Why people don't learn english in Puerto Rico?

Question

Why people don't learn english in Puerto Rico?

Answer 1

Most do know English, partly because it is taught from K- 12th grade. But on the Island what is spoken is Spanish among the people, just got back from a visit, my children do not know the language well but every one they encounter was able to help in what ever there needs were. Only a few are stubborn and refuse to learn.

Answer 2

They do all the time,public schools teach 1 hour every day, plus there are a lot of private schools that have and english curriculum. Even at the Univercities they teach with english books. The peson calling United States 'Imperialist" must be a Fidel Castro loving "independentista".

Answer 3

Learning English is one thing and speaking proper English is another.

Most Americans have a problem distinguishing the words lie, lay, laid, and lain. Some have a problem pronouncing the word Realtor, and not knowing they need to capitalize it because it is a register trademark!

With that said, I would not be concern about other countries or ethnicity groups lack of the English language when our country have a much bigger and embarrassing literacy dilemma. Try questioning a plethora of ebonic plague in America to see if you get a satisfying answer. I'm sure the five point deduction will be worth trying!

Answer 4

People do learn English in Puerto Rico.  With cable and Direct TV, many young Puertorricans learn more than I did when I was young.  Now, do we need to speak English to each other in Puerto Rico? No we do not have to, there is no need.  But when push come to shove, we can speak English fairly decent, with our accent, but understandable.  Many Puertorricans are afraid to speak English but when it is required, we do manage to do so.  The older you are, the less likely is that you can speak English with a high degree of proficiency, but as I said, younger generations due to exposure to the English language on TV are better at English that most people given credit for.

Answer 5

all those people here saying Pricans do speak english are lying. Pricans have a lot of english influence because our affiliation with the US but that doesnt mean we speak english in the island, not at all. There is a huge difference between knowing a couple words  and fluently speaking it.

Answer 6

We understand it, read it, write it...all with few mistakes.  Now speak it in public is a different story.  I came to the US when I was 18 and I knew and understood everyone here, but I was shy to speak a language that is not my own.   We start learning english in Pre-K, and they teach us very well, is just that there is no need in the island to speak English with each other...we are Puertorriquenos and proud of our first language SPANISH!  Whoo hoo!  Que viva la patria!!!

Answer 7

I think I know what you mean... a lot of Puerto Ricans "think" they know English... the truth is the majority are not fully bilingual, or fully fluent in English. Mostly because the official language is in fact Spanish.

A lot of this has to do with political posturing, "national" pride, etc. mostly related to an ambigious "are we" or "aren't we" relationship with the U.S.

Everyone's right, English is taught in schools, AS A SECOND LANGUAGE, from pre-K to 12th grade. Meaning that it's in no way equal to the English you learn in those same grades in the states. I know because I moved to PR when I was in the 6th grade and I was WAY ahead in English. What you read in the 12th grade in PR during English class is not the same as what a kid in the 12th grade in the US is reading. At my school we never got around to Shakespeare... we read Flowers For Algernon, which is an 8th grade book in the US. When I lived there I felt slighted, like I was being robbed of a proper education in English. Thank God I made it to the mainland for my college education!

And most kids in schools attitudes when I was in school there was "pa' que tengo que aprender ingles si no lo voy a usar anyway" = why do I have to learn English if I'm not going to use it anyway. Um, hello... because we're a U.S. territory and to better yourself.

Oh and for the record... I was actually born there. But it doesn't stop me from speaking the truth. If PR keeps biting the hand that feeds it (US), theyre going to find themselves like Cuba pretty soon.

Answer 8

When the USA invaded PR in 1898 they (Imperialist USA) impossed school education in english-only. All classes and materials were in english.  My father, (now 86 yrs) went to school under that system. He told me about it and actually he did like it. BUT, the system was changed during the 1930's (by the local colonial government) to provide all classes and materials in spanish, except english class of course. In this days the english is very common in the island thanks to the internet & cable tv.

My 2 cents.

Answer 9

People in PR do learn English. English is an obligatory school subject from Pre-Kinder through 12th grade and even at College Level.  Some of the people feel a little concerned or are shy when speaking another language.  We are fully bilingual, that is one of the reasons many big companies come to PR to get executives, because we know at least two languages. (French is also taught as an elective in high school.) We read, write and speak two languages without any problem different to people in the states that only speak one language.

Answer 10

We do! I am completely bilingual. Yay for me!

Answer 11

Simple, because we are not part of England, lad. I believe you are talking about speaking American.

and Chad is a bitter, bible clenching gun nut.

Answer 12

The official languages in PR (since 1993) are English & Spanish. English is NOT a second language. However  Spanish is the most spoken language , and lingua franca spoken between Puerto Ricans. When someone who speaks English come to PR or if a Puerto Rico goes to the US (or UK , Australia etc), most Puerto Ricans use English instead. Puerto Ricans have a grown number of Anglo-speakers in these years thanks in part to education .

Answer 13

You also have to undersand that we have alot of pride & love for our culture. The US makes it mandatory that we are taught english in school, although some still dont learn it, most of us know atleast some. The US tried to force english as the primary language but Puerto Rico refused. If another country tried to force the US to speak their language instead would you accept it? I doubt it. We are hispanic, we speak spanish first.

Yo soy Boricua, Pa' que tu lo sepa!!

Answer 14

Why Brazilians do not learn chinese?

Why Japanese do not learn Swedish?

Puerto Rico's main language is spanish, they do not need any other language. gET IT?

Answer 15

Probably for the same reason you don't speak Spanish.

Answer 16

I guess You have spoken to the wrong People..Puerto Ricans  write  and  read  english  since  1st  grade...speaking English in Public  is  a  different  Monster...

Answer 17

No need unless you are coming to the U.S.

Answer 18

Who told u that is very wrong. We speak english, Im puertorrican. We understand it, and we speak it. Not everybody speak english but we know it very well. The problem here in Puerto Rico is that teachers dont know how to teach it to us. The true is that the official lenguage here in Puerto Rico is "Spanglish" jaja. Take care!, bye bye!

Answer 19

Why dont you learn spanish? anyways...the majority of the people in PR do know how to speak english

Answer 20

English is a course required in every public and private school. Spanish is the official language but the majority of puerto ricans know english.

Answer 21

puerto ricans know english, we speak and understand the language very well, but we dont feel the need to speak english with each other, if puerto rico's primary language its spanish. we speak english in the US, only when we feel the need to, if non speaking people feel uncomfortable listening to puerto ricans or any hispanic in that matter to speak spanish, then i guess its time for those people to learn spanish, spanish and chinese are the second languages most spoken world wide.