Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Are Gujjus the Hispanics of Britain?
There's a show playing on BBC TV right now where the narrator is showing a Gujju family in Britain with grandparents etc. and saying things like "The Shahs haven't made sure their kids are completely fluent in English. There is no incentive for the kids to speak English in the household. But father Vijay tries his best..."
The problems described are strikingly similar to those faced by second-generation Hispanic kids in the US (ghetto language). Instead of first-generation parents talking in a mix of Spanish and English to their kids or answering the interviewer in Spanish-accented English, it is Gujarati and English, and Gujarati-accented English respectively. Hmm... Will need to investigate...
The problems described are strikingly similar to those faced by second-generation Hispanic kids in the US (ghetto language). Instead of first-generation parents talking in a mix of Spanish and English to their kids or answering the interviewer in Spanish-accented English, it is Gujarati and English, and Gujarati-accented English respectively. Hmm... Will need to investigate...
