It's time to learn...

On many occasions when I am wandering through the market and I stop to chat with one of the vendors, in order to break the ice I say:

¿Puede hablar usted el Inglés?

Can you speak English?

Sometimes the answer will be "Yes, a little" and then we go on from there and I ask them where they learned English, et cetera, and the conversation that ensues is quite pleasant and we compliment each other on our abilities, they with English and me with Spanish. It is a nice bi-cultural exchange (especially when I buy something).

At other times, however, the answer is:

No señor no hablo Inglés.

No sir, I do not speak English.

Then I say:

Si, se puede hablar el Inglés..."pollito-chicken, ventana-window", ¿no?

Yes, you can speak English..."pollito-chicken, ventana-window", right?

This is generally rewarded with a chuckle and a smile and we go forward in Spanish with a polite conversation. In either case the ice is broken and we are friends.

The "pollito-chicken, ventana-window" thing refers to a song that Latin American children learn in kindergarten or in the first grade. I believe the song originated in Puerto Rico. After the Spanish American War in 1898 Puerto Rico became a U.S. dependency and in 1902 the U.S. declared Puerto Rico to be officially bilingual. Unfortunately, like many government declarations, that never became much of a reality, even after Puerto Ricans were granted U.S. citizenship in 1917. It wasn't until until 1947 when the U.S. granted Puerto Ricans the right to elect their own governor that bilingual education began somewhat in earnest. It was sometime after that when the "Pollito-Chicken" song came along although I don't know exactly what year and who actually wrote it. I was hoping someone who reads this might know and share it with us. In any case, it has been a standard song for teachers all over Latin America including Mexico for almost half a century. This song has been criticized as a form of teaching under the name "Pollito Chicken Bilingualism" but nevertheless the children love it and the grown-ups remember it with fondness.

"Pollito Chicken" (One variation of many)

Pollito chicken,
Gallina hen,
Lapiz pencil,
Y pluma pen.

Ventana window,
Puerta door,
Techo ceiling,
Y piso floor,

Ha llegado la hora de aprender ingles.
Ha llegado la hora de aprender ingles,
Si tu abres la mente podras comprender,
Y veras tu lo facil que es hablar ingles.

Almohada pillow,
Cama bed,
Mesa table,
Y silla chair.

Dedos fingers,
Cabeza head,
Brazos arms,
Y pierna leg.

Ha llegado la hora de aprender ingles.
Ha llegado la hora de aprender ingles,
Si tu abres la mente podras comprender,
Y veras tu lo facil que es hablar ingles.

Pollito chicken,
Gallina hen,
Lapiz pencil,
Y pluma pen.

Ventana window,
Puerta door,
Techo ceiling,
Y piso floor,

Pollito chicken,
Gallina hen,

Ha llegado la hora de aprender ingles.
Ha llegado la hora de aprender ingles,
Si tu abres la mente podras comprender,
Y veras tu lo facil que es hablar ingles.

Pollito chicken,
Gallina hen,
Lapiz pencil,
Y pluma pen.

Ventana window,
Puerta door,
Techo ceiling,
Y piso floor,

Ha llegado la hora de aprender ingles.
Ha llegado la hora de aprender ingles,
Si tu abres la mente podras comprender,
Y veras tu lo facil que es hablar ingles.

Esto ha sido todo,
Lo hicieron muy bien,
Y aqui terminan,
Las clases de ingles.

Esto ha sido todo,
This is the end,
Y aqui termina,
Good bye my friend.

Ha llegado la hora de aprender ingles.
Ha llegado la hora de aprender ingles.