Dos Idiomas

Farr, Marcia. “En Los Dos Idiomas: Literacy Practices Among Chicago Mexicanos.” Literacy: A Critical Sourcebook. Cushman, Ellen. et al. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2001. 467-487
Farr opens her article by introducing her ethnography research about the communication among Mexican immigrants. She states that her “long-term participant-observation is deemed necessary for a valid understanding of cultural and linguistic patterns” (Farr P 467). The observation included five years in Chicago and six weeks in Mexico. The study consisted of forty five Mexican immigrants with zero to eight grade of formal educational schooling. Farr introduces the term compadrazgo which “refers to the Mexican system of godparentlike relationships that function as a reciprocal exchange network to facilitate economic survival and provide emotional and social support (Farr P 468). These social networks are very important to U.S. immigrant groups because they provide support within their group. There were two ranchos that were completely opposite of each other that were observed. Both of these ranchos adapted literacy whether through schooling or lirico (on their own outside of formal schooling). Farr states that “the differences between the two ranchos account for the fact of informal education in literacy in the one case and school learned literacy in the other” (Farr P 470). The rancho near the town, Michoacan, acquired school learned literacy. The rancho that was located in the middle of nowhere, Guanajuato, acquired informal education in literacy. The people from Guanajuato learned through lirico.
Moreover, motivation is a factor that plays into learning how to read and write. The men were motivated to learn to write because they wanted to communicate with their family members. They also were motivated to learn because they were willing to “share their knowledge of this cultural tool.” Because of these close bonds it is crucial for this group of people to communicate and keep an emphasis on literacy.
The importance of this observation is to point out that literacy can be learned in a formal and informal school setting. Literacy plays a key role in many different cultures. The main factor for learning how to read and write is for communication. Close ties between different groups of people motivate them to read to write in order to keep their close bonds. In addition, I feel like I can relate to this work because of my cultural background. Both of my parents emigrated from Mexico when they were young. My father lived in an isolated ranch, which is why he did not attend any type of schooling. He also could not attend school because he had to start working when he was about five. My mother grew up near a town, which is why she attended school for about three years. Both of my parents learned how to read and write in order to keep their close relationships with their family members in Mexico.