incorporate both [Okay.] I use both languages English and Spanish.
I: And then with your family, you had mentioned that when you’re at home you use both. But like when you’re like, I guess, with your parents or your grandparents, cousins, aunts, all, any of them, do you prefer to use a certain language? Do you use both for them?
P: Um, I think I use both. Both as well.
I: Okay, and then what about like friends?
P: Um, I think with friends I use both English and Spanish. It just depends. I have some friends that only speaks um [15:00] English and um there’s some friends that they speak English, but they’re more comfortable in Spanish, so I’ll talk to them in Spanish.
P: Whatever language I feel like they’re comfortable with,
I: Yeha.
P: I’ll, I’ll speak so if they’re more comfortable in Spanish. Then I’ll talk in Spanish to them.
I: Interesting. So, it’s a lot of all alternating between like who you’re speaking to and what they prefer as well.
P: Yes.
I: Perfect! And would you say if, um has knowing two language- languages benefited you? and if so like, in what way do you think they have?
P: I think so. Um, I remember uh growing up my grandma was only Spanish speaking so um we would go to the store, and I would have to um, I mean, I wouldn’t have to, but I would translate.
You know, [16:00] for whatever the person was saying, if we went to the store and um, so I feel like it has benefited me because I worked with people pretty much all my life and um if I know that they’re Spanish speaking like I guess in my mind I’m already like, okay, I need to speak to them in Spanish, because, as that’s the correct way, you know, if they’re only speaking Spanish, so I feel like it does, it has benefited me um and being bilingual [Yeah, definitely.] ‘Cause I being a translator before, and I don’t know like I don’t may- maybe it sounds dumb to me, but um I feel like it makes me feel good when I’m able to translate for somebody.
I: Yeah, definitely! (laughs)
P: Yeah ‘cause I don’t want them to (Overlapping speech, audio inaudible) You know, like asking for something. And it’s like nobody helps them, you know? [Exactly.] I want.
I: You had mentioned- (overlapping speech, audio inaudible) I’m sorry? [17:00]
P: Oh no, go ahead.
I: Okay. You had mentioned earlier that you would translate for your grandmother when you guys would go to the stores. Did you ever at one point find it difficult given- I mean you are bilingual, and you know both Spanish and English, but did you ever struggle trying to translate a certain word or certain phrase for her?
P: Um, yes.
I: And then how did you go about that?
P: Um, I guess I can’t remember exactly what I would translate to her, but um if it was something that I knew I can describe to the person, and you know, make them understand what I’m trying to say. Uh, that was kind of the way that I was able to you know, find the correct word to say, or um I know back then there wasn’t Google, so, I pretty much was like, I guess, trying my best [Yeah.] to say as much as I can. But I know, for the most part I, I [18:00] guess I did understand both languages and how to translate.
I: Mhm. Oh, perfect. And did you ever, have you known- well given that you’ve know both languages, have you noticed any like changes within certain words that you will use before that now have different meanings? But before that you knew it as something else?
P: Ummm.
I: And it can be in any language, English or Spanish.
P: Yes, ‘cause sometimes, um I’ll be saying a word, and I’ll say it in English, thinking that it’s the same meaning in Spanish.
I: Mhm.
P: but it’s not the same meaning, and so like, I will look up the word, and I’m like, oh, no, I’ve been saying that word wrong for so many years, and I barely realize how to, how you say it correctly. [Yeah.] Oh, and I think that’s happened in Spanish and English.
I: In both languages? [Where,]
P: Yeah. Where I try to say a word, in, in [19:00] Spanish, and I can remember my grandpa telling me that’s not how you say it like you say like this. You know, and then I would Google it and he was right. And I’m like, oh, no, I’m been saying the wrong word thinking that it means the same thing in English as in Spanish, but it really doesn’t.
I: It’s so t- I totally agree what you’re saying, because sometimes it just feels so natural to say it a certain way. [Yes.] and you get accustomed to saying it like that until somebody kind of calls you out and corrects you, you know?
P: Yes, especially um I work in the kindergarten classroom. Actually, last year I had a kindergarten classroom, and you know I, I love that class. It was a bilingual class, the class was a good, it was a good class, and there was students in there that were only Spanish speaking. And um I would say something, and there’d be like, no, you don’t say it that way, this is how you say it and then, when they were not around I would Google and I’m like, Oh, my God, they just, you know, tell me how to say the correct word. [20:00] I’m over here saying it wrong So, you know it’s- I guess it’s good and bad, you know, you learn from the word, and I start kinda saying the correct word afterwards. And I’m having- after- and these are little kindergartens so, they’ll, they’ll correct you.
I: Yeah, it’s fascinating how much they know at such a young age.
P: Yes, [(laughs)] especially the one that you know they were taught the proper way to speak in Spanish. You know?
I: Exactly. Yeah, I agree. [(laughs)] Would you say that you learned the proper I guess Spanish, or were you more of like slang, Spanish? Or how would you describe the Spanish that you grew up learning with, and that you know now?
P: Um, you know, growing up, I feel like I learned, like the slang Spanish um, and then, I guess, growing up, I started realizing, okay, well, this is not how you say this word. So eventually, now that I’m older [21:00] I feel like I’m starting to learn more the proper words in Spanish versus before. [Okay.] Where it was more slang so. But I feel like now I mean eventually, I’ll throw in my slang words, you know. [Mhm.] But for the most part I try to be more proper, especially, you know, since I, I’m studying communication disorders like, I, I want to learn the proper way, especially if I’m going to be, you know, you know, teaching um children. You know. [Exactly, and this is-] So that’s something that I need to work on myself. (laughs)
I: Yeah, I, I get what you mean. Those language that you um sometimes incorporate within your conversations. Do people sometimes pick up on them? Or do they sometimes seem kind of confused? What would you? What would you say about that?
P: Um, maybe not- uhh, how would I say it? Maybe they’ll be like, “Oh, no, that’s not [22:00] the way you say it.”, or “Why do you say it’s that way?” kind of thing and then it, it puts- I start thinking, okay, let me start, you know, finding the proper way to say it. So, I feel like, maybe they do pick up on it. Some. [Okay.] You know, and they’ll like correctly.
I: So, it’s more of like they question it in a way?
P: Yeah, like, “Oh, what does that mean?” And you know, I tell them, and they’re like, “Uh, no, that’s not how you say it. This is how you say it.”
I: And do you notice this coming from um younger individuals, older individuals, some people, some around the same age as yourself?
P: Um, I wanna say mostly the, maybe people around my age and older.
I: Mhm.
P: not so much the younger ones that I’ve noticed.
I: Okay. Hmm! Very interesting. Um, earlier you had mentioned that you incorporate both languages within your household. For example, with [23:00] your family members you may speak Spanish, but then you also incorporate English. Uh, how often would you say you incorporate both languages within your conversations?
P: Um, I think about the same. Um [About the same?] Yeah. I, I want I want my kids to know both languages [Mhm.] just because their grandparents speak Spanish. So that’s something that I try to incorporate. So, if I say a word, or if I tell them something, I’ll say it in Spanish um and they’ll look a little confused. Well, most of my oldest, the youngest, you know he’s a baby, so he’ll just kinda just smile and just look at me um [(laughs)] but the oldest he know he’s like, “What did you say?” And then I’ll tell him, “Oh, I said this …” and then I’ll tell him, but I said it in Spanish first and so I just try to incorporate both. [Oh, nice.] Even though my oldest is mostly [24:00] Spanish speaking he he knows a few words in Spanish, and he knows what they mean. But um for the most part he prefers English, and he is in bilingual classes right now? [Uh huh.]
I: I think that’s good.
P: Yeah. And I try to incorporate it but like I said, it’s you know he does want to, and then then he doesn’t want to learn it. So,
I: Yeah, he has his days then. (laughs)
P: Yeah.
I: And have you ever noticed like when you’re talking to him and let’s say you’re, you’re saying something- you’re speaking to him in Spanish, right? And he’s hearing your response, your responses in Spanish and everything. And then, instead of him answering in Spanish, he answers you in English, has that ever happened?
P: Um, yes, he does. He’ll answer me in English, or he’ll even say like, “What did you say?”, Um, but for the most part, yeah, he’ll ask me what I what I said, because he won’t understand what I’m talking. [25:00]
I: And do you ever correct him for that? Or do you just let him finish his conversation?
P: Um, I let him finish his conversation and it’s if I need to correct him, then I will correct him or [Mhm.] I guess it’s naturally like if he says something, and, and if I know automatically, I need to correct him, then I’ll just you know, correct him.
I: Okay, so given that you, you have him in bilingual classes, and that you’re also teaching him at home. Have you found it difficult um for him to- were or- would you say he, he finds it difficult to learn a certain language between those two, or do you think he’s picking up on both relatively the same?
P: Umm, no I don’t think he’s picking up both of them the same. [Mhm.] Um, I feel like he’s more, um, he prefers [26:00] English [Okay.] but um but as of others- like he knows certain things in Spanish but I feel like he knows more English.
I: Oh, interesting! And with your family members does he only use English, or does he also speak um Spanish?
P: Um, no, he only speaks English with family members.
I: Oh, okay, okay, very interesting.
P: But with uh, if he knows that they’re only Spanish speaking, he tries to um incorporate Spanish or he’ll ask me, “How do you say this in Spanish?”, And then I’ll tell and then he’ll, you know say it.
I: Oh, that’s great! At least he’s starting to like, know that it they- if he’s willing to do it in Spanish, he’ll ask for help, and I think [Yeah.] that’s very important. Um, So, would you say that you do this? Uh, when sometimes someone’s speaking to you in English, and then you response, you respond back to them in [ 27:00] Spanish. Would you say that’s something you do or not really?
P: Um, I guess not really. No. I would say no.
I: No.
P: No.
I: Okay, interesting. Um, what else was I going to ask you? I was gonna ask you one- um a couple more questions. We’re almost done.
P: Okay.
I: Uh, before earlier, you had mentioned on how, depending on the environment that you are in your- you tend to use a certain language. Um, can you give me a little bit more of an example of when you’ve had a time that you had to alter your language because of the situation or the individual you were wi- uh interacting with?
P: Um, so, I know maybe about a couple of- maybe about a month ago, I was working at a school and um there was a student [28:00] which she was only Spanish um speaking. [Mhm.] So, with her I just knew I just, I could only speak Spanish. So even if I tried to say something in English, she wouldn’t be able to understand. So, in that situation I automatically knew that. You know, our whole conversation was only gonna be in Spanish.
I: Awesome! Yeah, that makes complete sense, especially ‘cause if they don’t know it, I think it would just be very confusing. So, it’s good that you know both languages, and that you’re able to pick and choose which one you need to use when you’re in a certain situation, or when you’re speaking to a certain individual.
P: Yes, and also to- I wanted to add to that I um [Uh huh.] I have a friend um and shes on- she knows English and Spanish. But um I know her preference of speaking is only Spanish. [29:00] So whenever I have a conversation with her, it’s always Spanish. Even though I know she speaks English [Yeah.] with her always Spanish. And, and matter of fact, I like talking to her, because sometimes I don’t know how to say certain words in Spanish that are proper, so she kind of helps me out and say, oh no this is how you say, you know, because she knows more of the proper. So like, I said, every time we hang out, it’s- we’re always talking Spanish.
I: That’s really interesting. I’ve never actually heard of someone experience that. So that’s [Yeah.] pretty interesting.
P: Yeah, like I said, she knows Spanish and English. And you know, even when she speaks English, she has uh an accent and she speaks English really well. But um I don’t know. I just. I know that, cause every time we talk she talks to me in Spanish, so even if I answer in English, she’ll answer me back to see she understands the language, but [30:00] I don’t know, we just always end up just talking Spanish. That’s just the preference when we’re around.
I: Makes sense. Um given that we- that you live um pretty close to, I guess a bor- a border city in a way. What, how, what did- how important do you think it is to know both languages? Or do you think it’s okay if you don’t know Spanish and you live in a border city? or it’s okay if you don’t know English and you live in a border-? Like what is your opinion on that?
P: Um, I think that um it’s important to know both languages, and I mean if the person doesn’t know Spanish, or vice versa, you know it’s always good to at least understand the basics or know the basics like, “Hi!”, “Hello!” Um, “How are you?”, Um, just, you know, the basics to being able to communicate for yourself. But I to me, I feel like it’s important [31:00] to know both, you know, because you’re always gonna come across a situation where you know um you’re gonna have to help somebody out. I mean as as for me, I know that if I come across somebody that doesn’t know English or Spanish like I, you know, I’ll be more gladly to um interpret for them. So, I feel like. It’s important to know both.
I: Both languages. Definitely. I, li- I, I want to touch on what you last said, on how you think it’s important to e- um, be able to be help, be able to help someone if they’re struggling just by translating. Um, you had mentioned that you helped your grandma before have you ever had to help a stranger with translating.
P: Yes. Um, lots of times yeah, there’s been quite a bit times where um if I’m at the store that you know there I know that there’s been [32:00] a few times where um I’m waiting in line, and you know that cashier is talking to the person, and they’re trying to tell them their total and then you know the person is Spanish speaking and asking them like, “Oh, what did you say?” O “Que dijiste? And so so I, I butt in right away by the way, and I’m like, “Oh, you know they said, this is your total.”, and then I don’t know. I just I always felt like I was always that person, you know, trying to help. But I- [I love that yeah] Yeah and going back to when I was telling you about that student that she was only Spanish speaking. I had to translate for her. Um, because she’s in a in a classroom where they’re mixed, there’s bilingual but since it’s a small school there’s not a lot of grade levels. So, they put the bilinguals in one classroom and then there’s a teacher that goes in there around certain times and translates for them. So, I went in there and I had to translate for [33:00] her. So yeah, there’s been situations where I’ve, I’ve done that for strangers, and I don’t mind. I’m all “I don’t mind.”.
I: You know I love that. I think it’s very important, just because sometimes I feel like if you don’t, if you don’t know the language, it can be very nerve wracking or intimidating, you know? And sometimes people come off- can come off pretty rude about it. So, if you, if you’re there, you know both languages. I think it’s great to be able to help those individuals. Even just- oh, this is what your total is, you know, I think, even by saying that I think comes a far way, like a long ways.
P: And I feel like I, I’m this way, because, like I I’ve mentioned before is, you know, I grew up in a Mexican household and only Spa- um Spanish speaking so I, I remember, you know, people, you know, being rude, because you know my grandma didn’t know English, and I feel like that’s what like made me the way I am. Just, you know, [34:00] seeing how ugly people can be. You know [Yeah.] especially towards Spanish speaking. And [Exactly.] well I talk about that a lot, but it’s because that’s what I grew up with, you know. I you know I grew up, you know, only speaking Spanish until I started school, and um, so yeah, you know, so, to me, I feel like it’s important and now I get that guilt like if I don’t, if I don’t help out.
I: Yeah. No, I totally agree. It’s, it’s very upsetting, you know, especially when you live through it, and then just seeing it happen to others. It’s kind of like if you can prevent it from happening, then why not? You know?
P: Yes.
I:Well, I definitely agree with you. Okay, we’re almost finishing up. I just have um I think one more question for you. So given that you do use both languages quite a lot and you use them both at work with your family, with friends, um, is there a certain one that you would say “I rather just [35:00] use this language like, there’s no other language like, you know what? I’m just gonna start using this language more or do you feel like you’re fifty/fifty with both?
P: No, I think I’m fifty/fifty with both.
I: You’re both. Okay. Awesome. [Yes.] Well, those are all the questions that I have for you tonight. Thank you so much for taking the time to sit down and conduct this interview with me. I truly appreciate it, and I hope you have a good evening, and best of luck with um the next couple of weeks of the semester, as well as for next semester.
P: Oh, thank you, and you’re welcome.
I: Have a good night.
P: You, too. Thank you. Have a good night. Bye, bye.
[35:41]
New Mexico Border Spanish Corpus 