Language Barrier

Los Angeles -- Chat with Allen Epstein about his work and you're in for some colorful language. Very colorful.Phrases with words that suggest one's parents never married. Sentences that refer to private body parts and some of their private functions. We're talking fighting words, curse words, words that would make your mother weep and then lunge for a bar of soap.If she could understand what you were saying. For Mr. Epstein's company, Calabasas, Calif.-based Extra Curricular Learning, produces a series of audiotapes that round out your foreign language education like Berlitz never could.

WASHINGTON -- New Census Bureau figures show that the foreign-born population of the United States rose dramatically in the 1980s to about 7.9 percent of all residents, most of whom are centered in urban areas.The statistics show a dramatic move to a multicultural society over the past 10 years, from a point in 1980 when foreign-born residents accounted for only 6.2 percent of the population. And over the past 25 years, according to demographers, the trend in immigration has shifted away from Europeans to persons of Latino and Asian ancestry.

Diosebethh Hossein faces the class nervously, shifting from foot to foot. Pink bow atop her abundant red hair, this middle-aged woman is momentarily transformed into a schoolgirl."

LA LECHERE, France -- His overcoat was draped over his shoulders as he leaned against the wall outside of the Tass News Agency headquarters and had a smoke. We knew that he was some sort of bigwig in charge of the Tass contingent covering the Winter Olympics.I asked him: Do you speak English?"Of course," he said suavely, blowing smoke rings into the air.I'd like to talk to you about Tass' coverage of the Games."Of course," he said, then took another drag.What would be a good time for me to come by tomorrow?

Whether they are deaf or blind, or speak Farsi, Slovak or Korean instead of English, people have at least one thing in common: To real estate agents, they are potential homebuyers.And the Greater Baltimore Board of Realtors wants them to know: Someone speaks your language.The GBBR has compiled a list of Baltimore-area real estate offices that have text telephone devices for the hearing- or speech-impaired, or agents who know sign language. Almost 60 GBBR member offices have agents who speak languages other than English.

It will be a switch for students in the special education classes atElkridge Elementary School to learn about what their teacher, AndreaBatchelder, did during her summer vacation.The 29-year-old Ellicott City resident recently returned from a two-month stint in China, where she taught middle school teachers how to instruct English as a foreign language.Although Batchelder spent seven days a week with her class of 17 students, she is back in her classroom at Elkridge refreshed and eager to share her experiences with her first-, second- and third-grade pupils.

Annapolis and county officials have pooled resources to help the county's Spanish-speaking residents cope with the language barrier.The joint effort will begin Wednesday night, when city and county officials conduct a forum in Spanish at the Mount Olive AME Church in Annapolis to hear concerns of Hispanic residents and to tell them about free services."

Rick Long Khem will be allowed to share in the graduation ceremoniesthat will honor approximately 1,900 seniors from Howard County's eight high schools next week.School officials initially barred Khem from graduation because he will not receive a diploma. But they but agreed last week to allow the 21-year-old Cambodian student to take part in the ceremony and receive a Maryland High School Certificate, Khem's adopted mother, Ellen Long, said.The certificate is given to special education students at the endof their school careers.