Our+Community

The Linguistic Environment of Our Community

Huntington, WV, the second largest city in the state, is a vibrant city with a myriad of experiences and a rich history. It began as a railroad town, where coal mined from the southern part of the state was unloaded and redistributed for transport around the nation. Today, it has a delightful blend of university-city life mingled with old-town cheer.

Though the majority of the population speaks only English, there is a growing occurrence of residents who have different primary spoken languages, including Chinese, Spanish, French, Indian, Japanese and Greek.

In outward appearances, Huntington does not seem very diverse in composition. However, where diversity exists, it flourishes. Contrary to the discrimination that often occurs in larger settings, Huntington is a closer-knit community that accepts its members and the characteristics that contribute to their cultural heritage. Such a situation is beneficial to children in the community in that students are nurtured in an environment that provides them safety from discrimination. However, as this diversity is a "non-issue," students do suffer from a lack of educational opportunities that would allow them to learn more about the various cultures that comprise the populace of this wonderful city.