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May 28, 2003 Every once and awhile there's an article in a newspaper or magazine or some news program or talk show has a supposed expert on who laments the fact that children in this country are severely lacking in many academic skills. "Math scores are deplorable." They'll say. "And despite all the technology at their disposal our children's science scores are almost as low. Very few can locate Iraq on the map and some can't tell Ariel Sharon from the Little Mermaid." Don't get me wrong-I'm not disagreeing with these people and I could write a whole other article on it as well as the causes and effects (and I might) but the subject of this week's hissy is another area in which many Americans, young and old, are lacking. The area of which I speak is basic communication skills. That's right friends. It is my less than professional opinion that a lot, maybe the majority, don't have the ability to adequately communicate with one another. I'm not saying that Americans don't know how to talk, We have some of the best talkers on earth. It's that we talk a great deal and say very little. I said that this is prevalent in all ages but I will have to say that in my experience we do have to look at our young people to see the best, or worst, examples of it. I'll give you an example. I've worked with the public for about ten years and let's say that a young person will come up to the desk, we'll say it's a young man and he wants something which is easily attained and even more easily explained. We'll say he wants to know the location of the bathroom. First of you'll have to get him to repeat himself because he's speaking so quietly that you're average blood hound can't even hear him. I don't know what it is with teenage boys that they won't speak up and they won't move their mouths to enough to make their words discernable from the other. Then when you can finally make out what he's saying it takes him three hours to ask a basic question. "Umm yeah, uh like you know I have to umm pee. Uh yeah and I would um like to know um where there's an um room where you know I can do it. You know the bathroom. You know what I'm saying?" Repeat after me: "Could you please point me in the direction of the restroom? Thank you." There's really no wonder why young people talk like this considering that the only role models that a lot of these kids have aren't known for being eloquent. I'm speaking of athletes who have taken um's and you knows to a whole new level. Then there are the people who are in charge of entertaining the young folk today. I'd let a rapper pop a cap in me if they would just stop saying: "You know what I'm saying." Then there's Ozzy Osbourne and Anna Nicole who are barely understandable without the preceding linguistic travesties and not including the ever present f word. The annoying thing is that it's catching. My wife was quizzing me for a job interview the other day and halfway through my first answer she informed me not to say "you know." That I was inserting it in just as much as Shaquille O'Neil at a press conference. The excuse that most people give for an over abundance of unnecessary ten cent words is nerves which I can understand; I tend to stutter when I'm nervous. It can also be contributed to just not knowing what to say. Again I can relate but according to a film that I watched in grad school on public speaking rather than putting an "um" or a "you know" into the blank space between your words silence would make it seem more like you know what your talking about. When you can't think of what to say, don't say anything, think for a second or two and then insert the proper word or phrase. Trust me you'll sound a whole lot more competent. Of course this is all assuming that you can speak English, which is a whole other kettle of fish. Now before you get your panties in a bunch I'm not saying that I don't want immigrants coming to America. People from other countries made this country what it is and I would be willing to bet that the majority of the people reading this article descend from people who immigrated, or were brought, to America at sometime or other. I do think, however, that if you move to another country first off that you should pursue the proper channels, INS, and make the attempt to learn the language, the customs, the laws, etc. of the country that you are entering. I'm not saying that a person should give up their own culture, but out of respect for the native populace and for their own safety I do think that they should be able to communicate in the native tongue. Now I know that this is easier said than done. English is a very hard language to learn and if you're coming to America it'll be even harder. Imagine how hard it is for people coming to the south. I had a friend in college from Japan who knew English and spoke it well. The problem was she learned English before she came to the states and had learned proper English, the king's English I think it's called, so when she came to rural North Carolina there was still a slight problem communicating. So I know it's difficult, but I still think that their should be an effort made and I think that it should be encouraged, that classes in English as a second language should be well advertised and maybe they should be free for the betterment of society at large as well as the welfare of the person entering this country. If you can't speak the language you can't answer your phone and you can't tell a doctor or a paramedic what's wrong. Should it be the responsibility of the native populace to learn the immigrant's language, the paramedic, phone operator etc., or for the immigrant to learn the native language? If someone from the U.S. goes to another country and doesn't take the time to learn that culture they are called the "ugly American." Why doesn't this work in reverse? Also I can't help but think that if you come to this country and can't speak the language you’re easily taken advantage of and every con man and charlatan sees you as fresh meat. I hark back to a couple of weeks ago where eighteen people trying to get into the country illegally from Mexico were left to roast in a trailer just outside Victoria, Texas. So whether you’re struggling to learn our complicated vernacular or you use P. Diddy and the Rock as linguistic role models it's vital be able to communicate with those around you. It's essential to every great society and civilization to have both a written and spoken language and for the populace to use those languages. In the words of Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady: "The majesty and grandeur of the English language, it's the greatest possession we have. The noblest thoughts that ever flowed through the hearts of men are contained in its extraordinary, imaginative, and musical mixtures of sounds." "Uh and "you know" have very little majesty and grandeur and I don't think that any noble thoughts are flowing through them. So uh I guess you know that I um I'm through talkin'. You know what I'm saying? ------------ About the author: Jonathan Farlow is a frustrated writer/librarian and lives in Archdale, NC with his wife Kathy and daughter Sara. Visit his web site. You can read some of his stories there. Feedback is welcomed. Email: jonathan-farlow@excite.com Comment on this column in the forum. ------------ |
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