Language Extinction: Immigrants Are Surrounded by Dominant Language Essay Sample

In Grimes’ essay “Language Extinction: Immigrants Are Surrounded by Dominant Language,” he discusses the difficulties immigrants face when trying to assimilate into a new culture that speaks a dominant language. He argues that this dominant language often causes three major issues for immigrants: personal emotions, social relationships, and identity. To combat these difficulties, Grimes recommends that immigrants be encouraged to learn the dominant language, that the mother language be taught to children at home, and that the mother language be written down to help preserve it. While these measures may not be a comprehensive solution to the problem of language extinction, they are practical steps that can help to diminish it.