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In L.A., Immigrants Bypassing English
In ethnically diverse Los Angeles, many immigrants find that learning Korean, Spanish or Mandarin is more important than English. Manuel Aliga, a Peruvian immigrant, has spent years studying Korean. He runs a store that sells soccer supplies in Koreatown. "At the beginning, English was very important - and it still is, if I need to go to a government office or court or get a license," Aliaga told the Los Angeles Daily News. Aliaga began learning Korean because he worked in Korean-owned groceries and wanted to talk to his employers and customers. Now, he needs to communicate with his own customers, suppliers and other business owners in the neighborhood. But he has also become an admirer of Korean ways and now spends his spare time studying Korean history.
Story Continues Below Martin Paik, a Seoul native who emigrated to Los Angeles by way of Argentina, does not speak English. He writes a column on conversational Spanish for the Korea Times. "In California, Spanish is more important than English," said Paik. "I haven't found any inconvenience because I don't speak English. Copyright 2005 United Press International via Newscom. Editor's note:
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