France veil row sparks Trappes unrest

[Gormy Cuss]

182. Many immigrants from Europe lived here in communities of similar ethnicity

and quite often the immigrants didn't become fluent or even conversational in English. It was especially true of the women who didn't work outside of the home. They did insist that their children learn English because they were Americans. The immigrant generation kept the food, cultural and religious customs while expecting their children to respect same while also being externally American but they themselves clung to the old ways and it was quite easy to do when surrounded by immigrants with similar backgrounds. The grandchildren by in large have lost the language and most of the cultural references (religious preference and food tend to be the last elements to go.)

When immigrants didn't live near others from the same country they tended to acquire at least rudimentary English skills out of necessity but not always. There are many children of immigrants who can tell you that they spent years as translators for one or both parents because it's rare that the children don't acquire English language skills. IOW, the American children speak the lingua franca of their country.