interviews2

Transcript of Focus Group 1

Saturday, September 30, 2017 at 4:00 p.m.

Participants:

Bisi (Moderator)

Dayo (Logistics)

Rommel

Neil

Yinka

Lotis

Lola

Rali

Seminar Discussion points:

• Page set-up decisions

• Transcription issues

• Verbatim or no?

• Hums and fillers

• Symbols – create your own

• Time markers (settled for about every minute)

• Protocols and Questions – insecurity about adequacy?

• Handling diversions

• Feeling of what’s this got to do with everything?

• Initial coding attempts

• Fieldnotes and memos…blurring lines

• Punctuation????

00:35 Start

Bisi: So by way of introduction, my name is Bisi Adenekan. I’m a student at Judson

University. I’ve told my story before to (inaudible) individual. My study is based

on immigrants and language use. I want to look into how does being an

immigrant help us or hinder us as we use language, as we try to acclimatize in

the American society, and that’s what this focus group is about. So I just want

to thank everybody for coming here today to honor this occasion, to just to

support me in this study. We’re going to do a very quick general introduction.

I’ll start, and each person will go. We just want to know four things from each

person. Who you are, your name, what country you’re from, maybe three things,

how long you’ve been here. Alright, so I’m Bisi. I’m from Nigeria and I've been

here 17 years (background noise) 17 years (laugh)(01:49)

Lotis: My name is Lotis and I've been here 15 years. Hum, what else again (laugh)?

Bisi: it's just the three

Lotis: Oh that's it

Yinka: Ok my name is Yinka and um I’m Nigerian by birth and I've been (02:06) here

for ‘about 16 years

Bisi: Oh Lotis we wanted to know where you're from

Lotis: Philippines, yeah (background noise)

Neil: Um my name is Neil I’m from the Philippines since 12 years here in the US

Rommel: I’m Rommel I’m from Philippines I’m/I’ve been here 12 years (02:24)

Rali: I’m Rali from Nigeria and I've been here 16 years

Lola: I’m Lola I’m

from Nigeria and been here um it's gonna be 12 years next month

Bisi: Mmm nice and everybody knows Dayo. I don't know why he didn't introduce

himself (background noise)

Dayo: I’m not a subject (laugh)

Bisi: It's ok to introduce yourself

Dayo: Ok I’m Dayo, ‘Bisi’s husband. I’m from Nigeria originally and I've been here

about for 12 years as well. 12 seems to be the average number here yeah

(laugh)

Bisi: And Dayo is not a participant he’s my research assistant so he's just going to

be here um as quiet as possible

Dayo…in the background

Bisi…in the background do whatever work that he needs to do to run this smoothly.

Um just so you know, I've put water um round (03:15) the tables for everybody

and there are snacks here, feel free. Um unfortunately, this bathroom is locked,

if you need to use the bathroom there's um one just way down the hallway there,

there’s a male and a female bathrooms down there. I need to let you know that

this session is being recorded just like I told these (inaudible) audio recorded

just like um I discussed with you at the beginning and the reason we’re doing

this audio recording is just so that, because, I’ll be taking notes while I talk and

Dayo is also taking as many, as many as much notes a possible, so that I don't

miss any significant um things that people are saying, but at the same time too

I might not be able to write as fast as um people are talking and that's why we’re

recording so that I can listen back to this while I transcribe I can get all um the

um things that I need to get I also want to reiterate that privacy confidentiality

(04:14) is something that I take very seriously um like I said in the forms that

we filled earlier on if I’m going to publish the report of this this research in any

avenue I’m going to use pseudonyms I’m not going to mention names um

peoples identifiers, I’m going to make sure that your privacy is protected. Apart

from the people in my research team and my immediate supervisor and

whoever is um part of the people transcribing this for us apart from that I respect

everyone’s um confidentiality. And um there are additional forms I am passing

around just so we go through that and the only reason that I’m giving this is just

so that after 2 weeks when we disband this team, if I do need additional

information, just additional data that I want to collect that’s why I designed these

other forms just so we can have it alright um 1 other thing that I gave round are

the group rules and I just want us to take a minute or two to look around it if

your cell phone is on or other device please if you can turn that off (5:20) there

still on so that we can have um a meaningful conversation or meaningful

conversations. We’re going to end this session at 6 so I’m gunning for just so

that I don't waste we don't waste people’s time and commitment in other places.

And um like I said in the second group rules, I’m keeping note so um you can

allow just one person to speak, I know sometimes enthusiasm to talk that's fine,

but at least, just so that um we can um have that courtesy for each other. And

um, I want to appeal to us as much as possible to avoid sidebar conversations,

like side conversations, I just want us to be an integral group so that we can um

have as much productivity as possible. And sometimes if I may interrupt your

speech, it's not because I’m trying to be rude it's just because I’m trying to clarify

or I want to hear um somebody else's perspective (06:15) and that’s the reason

um if any questions or comments are off the topic we can discuss those right

after um the focus group um and then we’ll and it and it I do know that the

caliber of the people that are here, and I’m just saying that we should be

respectful and courteous to one another, alright… so any questions so far? any

questions I’m sorry I’m not running this as a classroom it sounds kind of like that

right (laughing)? if you’re done filling the forms we can give those to Dayo.

Thank you thank you (indistinct chatter) that’s fine I can collect yours

Neil: this looks different

Bisi: they’re kind of different

Neil: oh I have a oh I have the other one (muttering) at home (laughter) at home

(laughter)

Bisi: what are you trying to say?...And by the way we’re also going to be on first

name basis (07:23) you know just for convenience for ease of um

communication so we’re just all going to be first name basis for everybody just

so that um this can flow easily. So we ready for the discussion? this um where

the focus group questions start now um and um this question is not directed to

anybody specifically anybody can start the discussion and the first question

is How did your language experience before coming to the United States shape

your experience here? Was it helpful? Share your story. What the kind of

language your (inaudible) experience the level of English experience that you

had in your home country, how did it shape your experience here in the Unites

States was it helpful, was it not? share your story (08:10) anybody ready that

needs to

Yinka: um for me well, I’m in I’m from Nigeria and um English was taught in most

schools so I so you had to learn at some point the uh English, it was our official

language so for me the foundation was there. But when I came in to the US as

a teenager um what I found different was the phonetics because back home um

back in Nigeria we were (inaudible) more of the Queen’s English so the

phonetics was different the some of the spellings some words were different but

overall um the foundation was there we had the basic building block that was

given to us from, you know, from the very beginning so that helped so I wasn't

learning English as a first-timer that had that was helpful not having to um to

pronounce words differently was what I kind of struggled through especially as

a teenager in high school so that’s my experience (09:14) (inaudible)

Bisi: doesn’t matter anybody can join well

Lotis: um English is more I would say second language and um it was difficult for me

because for me because um I had my own dialect and I have to learn Tagalog,

and I have to learn (inaudible) and I have to learn English, and both I don’t, not

like it, but (inaudible) like um you know, we had to take it each year, but I think

I got better when I started working because you have to communicate English

and you have to have a written communication also. But when I got here

everything was, I think it was a big adjustment for me because um, my accent,

and (muttering) and plus my um partner, he was white, so it was just um, a

huge, huge adjustment, that I need to adapt but um but I think that foundation

that I had, I think I didn’t you know embrace it well (inaudible) a little more

challenging, that’s it yeah (10:36)

Lola: I would say coming from Nigeria as well, like Yinka said, we had a foundation,

we were taught English in school, and the only difference, the only thing that

made it a bit hard for me was the accent, you know, when you say some things

here in the US, they look at you like…what are you speaking English? (laughing)

and you think ok I've said the word. Like the first time we got here, my husband

and I were trying to get somewhere, and we said ‘route’ (pronounced “root”),

you know, take the route - R O U T E, and they were like ( laughing ) its r-o-u-

t-e ( laughing). OK, that’s how I’ve always said it that's how we've been taught

to pronounce the word, then (inaudible). And then some other things I tell them.

Back at home, we tell them we want to have (inaudible) a soft drink, “Oh I want

some soft drink” because that is what we referred to it as, but here, you say,

pop as in coca cola or as in Pepsi. And then, (11:26) another time I remember

I wanted to go to the um thermos that we um, that container you keep hot things

(background noise). I went to the store like, ok I need a flask, and they were

looking at me like - a flask? I said something you put hot drinks in, and then to

keep it warm and all that. Oh, you mean a thermos (laughing), I was like ok yes,

can you show me what it is, what aisle. I went there (inaudible) ok here it is.

And then another thing I will say is when um I got to school, I did my bio um, I

have bachelors from Nigeria, and I said I didn't want to go back to school and

um come here and start doing bachelors again so I applied to a master's

program. So I got into the program (12:03), I then I noticed in class, I was the

only, I think I was the only, no, there was a couple of African, Africans in the

class in the whole class. And then I noticed um at some point, they called us

aside with some other foreigners, to advise us that they noticed that nursing

program at the school, that foreigners tend to not to do so well in the program

and they they’re trying to do like a research to see what they can do to help us

better - is it the understanding of the language? Is it the reading or whatever?

So…but like I speak English. Don't you understand what I’m saying? And like

give me the chance. I’m here, like every other person? Equal opportunity, and

she was like ok, we’ll let you guys go, but we want you to know that we can give

you all the support you need just let us know. We’re like OK (laughing), I’m good

to go, thank you. All I need to do is just study hard. And I remember the first um

like all of the (inaudible) final exams we did (13:15), the lecture actually came

to me and was asking me so how did you study? because obviously, I did way

better that most of the students in the class, because once you do the test you

have to pass it because if (inaudible) you don't pass it, you have to pass the

program they don't graduate you from the nursing program. I was like ok, so

she was asking me how did I study, and I was thinking to myself how what do

you mean how did I study? (laugh) I opened my books, and I read my books,

that was how I studied. I didn't do anything different. She was like ok, you

passed. So is that why you were asking me how I studied? She was like yes,

you did very well in the test, you passed the test, and all that I was like ok. So

it was a bit um, of a I would say, I didn't allow it to make me lose my self-image

because if someone, if someone is always coming to you like your lecturers and

all that, coming to you, do you do you need more help? Do you? It would, I’m

kind of made me to -being my kind of person, I would have (inaudible) gone

back into my shell because I’m always (inaudible) if anything comes upon me

I tend to go back into my shell. But I didn't allow that to happen. I just focused

on OK, (inaudible) this is what I want. I’m gonna get it. I’m gonna get it, and that

was what happened so in a way the accent and then the impression I got, I can’t

speak for everybody, that I got from people when I first got here. They always

thought OK, she’s from Africa, so she probably doesn't understand English. I

always got that. And then when I speak, they’re like ok, you have a bit of a

British accent in your English (14:53), so where did that come from? And I think

to myself, I was taught in English right from age 4, what are these people talking

about? (laugh) so it’s always very perplexing to me when they say those things,

but after a while, I just develop a thick skin, and told myself it's out of ignorance

that these people say the things that they say to me, or say the things they say

to other foreigners (inaudible(15:21)

Rali: very interesting, I had a very similar experience to yours too, with the flask

(laughter) I think I shared it with, um Bisi um (inaudible) days ago, you know. I

had, I went to Walmart and I was actually looking for the flask, but I was actually

asking for thermos-flask, and they’re like, there’s nothing like that. And I’m sure

they had it. So fortunately, a Mexican guy was passing by, a customer, so he

said, oh I know what you want, just go over there. So I saw it. So I went back to

the lady and that you said you don’t have it. Oh, thermos. I’m like okay, I said

thermos-flask, and least you can cut it to know that, OK (laughter). So, you know

for me um, that was kind of, you know, annoying sometimes because it’s like,

you know, they almost treat you sometimes like you don't know English, like

you don't have the same level of whatever, you know. So sometimes, I find it

you know, annoying, sometimes, you know. There was a time I when I first came

here and I was doing all these temp jobs and all that (16:31,) so this lady called

me, and I was telling her, oh I couldn’t pick my call because I was in the library,

(pronounced “lib’ry”). That’s how we call library – lib’ry. She said she spent so

long trying to understand what I was saying, until later she was like “oh library.”

(laughter) So things like that just make feel like, oh my goodness. You know,

but um overall, I think um for people that have had um English taught to them

(17:00), you know before coming here, I think overall would probably will have

you know easier than people that are just learning it for the first time, cuz

sometimes I just wonder, people that are just coming, to coming here and just

learning it, I think it was a bit even more challenging, that’s my opinion, because

at least, we already um have an understanding of what things, you know ,mean

and all that. Um our pronunciation may be different, because I mean, we were

taught to pronounce it differently, and spellings too, we have to adjust, you

know, but overall, I think for us we probably have a better advantage because

we have that from back then before coming here

Neil: Yeah so uh coming from the Philippines um, English (inaudible) exposed to

English. Um, I went to a public um school, and right on the first grade uh

textbooks and most of the uh materials in the school were written in English,

but um for conversations it’s not English, it’s, so we were taught in English but

it's not conversational so only during let's say and you have uh some meetings

uh at work (inaudible) started working and that’s the only time you really asked

to speak in English during presentation or some meetings, trainings. But most

of the time, you go on the street, you not hear uh English. But we, our textbooks

and um, what else, many of our books were written in English, and that’s it. So

the only problem is that the conversation, there’s not a lot of uh opportunities to

practice um how to speak in um English, that's it (19:13)

Bisi: Another question that I want to ask is what effect did your professional

qualifications have on your language experience, you know whatever

professional qualifications you had back in your country, did it did it help you?

did it hinder you? What are the effects it had when you came in here (muttering)

that's fine

Rommel: it okay

Bisi: I’m sorry. (laughter) so um if we can start with that question now with your story

(inaudible)

Neil: can you repeat your question?

Bisi: what um effect did your professional qualification have on your language

experience when you came in here did your professional qualification

(inaudible) Philippines for example, or in Nigeria did it help, did it hinder? What

difference did it make?

Rommel: yeah I think, aside from the uh from the school where you learn English um

at work as well, you have the opportunity to um you have more opportunities to

learn English um because you have, you have chance to uh like make

presentations um and that’s also the time when you start you know uh making

um writings and sending emails um but for me um personally I had the

opportunity there in the Philippines to learn English but I did not I did not take it

seriously because uh when I was in grade school uh my English teacher was

my mom (21:06) so I know I’m get a pass (laughter). And then when I entered

college um I enrolled in Engineering course, and when you are in Engineering

um, they expect you to you know learn mathematics more than English. So I

again I did not take it seriously (laughter). Um but um when I came here, I uh,

really, I needed to uh make an adjustment especially in the conversation, as

Neil said, uh there’s not opportunity there to uh like speak English um and as

far as experience here, I actually (inaudible) told one of my friend, um when he

asked me where you come from because so I just came from Jewel ( laughing),

I told him this came from uh J-a-w-e-l ( laughing) “Oh Rommel, what is that (

laughing) what is that ?” From that Roselle road, there’s a store there (laughing)

“Oh you mean Jewel?” ( laughing) yeah m(22:34)

Neil: Um let me add to that another strange thing in the Philippines is that when you

go to more remote areas like (inaudible) areas, and you speak English, in the

Philippines it will be very strange for people, they will look at you differently

(laughing) yeah it's not really very common there uh for people to speak in

English. So it's only at work or even at school, like uh in schools (23:00) were

like uh private schools and colleges there uh a lot of students that speak in

English you go outside that place you don’t hear a English yeah

Rali: for me uh on the professional my profession helped right, is that the question?

Bisi: yes how the profession helped, the professional qualification, what effects did

your professional qualification have on your language experience?

Rali: OK like for me as an accountant, you know like, universally you know debit is

debit, credit is credit (laughing), so and when you’re at work, I mean, and you’re

talking in those terms, I mean they’ll understand right? So I have one, I don't

think that was a problem you know communicating when it comes to that

professional you know aspect of my work and all tha, so I think for my own

profession, I think well at least it helped (that’s the question?) that it helped

that’s what I’ll say

Lola: for me uh (inaudible) because I have a bachelors in economics I was working

in a bank in Nigeria before I came then when I got here I had to transition to

another career um different from what I was doing. I had to, I went to nursing

school. So it was totally different, and then in nursing school because I believe

people here are so exposed to some terminologies like medications, with all the

adverts on TV and things like, they were more exposed to those things, when

we were talking about Pharmacology, and we were being taught Pharmacology,

whenever they were mentioning a drug or medication, I would think to myself

what is that (inaudible)? and they'll be like oh yeah, the da-da-da-da-da, give it

all the side effects and (inaudible), based on what they have heard on TV, when

they put those medications and drugs on TV and adverts they list all the side

effects – nausea, headache, and things like that, so they would just be popping

all those things out in their mouth and I’ll be looking where do these people get

all this information from? So I had to, it took me extra time because I had to

learn what they already knew. It was like a foundation for them. So I believe I

had to study extra hard to be at par with them because I crossed from one

profession to another. I had to kind of, you know, jumpstart myself, like, OK, this

is what you need to do and things like that so I don't lag behind in class and

then they don't see me because.. another thing cause they already had an

impression (25:88) that I did not know anything, that I did not understand what

they were saying, so I had to prove to them that ok for sure, I do understand

what you guys are saying but I just some terminologies I’m just not used to

because I transitioned from one profession to another, because you had the

advantage of being exposed to all these thing right from childhood, you probably

know much more than I do so I believe I would say that I needed to do a bit of,

put in extra effort to be able to excel when I was in nursing school, and then

getting into the nursing career, as a nurse in the hospital

Bisi: I wonder though, if you had jumped from nursing from um financial um career

to nursing in Nigeria or any other country, would it have made any difference?

If you had transitioned from one career to another the way you did here, if you

had done it in any country, would it have made it easier or difficult? (26:55)

Lola: I can't say certainly sure. I, like, I don't know. If I had done what I was doing in

Nigeria if I was working in a bank, is that what you’re saying?

Bisi: No. Like even if in Nigeria if you moved from banking to nursing, would it have

made any difference language wise?

Lola: It probably wouldn’t have because the orientation is that everybody is at the

same level. It’s leveled, but they had it, I had it, and another thing is I didn't go

for a bachelor's program so, so it was in the rudiments that was being taught. I

went to the masters level of nursing, which the expectation was, you should

have known what Pathophysiology or what (inaudible)…to an extent, I needed

to have known all these things went into the program, and most of them that

came into the nursing program, most of them came from a science background

about chemistry something science so they have this prior knowledge, although

I did. I won't say before it gets to the nursing program, you were expected to do

some prerequisites like um (28:01) organic chemistry and all those things, they

expect, they expected have those course before you come into the program.

But I did a crash thing. I did everything within 9 months, I was like OK, I’m ready

for nursing school. So it was like ok, I’d put so much on myself, I had to while

they were they were doing holidays and oh were gonna do this and we're gonna

do that, I’ll be thinking to myself, ok I gotta get the text book for next session

and start reading out because by next session, when we come back to class

they’ll always meet us with a test and I remember one semester that we came

back and the lecturer gave us a test and I had the highest score, she was like

looking at me so what did you do? like why do you keep asking me all these

questions? (27:15) I told you before, I speak English. I understand English. I

just have to put you know effort into it into doing good so I don’t know (28:53)

Lotis: for me I like in a professional level I think I had a little bit confidence especially

my first experience working for full time, working with um girls and it’s funny

because sometimes they don’t know how to spell some words and I’m like you

guys are (inaudible) (laughter)

Bisi: can you say that again?

Lotis: yeah like I said you guys are here and you don’t know how to spell it, you know.

I would laugh like crazy (inaudible). I might not be good at English and grammar

but I try to be good in my spelling you know and um um when you work in the

medical field, you have to like document everything and our boss is very

particular about you know the details and all those stuff that you write on each

account. So and these girls, sometimes they’re very (inaudible) you know. So

um in terms of profession, I think I had a little confidence (inaudible). I think it

depends because some people don’t have that education (30:06) this you know

they’re just up to high school maybe I don’t know

Bisi: So what you’re saying is that the education it the level of education (inaudible)

helped

Lotis: yeah

Bisi: is that what you’re

Lotis: yeah

Bisi: hearing from (inaudible)

Lotis: yeah

Bisi: people that spoke the level of education that you had coming into the country

helped

Lotis: yeah

Rommel: yes

Bisi: coming into this country helped (inaudible)

Lotis: (inaudible) you did a good job with that…

Rali: yeah like he was saying you know you kind of gain your confidence because if

you know I mean, it’s what especially if it’s what you’ve been doing from home

or maybe if the schools like in my case, it’s like okay I mean (inaudible) um you

know like from what you say now I also notice that generally, it’s like foreigners

actually do better work in the offices

Bisi: why so (why so)?

Rali: (31:01) I guess it’s the culture maybe the culture we have from home. I don’t

know, that’s the way I, just like you’re saying your boss tells you you do good

job I have that problem because my boss will actually take jobs from other

people and give it to me because oh you did a company very similar, and you

did it quickly, you did it well, you didn’t make errors. This person keeps making

errors and then it became too much and it became a problem and I kept getting

promises (31:31), we will hire more people, we’ll hire other accountants and

then another accountant was like, are you, who’s from here, and you see them

after the one hour break, they are back in the lunch room gisting, and you are

still like, because you keep getting more work because you do it and you do it

like this (tapping fingers rapidly). My boss actually said you do it like this,

(tapping fingers rapidly), like a machine and I’m like oh, (laughter). Her exact

words. Like this (tapping fingers rapidly) it’s just like a machine, I’m like oh, you

know and I remember the first job I did, I had actually volunteered in that place

um though they later started to pay me, but I note I remember that in that office

someone was asked to start something, and she was there like this (slowly

tapping finger)(laughter), honestly I was like (laughter) I’m like from where I

come from you’re doing something like (tapping fingers rapidly) (laughter) and

you are done. You may have the rest of the day and be gisting, but that work

just do it and (inaudible). So I think we just have that culture of we just do it

Bisi: Thank you anymore? (32:38). As a new resident in America how did you feel

having conversation with an English speaker when you first came how did you

feel talking to an English speaker for your first time?

Rali: for me um I would say when we say English speaker we have to also classify

and define it, But when I first came here and when I first came to Chicago, I

stayed with a friend on the uh south side and I worked with H and R block then,

and I saw a lot of people from the south side and to me they were not speaking

English, but they think they were speaking very good English and that you do

not know how to speak English because you have an accent you know. And

even when I went into more professional um environments where you meet

people that say they are bachelors they make some statements I go home and

say Ok, I’m like my colleague said this today (laughter), because they just

construct the English in a way that you’re like, where’s is we going? I’m like,

what? (laughter) you know they just say some things that I like have to go write

it down so I don’t forget then I’ll go home and tell my husband that this person

said this you know. So when we say English speaking you know sometimes you

really wonder they even bosses they’ll say, I actually had a boss that told me

well we didn’t do grammar (34:15) so (laughter) so we didn’t do grammar in

school it wasn’t compulsory (inaudible), but we did grammar and it was

compulsory, you know. So for people that came from Nigeria and you went to

school, we did English and um grammar, you had to spell right, you had to say

it right, you had to you know. So um for me, I don't feel I don’t think we should

um be intimidated because they have accent and when we say accent, accent

too it’s um how will I term it, I tell people you come to my country and you speak

my language you have an accent. So to me we all have accents, it’s just a

matter of location because I come here, if I go to um um UK, they speak English

differently, if an American go to UK, he has an accent, you know, so when we

talk about English speaking, to me it’s the construction. If I speak the English

and I understand what you’re saying, I don't have accent on my brain, so if I say

what I’m saying, and you listen you know. Like I appreciate what one woman

told me, the library story I told you, she said you know when you talk like what

she said for interview, she said talk slowly, ok? And that’s because, ok, I’m used

to the way I was taught to speak English, and the people that come from where

I come from, when I speak it, if I’m fast, they know what I’m talking about, but

because of the accent um um issue, when I come here, and I’m talking to

somebody from here, they may not really understand, they may still need to

process. She said library, what’s she saying? They may need to process that

for much longer time (36:02). So I guess that’s why she was telling me to speak

slowly so that, so that...the point, in my speaking slowly, they have a long time

to say oh, ok, library, oh or something like that but other than that, I think English

is just the same thing really, we should construct it properly and in the right way

(inaudible)

Bisi: any other….?

Lola: I remember when we came here, my husband actually was relocated from

Nigeria by the company he was working for at that time, so when we got to

America, we had like a package set up for us, so we had like someone coming,

we actually went there for like a class where they gave us different things - how

to get an apartment, how to do this and how to converse with people, spacing,

you know, how far you should be from whoever you are talking to, some slangs

that are common in when American are talking, and different things like that. I

was like, what's all these, I have to learn all these before I can converse with

somebody? But that kind of I would say helped my husband and I, because they

also gave us books ok this like somebody says this, this is what they are trying

to say, and I would say people coming from Nigeria, we usually watched

movies, so we, I would say I was exposed to some of the slangs or

terminologies or the way they speak. So conversing with people, like she said,

I didn't feel intimidated, the only thing was that I heard a lot of huh? Huh? Huh?

like (laughter) they didn't understand what I was saying. Like she said, that as

well like the guy that gave us a training like that time, it was like exactly what

you said, because of the accent, we need to speak slowly so that they can

understand what you’re saying because if you speak too fast they will, some of

them will be kind enough and tell you could you repeat yourself, and some of

them will just nod their heads and smile as if they heard you, and just walk away

when they don’t hear a word (38:01) of what you said. They said I would advise

you guys that you speak slowly. I know you speak good English, I’ve conversed

with you, but the only advice to me was speak slowly when you’re talking with

other people. Like she said, I said on the south side in Chicago when we got

here, and I said to myself, oh ok (laughter) I have never heard this kind of thing

before in my life, and you looking at them and they’re looking at you like you

don't speak English, like goodness, you don’t speak English (mumbling) this is

wrong. You can’t correct them because they believe that their English is best

you know (laughter).(38:41) Another thing working or working in the hospital,

and then you have patients and even with your colleagues, I have to like when

I’m giving reports to another nurse, same thing. I have to slow down my speech

like ok, this is what I’m saying, I even, I got to learn not to be offended when

somebody keeps saying huh uh huh. I see as a way, ok, you have to control

when you speak, and over time, when working with other people they got used

to the way I speak, so even if I say something, and someone new joins the (um,

mumbling) the unit, and I say something, the ones who have been there

(mumbling) like, oh that’s what Lola is saying (laughter), is saying that… so

they kind of got used to the way I speak being because I made them like, ok,

you guys, you also have accent. But I’ve been training my ears, to listen to what

you guys say, so you have to take time to listen to what I say too. So I kind of

you know maybe it’s very hum...I made it, I didn't make them uncomfortable,

being, being amongst them like Ok I can't hear what they’re saying or you can't

hear what I’m saying, I kind of made everybody comfortable with the way I

speak, like I’m comfortable with the way you speak as well, but it's a team work

(40:00), you’re gonna work together with me as a, you know, nurse to nurse,

because in nursing it’s a teamwork, team effort so, I just had to kind of make

my way and find a way for them to hear me particularly for patients because

you have Caucasian patients that come to the hospital, you have to in a way,

cus I remember one time, um, one of them asked me and said, um that was

when I was a nursing student. I said, she said what do you here? I said I’m a

nursing student, and the lady was like “what do you do here?” I said I’m a

nursing student (laugh), the husband now said oh she means “student”, she’s

a nursing student” (laughter), the wife now said oh a nursing student (inaudible)

so I was like, now ok, there are some words you have to say it in some ways

for people to understand, and at times, I don't, when I find it some people

especially, elderly people because their hearing is not as good as it used to be,

I just write it on the board for them. I try to speak slowly, but yet they don't

understand, I just write it, you know. I try to accommodate my people with the

way I speak just for me because I believe in getting along with everybody and

making my work easy and not hard yeah make life easy (41:17)

Bisi: I’ll go back to one point that Lotis raised earlier, you said when, that was the

first question because your partner was English, can you share with the group,

does that help, did it help you, you know the fact that you said when you first

came in here your partner was English-was Caucasian, does that in any way

help? I wanted to get a perspective

Lotis: that was a lot of expectations that I would completely adapt, you know, the

accent, the way I say things, and at one time, um, even just English, English

terms, it’s like, he told me how to drive, and he was like oh this is piece of cake,

like piece of cake, piece of cake. I’m like what do you mean piece of cake? Do

you have a piece of cake? He said (Laughter) no, it's easy (laughter, mumbling),

piece of cake. I’m like ok, piece of cake. One time I said I have a sweet tooth, I

don't mean to say sweet words (laughter) so there are a lot of um not just I

would say hum noticed that can, you know, hum, I don't know how to say it

there’s a lot of English language that I didn't know, that I have to really

understand, and learn and adapt. They have their own thing I never known that

when I was in the Philippines, you know like, those kind of, kind of hum, yeah it

was hum it was a lot of learning, and just the process of adapting and it was it

takes time, you know, it takes time, and they teach me how to be patient and to

be humble, humbling (mumble) (43:15)

Bisi: thank you I can move along um does anybody have any um experience they

will like to share anything that has to do with language use and your adjusting

maybe on your first day in America, going to the store alone for the first time,

you’re looking for accommodation, trying to find a job, do you have any unique

experience you want to share with the group about your language, how your

use of English language, if you have any unique experience, you’re looking for

an apartment, you’re trying to find a job, or going to the store along for the first

time, or first day here in America (mumbling)

that’s a long time

Bisi: (laughter) long time… (laughter)

Yinka: for me in general, when i came i was a teenager, but as has been said before,

it's people being surprised that i could even speak at all, that I think they see

the name is different from what they are used to, and they just assume, you

know (laughter), you’re an illiterate (laughter) just/maybe you can't speak you

can't read, You can’t, you know, so I personally I encountered that a lot, and

when I open my mouth and say(inaudible)oh (inaudible) where did you get that

from (hum-hum/mumbling), how long have you been here? Right! (laughter), I

mean, yes the accent was there, yes, you know, the pronunciation, emphasis

was placed on the wrong syllables or words, (laughter), but, just that, you know,

I (inaudible) got that a lot when I usually came, like i said, I’m not also in high

school(43:27), they taught you that, how (inaudible)Yeah (laughter), I don't live

in a jungle, i mean (laughter) we do so That was my initial hum///try to (inaudible)

to the high school system, was just it's a shock that she could speak English,

so, and yeah, getting a job after that (inaudible) it’s been easier, but they

start(inaudible)/whereby they say hum?what you saying? (inaudible)(laughter),

number on this is what I meant, (laughter), oh ok, (laughter) so…

Bisi: has anybody ever spoken to you about your accent? You know, has anybody?

Rali: actually, some of them, hum, some of them actually compliment your accent,

some of them are like, oh I like your accent, you know, but if the people that

have hum the most problem or that see foreigners as illiterates like she was

saying or like ignorant people, they’re actually the ones that have not had too

much exposure, they’re the ones that are really ignorant, they just watch all

these documentary thing you know a friend was telling me that when she first

came here, someone was asking her, oh, hum, do you see lions, do you see

elephants (laughter) that she felt so angry, that yeah, we live together (loud

laughter) yeah when we walk, we all walk in the street together (laughter), and

i remember one of the first jobs that I had somebody came and said hum you

speak such hum good English, how long have you been here? I told him, Ah!

you learn that fast? (laughter) really?? (laughter)

Bisi: anyone else

Lola: I’ve actually been asked do you live with the animals

(Rali interjects…..)

Lola: somebody asked do you see elephants, walking the streets and giraffes and

something like that, I said ok and if asked, so where do you have the animals

here?

Rali: yeah, go to the zoo.

Lola: I said that’s exactly the same thing. The animals are kept in the zoo if you go to

the safari, and all those places, you’ll see all those things running around in

freely but in the city they’re kept in the zoo (laughter), so the same way it is

here, is the same way it is back home.

Rali: I just think the TV has misled a lot of them especially cus really, many

Americans some travel, but many don't really travel, I’ve met someone in this

Chicago once that said, that never been on the plane, she’s really grown up, i

was like oh really? Yeah, so they just look at the TV and they believe everything

they see, so that’s what really informs so many people’s hum ideology you

know, and they just believe everything and they believe that is the way we live,

wherever we come from and all that like you, like you said, you educate them,

just like you did, you educate them. I know a white lady, she went, was it Nigeria

she went to? She came back and ahah, they have 5 star hotel, I’m like yeah

(laughter)we have hotels.

Lola: I even have someone recently, maybe about a month ago, the guy was a lawyer

was like Where did you learn to speak English? I said back at home in Nigeria,

he said you speak such good English, and he doesn’t really meet, you know,

African people, or(inaudible)/black people that speak, you know, good English

I said back at home They were taught in English, most people in school were

taught and then they converse in English, although there are people, you know,

you explain to them, its um Pidgin that is spoken there, they don't even

understand it, they don't speak English language. Another thing I would, I would

say I would take (inaudible) is that living on the south side, of Chicago/a long

time, I notice African Americans, they tend to, hum, i don’t, i don't know how to

say it, hum, when you speak, when you try to relate with them, they kind of draw

back, I don't know if anybody got that because we live on south side, they feel

like you’re trying to be better than them, I kind of sense that, there’s ….I have

African American living around me, they always, i try to make friends with them,

but once you talk to them, and you hold a conversation with them, they

hum...feel ..speak English, if you don't speak English the way i speak English,

and they kind of tune off, and i discovered that I made more friends with people

that are not African Americans, you know, compared to, you know, African

Americans. I know for some reason…,they feel, I won't say threatened, ...based

on some kind of assumption, I don't know, I can’t really say, i just notice that

they always tune off, when you try to connect with them, compared to other

people. Different color from….

Bisi: Do you, do you stopped by bimi at 50:24 think this has to do with language

barriers between you and….(mumbling), Lola: I do don't really know, and that’s

just what I noticed

Yinka: oh

Lola: you think so?

Yinka: yeah, I mean, you. I experience what you know...mentioned as well is that hum,

personally, I just believe that it’s a complex. You know, maybe to them???even

though we have the same skin tones and skin color, but we are ...from, and

then you don't, which is ok, if I could have been here you know Couple of years,

why are you kind of better than i am?

Bisi: but do you

Yinka: So that’s why, (mumbling) that’s why they tune themselves so that ok, I’ve been

here, I was born here, raised here, you can’t come from across the whatever

and then try to tell me how to speak my language. So(49:44) that’s I mean,

cuz, I hum, I’ve been here as a teenager when in high school, that was one

major part of what i experienced as well...she ain't better than me, that is their

word, their accent

Lola: exactly, exactly

Yinka: that’s what you know

Lola: that's and the reason… that's what i perceived

Yinka: it’s more than the language, just...as ...the basic foundation is there, I believe

that this despite hum, how we speak it, either more open to learning, is more of

??issue, I mean, it’s more of a literacy???issue, than, than the language barrier

???the building block is there, but they’re not taking the time...know, some of

them are not willing to learn the proper form of the English like

that???(mumbling)

Bisi: what's the proper form

Yinka: ma?

Bisi: what's the proper form

Yinka: I mean speaking ??proper, regardless of where you are in a…

Rali: maybe they are, maybe ??educational system (inaudible)

Yinka: exactly, that’s what

Rali: they don't teach tem grammar, so it's optional,

Yinka: I mean, I doubt it. It like????high school here, they teach it, but ???you wanna

learn it?

Rali: they say it’s optional, for us it wasn't optional.

Yinka: but even then, when you’re in the class,???teaching, are you willing to learn it?

Or when you, when you go back home, depending on the hum, experience ??of

the parents as well, do you have that personal motivation that ok, I’m I’m,

???way, because, you know, a lot of them, ??/an excuse one way or the other

why…they want to maintain their status quo, but we as foreigners will have???

I have to ???for myself, so that little motivation is ingrained into us one way or

the other whether we like it or not, that’s what???? Get to do better. But they’ve

accepted the status quo. My parents ...high school, so why should I do it...so

it's….it's something more beyond just the basic language because we all share

the same form, the building block is there, but as individual, am I willing to,

to???step, ??? to????because on the flip side, there are also African

Americans that you will hear them speak, and like, oh, wow, ???from you so it

goes…

Bisi: to take it away from the skin color, I just want to have ???other people that

don't have that skin???? Do you have that kind of experience, do you relate to

that kind of experience? Do you, was there, let me, let me re-frame it this way,

is there any time that speaking the way you speak English, trying to reach

out???or in the use of English, trying to reach out to anybody, you were pushed

away, why did you think that happen? Was there a time that you were pulled in

why do you think that happened by anybody? Do you have any story to tell

about that, is there any kind of experience? Is that clear????mumbling????

Lola: actually err, because currently now, I’m just a part time, I used to be a faculty at

Chamberlain College of nursing and when I started it out, I was told...I had an

office...next to my office was a Caucasian lady, and we kind of you know, talk

everyday, not ??/we say hi hi how are???after about 2 weeks, I now had to

share an office with a Filipino lady. I for some reason, we just connected, and

the reason, we actually told each other that, she was like, but i think the reason

I connected with you???? Is because you are a foreigner, I now???we

understood each other, our perspectives were kind of very similar, and then we

have the same issues with some words because as an instructor, you have to

go to the class fully prepared, and the way you prepare your notes,???how do

I say this thing in class that I don't get laughed at? (laughter) how do i say this

word and the students ...what is she talking about? She also ...for her class…

she is ..like Lola, how do you say this word...google it (laughter) let’s google it,

we google it ??make fun of each other, and say, it's pronounced this way ,m so

when she’s ??we remind each other, don't forget how that word is pronounced.

So we just kind of in a way connected, we bonded so much that if other

lecturers,,,,when they ..what are these 2 people doing? And it just happened

that the ..happened to be in the same office, and they'll be foreigners, what do

you call it, Tagalogg? (mumbling yes), yes, we...she said sometimes she is

thinking in her language and then she has to kind of interpret it, if she’s thinking

in Tagalogg, and she has to express herself in English , and

sometimes?????(laughter) ???English cannot confuse the students, and for

me, I married an Ibo man///myself and my husband we’re not from the same ,

we speak different dialect, the common language we speak at home is English,

spo for like the last 12 years, I haven’t any other language at home except for

when my mummy is around. My thinking is now in English so that ...have to

practice thinking in English,,,,you say….we speak Tagalogg, so we can, we kind

of connected, ...without thinking somebody is pulling me down, is saying I don't

know how to do it, I don't know my job because of the way I speak, or the way

i say some words, but at the same time, the, my...supervisor, or my hum, ...now

job is a Caucasian lady, don't really have relationship with this lady apart from

when she tells me what I’m supposed to do, and this...she always, even when i

say some words, she tends to hint ??/me the correct way to say that. I’m like

what is, why is it do you have to do that? You’re supposed to be my preceptor

and you're supposed to encourage me to do my best in this job and ...at the end

of the day, ...had to take her away from being my preceptor because she was

making it very hard for me to flow and be, and do the job i was...i had to go to

the manager, to the dean, and told her I’m having a hard time with this

lady..asked me why, that she just seem not to want me to get integrated into

this course I’m teaching….she’s like the course coordinator for the ..course,

and I had ..is there any way I can be reporting to someone else because I’m not

gelling with her for some reason. But the other lady in my office, being a

foreigner, ...experiences that I’ve had in the past…. We kind of made it a lot

easier for me to ...get into the teaching mode and you know...be in class and

not being...being more confident... because we kind of told each other, your

accent doesn't matter, it's the content that matters, it’s you to ...this information,

and being able to teach the students the first thing they are supposed to know

, you speaking this way does not deter them from getting the information they

need to get . All you have to think at the back of g your mind is that you're

giving them all the information they need, and the .okf that, ..if they don't

understand you, you can always tell them feel free to ask me any questions

...it's confusing, I go to the board, and write on the board for them to see the

spelling or something, that kind of ..,makes sense

Bisi: what language do you think in? How does that relate to the language that you

speak here in America? She brought it up, she said I’ve been thinking in English,

and she told my colleague, think in English, and make it easy,” what are your

experiences? (stopped by bisi at 58:54) Yinka: I think..about...what am I

thinking? It depends on who i am conversing with, or in what situation that I am

in.itf at work, I think in English. When I’m at home amongst my family, what’s

English, I think in my native language...in my thoughts, but there are situations

whereby when I’m faced with some situations, I’m like think in my native

language first, and then think, how’s that said in English? I’ve had, you know,

both ways

Bisi: so you have to switch the codes every time, how easy or difficult is that when you

speak with err, for example, are you well trained to the point that you are

speaking (59:54) to somebody who speaks English alone, you automatically

just think in English...or is it different, what do you adjust, how easily, how?

Yinka: I believe that I’m well trained, I’m...the way my mom taught us was you speak

English when you’re outside, this is why it's stopped at 1:00:07 by dami called

the mother’s tongue, so when you’re home, you book bag is out, you’ve done

your homework, and that was the way she kind of raised my siblings and I...so

I believe that I’m more trained in switching my thoughts around in either

language. However, there are some words that...easily translate..maybe I’m

speaking in English to someone, and at a particular point, they’re like,..it’s best

...in my native language, i just say that I’ll get back to you on that one , and vice

versa too. I’m skilled in my native language, but ...they just don’t translate

well...how best can i explain it without ...I’m trying to convey...I’m gonna come

back let’s scratch that, so I believe I’m well adjusted in thinking in both, but

there are few instances, depending on what I’m trying to convey, my ...in one

language...translation for it...and you know what. Let’s just ...that Lotis: to me,

my thing about speaking English is you can say it in so many different ways,

the same thought, so when i try to speak English, I try to formulate it in my

head,....don’t express it well, then i decide to say it….short

Bisi: you say what?

Lotis: I decide to say it in a short way.

Rommel: my experience is when i initially came here, i usually translate in my mind the

words I know in Tagalogg, how can i express that in English, and I think as you

speak English more, thay si actually ...now you’re thinking of how to express

that in English, and I..thinking anymore in Tagalogg, now I’m thinking, what’s

the English word, what’s the right grammar, what’s the right pronunciation. So

all those things, you have to process it in your mind, but I think as you speak

more English, I don’t do that a lot now like translating Tagalogg to English in my

mind, but ...the pronunciation, the grammar, and Neil actually taught me a lot of

that (laughter)

Bisi: you want to share?

Rommel: I want to share, I’m a Sunday school teacher here, and I teach in

Tagalog/English, but most of the time, in English, and when I speak, when I

teach, when...incorrect grammar, ...just smile, and when he smiles, i know that

I make (loud laughter) something wrong, and sometimes, he counts how many

wrong (laughter), and I learned that...because we work in the same company, i

teach on Sunday, and we go to work on Monday, we discuss...those wrong

grammar or pronunciation...sometimes, i get angry

Bisi: that’s the question i want to ask that does it make you angry? Or is it because

he’s your friend that it doesn’t bother you. How about if somebody else does it

to you? ..correct...she said something like that, that , she made the statement,

that the person that you report to ...have you ever had experiences, anyone,

like that, how does that make you feel?whether somebody else is correcting

your grammar, you know, how does that make you feel? Share your experience.

You shared how it feels from a friend, have you even had an experience where

it’s an outsider,

Neil: for me personally, when I correct….grammar, I usually do it with my friends and

close friends. Let’s say if I hear somebody commit error in the grammar, I’m

not...or I don’t know the person, I don’t say...

Bisi: do you….

Neil:....experience I see in the workplace, because of, in my opinion, coming from the

Philippines, grammar is really a problem with...Filipinos come here in the United

States, we can actually speak in English, but the grammar is generally poor for

most Filipinos, that’s ...i know coming here in the united states...and whenever

i have opportunity to ...or teach, then i do it, it’s just telling them you’re in the

US, you should know how to speak English, in their language, in the correct

manner. So you may not have that accent, I wish I have that American

accent...we will not learn it unless we go to college, but at least we should

communicate in the right way

Bisi: you just said something now, and you said, I wish I had the American accent Neil:

I think it’s good, i think, I really like that (chuckle), I wish I have that accent

because, hum, i just like it, i like the way Americans speak their English that

they have here, i like it….but i don't think I’ll have it (chuckle) just hearing my

kids, they go to school, I hear them speak English the American way, I wish, I

hope, i wish..(inaudible)

Lotis. me..my son….:

Rali: I was going to say that, even your kids correct you, especially the pronunciation

Lotis: he say, what mom? (laughter), I say stop it (laughter)

Bisi: how does that make you feel?

Lotis, me I’m gonna be a mother, give me….(laughter)disrespectful...son…..(laughter)

Lola: I think when you said something about your wanting the American accent, that

was something i kind of wished initially when we first got here, I wish I had the

accent, because what I noticed was it makes people more accepting. When

they understand you, they can relate with you...I say that because of my

husband's job ...we go to maybe they have like a picnic, they have this, they

have that, and what I noticed was the foreigners always were together, and you

all go round and introduce each other, and ….this dah dah dah, and at the end

of the day, you just see people that speak alike tend to gravitate together, and

people that have some sort of accent or sometime foreigners that have

similarities, they tend to gather together ...the reason that is that they don’t want

to appear offensive, maybe it’s... own perception of the fact that they can't really

understand what you’re saying all the time . So to have a fluent and easy

conversation with someone they don't really understand well, it’s gonna be a

big challenge to them, and they won't want to be rude, just like them

pronouncing some names, because someone can't pronounce, because it’s

happened to my husband at work before, they couldn't pronounce his name,

and he noticed they..., because they don't want to say it the wrong way, they

weren't calling the name, and their not wanting to call the name, makes them

not want to talk to the person more. They’ll rather want to talk to someone like

Tony, rather than someone like Kinchichi, I’m just saying, the name that will

make them bite their tongue, because of the pronunciation and because they

don’t want to offend you, they don’t say your name and things like that. But you

have some people that are willing to take the risk, they just have an interest in

you, and they ...an interest that...my husband, when he started, there was a guy

in his office that had been to Nigeria before, one of the big bosses, so he was

really interested in him, he was like oh I’ve been to Nigeria before, and he just

took to him , he didn’t, he said oh the accent, I...the accent, he aaid oh welcome

to the US, if you need anything, if you need anything...so when he was having

some issues with some people, and he went to HR, based on maybe language

barrier or for whatever reason, he wasn’t getting jobs like other people in his

group, so he was like why am I always in the office, and... every other person

in the same office...they get assigned to jobs...HR this and that...so he went a

step further, and went to...he felt that guy???had an understanding of who he

was when ….he was coming from ….and the guy actually you know, stepped

in to...when the situation that made the HR ...people to understand that this is

what is happening, it is because of where this guy is coming from , and because

of the way he speaks, and because of some other things surrounding his

culture, ...that’s making people not to give him, you know, assign him to

….something like that. That was corrected there and then, and then afterwards,

my husband...getting his own assignment, he was more integrated, let me put

it that way..into the system. Bisi: something that is ...hear, and correct me if I’m

wrong, so that there seems to be this feeling of isolation

Lola: Yeah

Bisi: because we speak the same way, so we stay together, how does that make you

feel? And this question is for anybody. Like the example she gave that when

there’s a function, we just stay together because we speak the same way, and

then people that don’t speak the wat we do , they don’t want to offend us, how

do we feel about it? Or for example, the way Neil said I wish that is speak...with

the American accent, and how easy is it for you, not being able to speak the

American accent,....do you feel isolated to not? How does that make you feel?

Neil: ...opportunity...I don’t feel isolated, but I think I can express more, or i can

tell more if I know more of the language, so let’s say I’m talking to an American

English speaker, let’s say a good ??? speaker, and sometimes I have ...in my

mind that I could not express, I wish I could express it more...so I think that’s a

hindrance. You cannot tell all the stories that you want because I’m sort of

English words, and I could not express all the things that I can say. But I think

there’s no feeling of isolation, I feel I could have expressed, I could have said

more

Rommel: it’s very...especially in our work environment, we have ...different

background, actually there...because we have Indians, in our...itself, thers’ only

one American out of them????(laughter), we have Chinese, we have Indian,

we have from Egypt, Spanish, (mumbling…..), yeah, very diverse, yeah , and

they’re very professional as well, and that’s why especially here, they have very

high regard of discrimination, they’re very professional to work with, and you

see that when there’s a gathering, Americans they gather together in a group,

and then the Indians, then the Filipinos, or Asians, and I don’t feel isolated, i

don’t feel offended by that, i think you connect easily to a person that has the

same background, just like what...said, you can express in details what you

want to express. When you talk to an American, that’s hard, that’s not….

Lotis: I think it’s …. Like in my old job, they’re very diverse, but I ...they gonna accept

my….(laughter), they laugh at me, and i don't care, and that’s how we connect

to each other???our difference?????...when you talk about the ...group,,,i feel

more comfortable hanging out with them...in a group cus that’s my….

Lola: that’s my...if you work in an environment where there is ...predominantly,

especially in the corporate world America, where it’s predominantly Caucasian,

and then, I don't how it is now, but ...mostly by Caucasian, and then you have

someone coming from Africa , that didn't go to school here, or just came

from...working in Nigeria, and put in a group , they tend to walk on eggshell

around that person somehow, until they feel more comfortable conversing. It

can be challenging for them as well. ...and he may be the person ok????to

connect….may be a problem, may be initially, I’m just saying may be a problem

because everybody is trying to learn what...based on culture and... that was just

my own...experience. Working in a ..Caucasian environment...when he was the

only black person in the office, and the only African person in the whole of

Chicago office, and the only people he say, you know, that were not his people,

maybe, so it was just like, he had to break into the system, let me just put it that

way (stopped by bisi at 1:17)