Friday, April 03, 2009

Kerr: The language is the key to everything

These immigrants tell how important learning English is to immigrants who want to succeed here. - - Donna Poisl

By Bob Kerr

The phrase is pronounced “come on” or something close to that. It means “thank you” and I tried to use it as much as possible during the two-week visit. But there were those times when I could tell I had gotten it wrong and I was looking into the face of someone who was looking back at a foreigner who didn’t know the language.

The experience came to mind Wednesday night at the Pawtucket Public Library, where people told of enduring the same experience every day. And they are not here for a visit, as I was in Vietnam in 2003. They are here for the long haul and they know the frustration, confusion and sometimes the anger that comes with looking into the eyes of an American and not being able to make the simplest connection.

There are nine countries represented by the people who meet for language class at the library — Venezuela, Lebanon, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Togo, Mexico, Brazil and Portugal.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.

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