I think you mis-understand the culture. In US, there were discrimination against minorities. The American born Spanish speaking people were called chicano/chicana. they feel shame of their own language. It is not the grand parents not to teach the younger generation of the their own language. It is the younger generation they don't want to learn. Another minority groups whom they always denied their own identity were Chinese, and Japanese. These minorities always claimed that they were born here (US) and they don't speak their own languages. But, I have notice that almost 100% of these minorities speak their own languages to their parents and grand parents. Nowaday, discrimination is diminishing, so thus the words: Chicano/chicana, Chinaman, Jap etc were also diminishing. Lot of my spanish friends whom I knew them thirty years ago, at that time, they claimed that they don't speak Spanish. But, now they are teaching Spanish. Others, who's language is not English they may felt into the same situation.

I agree with most of you. But I think that the problem is also due to the generation gap. Grandparents have difficulties in teaching a language but also in transferring their core values. Maybe they will get in trouble in teaching english too :) :) :) I'm trying to say that it's a matter of harmonious relationship. Andrea PS Sorry for my very bad english :(

I understand as an emigrant trying to fit in, you are often made to feel out-of-place and ashamed of your own culture and history. This is not only within the US (and not even in the past!). And growing up feeling like that, the last thing you want is for your descendants to suffer the same thing.

Not just Grandparents, same goes for parents. My mother never passed on her language to me and my siblings, because she took a big step from the Philippines to America. American customs and interracial marriages have no respect for foreign languages, that's why children don't have the opportunity to learn native tongues.

Hi, grandparents don't want their grandchildren to forget their culture. While they are young, the grandchildren speak to their grandparents in their own language, but I agree with Wozitoya when he says that as they grow up, teenagers want to fit in with their friends and often turn their back on their native language.