Bilingualism in Puerto Rico essays

Bilingualism in Puerto Rico essays I would like to first write the meaning of the term Bilingualism before I first begin answering the question. According to the Encarta Dictionary it means: 1. fluency in two languages: the ability to speak two languages easily and naturally. 2. use of two languages: the regular use of two languages in everyday communication. Although the dictionary tries to define such a controversial term, I think it generalizes it and provides a meaning that barely even scratches the surface of that word. The main reason why it is so general is because it is an abstract concept. First of all, there are many factors or levels that influence the language acquisition process, the kind of exposure a student has with the language, if the student speaks it outside of the classroom or just listens to it for about five hours during the course of a week. A real important issue is to know if the new language is being forced on the student. One of the key facts of the language acquisition is to find out the cultural baggage the person carries. A psychological aspect may even play a big role, because if the persons self esteem is not high enough (due to identity crisis, personal problem, cultural pressure, etc) and the person may think that she or he is not capable of learning a different language. My personal opinion is that the concept of bilingualism is so hard to define, that I can only compare it to the abstract concept of love ( Like Alicia Pousada states in the article THE COMPETENT BILINGUAL IN PUERTO RICO). The concept is too abstract or mentalistic to be studied by the scientific method, or any other branch of science that can measure things by quantity , weight, or height. However it doesnt mean that it cant be explained. To me a bilingual person is a person that has the ability to communicate in both languages in a written and spoken way. Colin Baker, the author of &q...