Pencillage

Originally written on Thursday, March 3, 2011. ~*~*~ Throughout the years the teaching of English in Puerto Rico has been shadowed by the language policy the government has implemented and the attitudes of Puerto Ricans towards the language itself. Spanish has been main language of Puerto Rico for more than 500 years since the Spanish colonization and remains the native language of the majority of Puerto Ricans. Even though English was not unknown before 1898 with the takeover of the U.S. of the island, the language was forcibly introduced and put into contact with Spanish from this time on. Any attempts towards shading a favorable light to the English language or the teaching of it in Puerto Rico as a useful skill and tool for professional and personal improvement have been clouded by chaotic language policies, partisan politics and negative views of the language as an imposition rather than a learning opportunity. The first efforts to Americanize Puerto Ricans aft...