A letter published in The Tribune asked a worthwhile question: If citizenship requires literacy in English, why do government entities provide bilingual communications? I want to take a moment to answer some of the questions posed in that letter.
1. Why Spanish rather than Swahili, German, or other languages?
Spanish speakers are far more common in Utah than speakers of any other language. Roughly 10% of Utahns speak Spanish, compared to the next highest (Chinese) at .5%. 10%! That’s a huge segment of the population.
2. Why should noncitizens need to receive information from the government?
First, someone may have basic proficiency in English, but still prefer Spanish for technical matters. I am proficient in Spanish, but still prefer to read medical or legal information in English, my native language.
Second, a lot of the information spread by the government is relevant to all residents. While noncitizens cannot vote, they can participate in city meetings, attend city events, and care deeply for their communities. Governments also spread important information about health. During the initial surge of COVID, it was important for all Utahns, citizens or not, to know how to keep themselves safe.
For these reasons, I think it makes sense to continue spending money to ensure that Utahns, whether they are citizens and whether they speak English, have a way to understand and work with their government. I think this fosters a sense of community and ensures that we as Utahns can work together on the issues that matter.
McKenzie McLean, Salt Lake City
from The Salt Lake Tribune https://ift.tt/vCGZPrY
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