Throughout much of US immigration history, "migrant" equaled "working-age man" and "migrant families" largely referred to "wives and children."

The 18.9 million immigrant women in the United States in 2008 made up 12 percent of all women in the country. They represent a diverse group in terms of origin, labor force participation, and socioeconomic status.

This Migration Policy Institute Spotlight provides statistics on immigrant women in the United States, drawing on data from the US Census Bureau's 2008 American Community Survey (ACS), October 2007 and 2009 Current Population Survey (CPS), and the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Immigration Statistics (OIS) for fiscal year 2008.

The entire article located here contains the following bullet points and many others that, when clicked, provide much more detail:

• Nearly four out of five immigrant women in 2008 were of working age (18 to 64).
• While the majority of immigrant women had a high school degree or higher, they were less likely than immigrant men to have a bachelor's or advanced degree.
• About 52 percent of immigrant women reported speaking English less than very well.


• Immigrant women were more likely than immigrant men to be US citizens.
• Fifty-six percent of immigrants who became US citizens in 2008 were women.
• Immigrant women in fall 2009 were less likely to be unemployed than their male counterparts.


• Nearly a third of immigrant female workers in fall 2009 were employed in service occupations.
• Foreign-born women who were full-time, year-round workers in 2008 made 14 percent less than their native-born counterparts.
• More than half of new lawful permanent residents (LPRs) were women in 2008.

Note: "Foreign born" and "immigrants" are used interchangeably and refer to persons with no US citizenship at birth. This population includes naturalized citizens, lawful permanent residents, refugees and asylees, persons on certain temporary visas, and the unauthorized.

Read the rest of this article here >>

You'll find more stories from the Migration Policy Institute in recent issues of "In Other Words" here, here and here.

Dear Reader: A story with linguistic, social, health and cultural elements throughout.

Remember to download the report at then end of this article.

"Editor's Note: The story of migration is no longer a man's story.

"It is increasingly becoming a woman's tale, according to "Women Immigrants: Stewards of the 21st Century," a new poll by New America Media.

"The survey of 1,002 female immigrants from Latin American, Asian, African, and Arab countries, found that immigrant women are taking charge in keeping their families together.

"At a time when more than one-third of families in the United States are single-parent households, 90 percent of women immigrants interviewed report that their families are intact, writes NAM Executive Director Sandy Close."

Read the rest of this New America Media story here >>

View the entire NAM Immigrant Women Poll here >>

If your organization markets to and does business with members of Chinese-American communities, particularly the women of those communities, this New America Media article and the book it reviews ("Why Chinese Women Are Not Broke: Real Life Stories and Proven Keys for Success"), is a must read.

Wan Ling Martello might have remained a behind-the-scenes accountant instead of becoming the CFO of Wal-Mart International if she hadn't volunteered for a job no one wanted.

Lily Lee Chen may not have become the first Chinese female mayor in the United States if she had not walked door to door in the rain to register Asian voters in Monterey Park while sacrificing a pair of shoes in the process.

D. Alice Huang may not have done pioneering work in the area of pediatric AIDS if she had listened to people tell her that women don't make scientists, especially Asian women.

These women became successful not because they beat the odds, but because they persevered, were driven by an indefatigable work ethic, possessed an unstoppable desire for success and never quit pursuing their dreams -- core principles that come from being Chinese women.

Their stories and 97 others are featured in a newly-released book "Why Chinese Women Are Not Broke: Real Life Stories and Proven Keys for Success" available at www.whychinesewomenarenotbroke.com and on www.amazon.com.

Read the rest of this New America Media article by Leonard Novarro here>>

USA Today recently featured an article that we just had to share with you.

Why?

Because, as they explain, it is so often reported that yet another language disappeared somewhere in the world. So, for linguists, this was indeed good news. Enjoy!

"In the midst of a period of rapid language extinction, with a language estimated to die every two weeks, linguists have found a small ray of hope, a language previously unknown to science in far northeastern India.

"A team of linguists working with National Geographic's Enduring Voices project uncovered this hidden language, known as Koro, in the state of Arunachal Pradesh.

"A member of the Tibeto-Burman language family, it has only 800 to 1,200 speakers and is unwritten."

The article goes on to say that, "Koro is very distinct from other languages spoken nearby, and the researchers hypothesize it may have originated from a group of people enslaved and brought to the area, though more research is needed."

Read the rest of this October 6th USA Today article by Elizabeth Weise here >>

The official website for the Government of Arunachal Pradesh is here >>

And the National Geographic Society's Enduring Voices project is here >>

Ever wonder why most limited English speakers have difficulties grasping a language we in the U.S. take for granted?

In a playful, yet telling way, author Richard Lederer explains in his wonderful book "Crazy English" exactly why this is...

"Let's face it. English is a silly language. There is no egg in the eggplant. There is no ham in the hamburger. And neither pine nor apple in the pineapple.

"English muffins were not invented in England. French fries were not invented in France.

"We sometimes take English for granted, but if we examine its paradoxes we find that quicksand takes you down slowly. Boxing rings are square, and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.

"If writers write, how come fingers don't fing? If the plural of tooth is teeth, shouldn't the plural of phone booth be phone beeth? If the teacher taught, Why didn't the preacher praught? If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what the heck does a humanitarian eat?

"Why do people recite at a play, Yet play at a recital? Why do we park on driveways, and drive on parkways? How can the weather be as hot as hell on one day, and as cold as hell on another.

"You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language where a house can burn up as it burns down. And in which you fill in a form By filling it out. And a bell is only heard once it goes!

"English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race (Which of course isn't a race at all).

"That is why when the stars are out they are visible, but when the lights are out they are invisible. And why it is that when I wind up my watch it starts, but when I wind up this poem it ends?"

To read more of "Crazy English", here is the link to Mr. Lederer's author page on Amazon.com with other books on language that he has written.

• Language Line Services' - Cross-Cultural Update for October 2010. Useful Cultural News, Tips and Timely Information


• WorldJournal (Chinese) News - San Francisco Police Chief Press Conference - Language Line Phone


• "Open Letter to Congress: Two Employee Misclassification Bills Deserve Support" by Louis Provenzano in the HuffingtonPost.com


• Adventist Health System Partners with Language Line Services to Bolster Language Access for Limited English Speaking Patients


• Language Line Services Plans to Expand Workforce for Second Time in 2010. Mid-Year Demographic Research Reveals Substantial Increases in Demand for Interpretation


• "Hospitals Must Overcome Language Barriers to Save Lives, Cut Costs" by Louis Provenzano in the HuffingtonPost.com

Read more Language Line Services news here >>

Language Line Services, the leader in language interpretation, is seeking to increase its interpreter team in many languages, as well as offering a wide variety of corporate openings.

Dual Role Interpreters in California

An exciting new opportunity is available to experienced interpreters living in the Riverside, San Bernardino, and Orange county areas. Interpreters will now be able to do both on-site, face-to-face interpreting as well as over-the-phone interpreting in the following languages: Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Korean, Russian, Farsi, Armenian, and Japanese.

As for work-at-home, over-the-phone interpreters, we have openings in a number of languages including:

• Arabic
• French
• Somali
• Cantonese
• Korean
• Portuguese
• Russian
• Vietnamese

As well as...

• Bambara,
• Cakchiquel
• Chamorro
• Chru
• Edo
• Kotokoli
• Kpelle
• Lusoga
• Mam
• Mixteco
• Punu
• Slovak
• Susu
• Trique
• and several others (see our Web site)

And, finally, top Corporate open positions include:

• Reporting Analyst - SQL Server
• Account Managers - Healthcare or Government
• Senior Sales Executives (Business Partnership Development; Face to Face Interpretation; General Markets; Government; Healthcare; Acquisitions)

For non-interpreter positions, please apply at: www.languageline.com/careers. Click on "Apply Today" under "Corporate Careers" and follow the directions to add your profile.

EEO/AA Employer.

* Some positions may have been filled by the time you apply. However, new positions open every week.

Visit our Career Center here >>

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