2 of 5 speak foreign languages in central San Joaquin Valley
Foreign languages are anything but foreign in this diverse Valley
By Vanessa Colón / The Fresno Bee
09/12/07 04:54:43
Two out of five people in the central San Joaquin Valley speak a language other than English, twice the national rate, according to a new government report.
Although Spanish is the most common language after English, the Valley is host to dozens of languages such as Hmong, Romanian, Farsi and Punjabi.
The diversity of languages presents challenges to law enforcement, health-care providers and school districts that rely on staff, bilingual children or a telephone interpreting service to communicate. Uncommon foreign languages present even greater frustrations for agencies dealing with non-English speakers.
"It can be tough in those situations. They may not know what language they are speaking. They may not know what to ask for," said Dylan Roby, research scientist at the Center for Health Policy Research at the University of California at Los Angeles.
About 42% of people 5 years and older speak a language other than English at home in Fresno and Kings counties. In Tulare County, about 46% of people speak another language. The Valley mirrors the state, where 43% of people speak a foreign language.
Nationally, nearly one in five people speaks a foreign language at home, according to census data.
The data come from the American Community Survey, an annual survey of 3 million households that has replaced the Census Bureau's long-form questionnaire from the once-a-decade census. It does not distinguish between illegal immigrants and those who are in the U.S. legally.
In the Valley, Spanish is the most common language by a wide margin.
In Fresno County, for example, Spanish is spoken by about 32% of residents 5 years and older.
But the diversity of language varies by county.
In Fresno County, Hmong is the second-most-common foreign language, reflecting the county's large Hmong refugee community.
In Tulare County, it's Lahu, spoken predominantly by the Southeast Asian ethnic group of the same name.
In Kings County, Tagalog, the major language of the Philippines, is the second-most-common foreign language, according to 2006-2007 data from the state Department of Education.
Fresno Unified School District estimates at least 75 foreign languages are spoken by its students.
That diversity presents challenges for educators, health providers and justice officials.
For teachers, it means extra work in helping students who are still trying to master English while they learn math, science and social studies, said Paul Garcia, Fresno Unified's director of English learner services.
Fresno's Community Regional Medical Center will tap staff members to translate for a patient but will use a telephone service if no one on staff speaks the language, according to the hospital's policy.
Law enforcement agencies rely on bilingual staff members but also on children and neighbors who can interpret for victims.
"You have to be resourceful. Sometimes, hand signals or gestures help to communicate. It's not all verbal," said Tom Gattie, Fresno County assistant sheriff.
But when dealing with suspects, Fresno County sheriff's deputies use a certified interpreter, he said.
If deputies can't communicate with the suspect, they arrest and jail the person, identify their country of origin and try to find an interpreter, Gattie said.
The Tulare County Sheriff's Department has more than a dozen officers who speak Spanish and a smattering of officers who speak other languages, said Capt. Robert Lomeli. The department also uses a telephone interpreting service to help communicate with victims or witnesses.
The Associated Press contributed to this story. The reporter can be reached at vcolon@fresnobee.com or (559) 441-6313.
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