There was a time, about 100 to 150 years ago, when, in the mid-Atlantic States at least, German was the alternate language/culture as much as Spanish is now. There were public schools using German in Baltimore up to WWI. And, of course, being Pa. Dutch, my family which has been in the U.S. at least since the 1st quarter of the 19th century, was bilingual (High German and Pa. Dutch) until my grandfather learned English. But he was also the last who knew German and P.Dutch. It is well-known that the children of immigrants, for the most part, don't want to learn or use their parents' language and folkways -- they want to fit in with their peers and culture. But their children want to know about their grandparents' language and ways, but they don't learn the language as a native language -- it has to be learned like anyone else learns a foreign language. In the case of my family, it took 4 generations (at least) to get out of the old language, but once we did, there was no going back. This is what I think will happen with Hispanics. While there are very many of them, there is not enough of an overwhelming wave that English will not continue to be the dominant language in our country, and one which is the open-sesame to success and prosperity. So I expect that the children and grandchilldren of Latinos will be speaking English, to the chagrin of their elders.
