Create a 5 pages page paper that discusses spanish speakers in the u.s. This number is steadily on the rise, as more Latin natives are immigrating into the US, and more students are taking a greater i

Create a 5 pages page paper that discusses spanish speakers in the u.s. This number is steadily on the rise, as more Latin natives are immigrating into the US, and more students are taking a greater interest in learning Spanish in schools. Brod (1988) inferred that more students are choosing Spanish as their preferred foreign language both in Secondary schools and Higher Education institutions. In a 2002 study, 53% of ¼ million students enrolled in language courses across various universities in the US chose Spanish as their preferred foreign language while 14.4% chose French, and 2.4% chose Chinese. From the statistics, it is apparent that Spanish is a popular foreign language for many Americans. This, therefore, begs the question: why Spanish and not other foreign languages such as French or Chinese? Explored in this essay seeks to answer the question above by exploring lingual similarities and differences between Spanish and English. In addition, this essay also explores the need to speak English among Spanish speakers in the US, the most common ways used by Spanish speakers to acquire English, and the difficulties faced by Spanish speakers trying to learn English as a second language.

Similarities between Spanish and English languages make it easier for those willing to learn either language. These similarities explain why many non-Spanish speakers opt to learn the language when directives from schools make it a requirement for the students to take up a second foreign language. The reverse holds true for non-English speaking learners from Hispanic backgrounds. The first similarity entails the similarity in both languages' phonological foundation. Both use the Roman alphabet, which functions to build both a phonological and phonemic foundation. Secondly, approximately 30-40% of the entire English vocabulary is related to words in Spanish. The similarity in the appearance, meaning, and sound of words makes it&nbsp.easier for learners to transfer the same knowledge when learning the second language.