...Should the United States have English as its official language? Patrice Hobbs Instructor: Tina Miller October 3, 2012 If you are anything like me, when asked, “what is the official language of the United States”’ you would answer with no hesitation’ “English”. Many people believe that there is an official language of the United States. The truth is that the United States doesn’t have an official language. Why wouldn’t a country so large, a country that so many people call their home have an official language? Hopefully this research will lead us to an answer as to why we don’t have an official language. There are many reasons as to why the United States should have an official language. Here are two of the most popular reasons. More than half of the states in the United States have adopted English as their official state language. You must ask yourself, “if the number is that great, why not have the rest of the country adopt it just the same.” Another reason why the United States should have an official language is to be able to conduct all government business in one language. Having English as an official language could possibly eliminate a lot of issues that have occurred and will occur due to words getting misplaced during translations. It will be very important for the United States to adopt English as its official language. Having an official language can possibly help with how the country flows. It will allow all government documents...
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...Press 1 for English…. Press 2 for Spanish… Why English Should Be Declared the Official Language of the Unites States of America Declaring English as the official language of the United States is a very controversial issue. We have one flag, one government, however no official language. Making English the official language would unite all Americans, no matter the race, creed, culture, heritage or ancestry. In 1907, US President Theodore Roosevelt wrote, “We have room for but one language in this country, and that is the English language, for we intend to see that the crucible turns our people out as Americans, of American nationally and not dwellers in a polyglot boarding house” (English-only movement/Wikipedia). There were as many as twenty different languages that could be heard around the time of our founding fathers. Today, there are presently three hundred twenty nine languages in the United States (US Census 2010). Immigrants of many nationalities have built our nation. Just look our nations motto, E pluribus Unum, (Latin meaning – out of many, one) which was adapted by the committee of Congress on July 4, 1776 to design “a seal for the United States of America”, which is carried by the American eagle. The nation has but one flag which we “pledge our allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all” (MacAuthur). However, 236 years later the...
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...Wiggins 12/1/15 English 101 Prompt 4 I believe the United States should have an official language. There are too many languages and cultures here, and people should start to learn the English language in order to live here. When you go to other Countries you have to learn the language, why not here as well? It really doesn't make sense. A person’s culture is something that does not depend on the language you speak to a store clerk! If you wish to live in the United States accept that. We are a country that welcomes people’s diversity but we have taught English in our schools from the get go. There needs to be some give and take. If you speak another language in your home or when conversing with family or friends then because you live in America, that is your choice, but we are a united country and one of the things that keeps us together despite our differences is our ability to communicate with each other. The United States is a melting pot. How do we "melt" into one country if we have different languages and thus language barriers among us? In order to be united, we need to have a common way to understand one another. This does not mean that each culture should not be able to practice his/her own cultural traditions. In fact, the common language will allow us to share our own origins with one another. A common language allows the "melting" in our melting pot of a nation. Many of the arguments I've read against having English as the official language can be re-construed...
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...English as an Official Language of the United States Sheila Maloney ENG 122 English Compositions II Leonid Chernyak April 27, 2012 English as an Official Language of the United States The United States of America is almost 236 years old yet we do not have an official language. Should we designate an official language for our nation? The US is traditionally thought of as an English speaking country and our official language should reflect that tradition. When we think of Japan, we do not think the citizens will be speaking Russian. When we think about Germany, it is normal to think the German people will speak German. This issue has created a split in the public opinion; however, this researcher believes that the country will benefit by designating an official language. There are many views on this topic by both US citizens and illegal immigrants. The implications of making a decision to designate a language are far reaching for individual states and the nation as a whole. This research paper will cover the financial aspects of declaring an official language, the choice of what language should be the official language of the US, and the history of designating a language for the United States. This researcher discovered that because we do not have an officially designated language, there are many problems for this country. This country is made up of many people from many cultures that immigrate to it. These cultures speak many different languages, but per the...
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...Should English Be the Official Language of the United States? Timothy Robinson Week 8 Assignment English 215 Official English benefits every resident of this wonderful place called America. The country works-because we have a common language. English is the key to opportunity in this country. It empowers immigrants and could make us truly united as a people. Common sense says that the government should teach people English rather than provide services in multiple languages. What would happen if our government had to provide services for about 311 languages spoken in the U.S. (Rhein, 2007)? Without a common language, how long would we remain the United States? Here is a solution to that, have the immigrants to learn the language so they can get all of the services they need. But from a social standpoint, English should not be and official language. Millions of people speak a language other than English. The United States is the most diverse country in the world. So why would we want to create a linguistically uniform nation? For starters, it would not be fair to people who has moved this country for hope of a better life. Yes eventually they would have to learn English; however it would great if others learn how to speak other languages to make it convenient for everyone, it would show that people are really for diversity, and it would limit the frustration of not understanding what a person is saying. People who cannot or do not speak English well often are look over...
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...helped to establish U.S. English, a Washington D.C.- based public interest group that seeks an amendment to the U.S. constitution declaring English our official language…” (paragraph 3). S.I. also specifies about his own experience of being a Japanese immigrant and knowing the important that learning English is. He mentions “I am keenly aware of the things that blind us as Americans…” (paragraph 4). Also, S.I. states “As a former U.S. senator from California…” (paragraph 17) The usage of his experiences, explaining to the audience the interest group, and referring to his previous senator position gives S.I. his credibility. Ethos are particularly important when writing about this subject because if S.I. didn’t have credibility no one wouldn’t consider his point of view. Having credibility is about the subject connects the audience to the author and gives the reader a sense of understanding. 2. S.I starts his argument by relating back to to World War II when immigrants had trouble interacting with English speakers. He then follows up with his argument about making English the official language and why English should be. Also, tells the problem of why students aren’t learning English. Then continues with alternatives to the problem of students not learning English and how to help with non-English- speakers. S.I.’s unstated assumptions are that if America doesn't make English the official language there will be chaos in America and other languages will take over. ...
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...English should not be the official language of the US The United States is a nation founded by immigrants. Throughout the years the US has struggled with discrimination and close-mindedness. But, when we put our differences aside we can achieve the impossible. We are a country united by our differences. We celebrate our diversity, independence and individuality. We are a country that believes in choice, and one of those choices should be the option to speak the language which we relate to and understand. It was our forefather’s ambition that got us to the Land of The Free and our determination that made us successful. So how can we say we stand for freedom if we don’t give our people, immigrants (illegal or not), the right to speak their language? We are a country for the people, but not all of our people speak English. Many Americans argue that those who live in America should speak English but think about this: English is the sum of many other languages. The British brought English to America and forced the Native Americans to convert to their language and their ways. In modern society, we cringe at the idea of oppression and encourage those who are oppressed to speak out for themselves, yet turn a blind eye when we are the oppressors. A parallel can be drawn with bullying. It is an issue that many children, teens, and adults experience. Bullying has been an active topic in the media in recent years. Teachers, parents and authoritative figures continue to urge those who...
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...English Should be the Official Language of the United States This is America and we primarily speak English, so English should be the official language of the United States. The movement to pass federal laws designating English as the Official Language of the United States has jumped to the forefront of political debate once again. As most debates have two distinct sides, so does this one. English only movements have surfaced many times in our country’s past but mainly at the local or State level (Brice, 2013). The argument has become more relevant recently due to well-funded lobbyist and immigration reform disputes. As with many controversial concerns in the political arena, this topic has become problematic. Activist are attempting to persuade political candidates, law makers, educators, social groups, individuals and the media by polluting the process with conjecture rather than critical analysis based in rational attestable information. In the interest of objectivity, we will use professional research and omit personal opinion while presenting arguments in support of this movement. We will equitably represent opposing views which demonstrate that there are legitimate concerns as to why the United States should not have English as the official language. To counter manipulative tactics and confusing statements, it is important to define the major terms associated with this topic: Official- A person who has a position of authority in a company, organization...
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...Understanding Language Policy Carmen DeLeon TSOL 500 Foundations of Bilingual Education Nova Southeastern University September 9, 2012 In an article entitled Ten Common Fallacies about Bilingual Education, James Crawford discusses ten common misbeliefs held by many in regard to bilingual education in the United States. Despite the number of English Language Learners (ELLs) who live in the United States, there is still a great lack of interest and concern regarding the education that they receive. Crawford has done an excellent job outlining some of the more common misunderstandings that surround the education of ELLs. The first fallacy that Crawford addresses is the misbelief that the English language is slowly being overtaken by other languages. While it is true that other languages have proliferated the culture in the United States, English has remained strong. Crawford cites several examples throughout history where English has appeared to be compromised by other languages. By 1900, there were at least 600,000 elementary school students, about 4% of the US total, receiving part or all of their instruction in German (Kloss, 1998 as cited in Crawford, 1997). He also points out in his article Legislating Language, Mandating Inequality, that "in 1890, the proportion of non-English speakers was 4.5 times as great as in 1990”. (Crawford, 1996). So, this is not a new issue. Speakers of other languages have been migrating to and settling in the US for the duration of...
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...There always will be a debate regarding the official language of the United States. Furthermore, this has been debated so often over the years that the dead horse being beaten is a pile of dust and bones. While the U.S. has no official language appointed, it does not need one: every language should be the official language of the U.S. From what others have said throughout the years, America has always welcomed immigrants. America has always put itself first and foremost in the media. The United States is one of the safest and most progressive countries in the world. Many of the best companies in the United States owe their progression to immigrant minds. For example, without immigrants (who may or may not speak English), America wouldn't have Google, AT&T, Ebay, Comcast, Big Lots, Yahoo, Colgate, Sara Lee, DuPont, and Pfizer. It makes no sense to make English the “official” language of the United States when so many of the biggest names in the US are from other countries. Similarly, countless travelers moving to America and who helped bring in the Industrial Revolution did not know English. Scores of shipyard workers were from Scotland. Coal miners hailed from Wales. Ireland suffered the potato famine and came over with no English skills, along with the Poles, Germans, other Scandinavians. Not...
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...Language plays an important role in human life. Out of all the languages in the world, English is considered as the international language. Foreign language like a foreign plant grows with difficulty on the native soil. That is why the learning of the mother tongue is the labor of love whereas the learning of a foreign language is the love of labor ; one gives hot house existence, another breathes spring time atmosphere. A foreign language is like the step-mother whose frowns and rebukes one has to bear in spite of one's feelings. On the other hand mother tongue is like our own mother who nurses us into intellectually developed persons. English is a global language and proficiency in it is a must to succeed in a globalized world. British brought with them their language English to India and its global Nature has made it the lingua franca of India- a country with diverse regional Languages. English is a language which is acceptable all over India be it all Kannada, Malayalam, Punjabi, Guajarati, Marathi, Bengali because all speak English along with their own mother tongue. Not only in India, but also when you go abroad this is a language most commonly used. In the world of globalization, countries like China, Japan and Russia, who have passionately sustained and promoted their own language, have today accepted the importance of English language. No country as a matter of fact shall be able to survive without the knowledge of English today. In India, English has become a...
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...diversity. The widespread use of particular languages throughout the globe is attributed to several factors. Two of the most important are colonialism and international economic/political power. The dominance of English and Spanish colonial powers attribute to the linguistic formation of most of the Western Hemisphere. Imagine a world where the Axis of Evil triumphed during World War II. German, Italian and Japanese would likely be more prominent tongues on a global scale. The United States and United Kingdom have been high on the economic leaderboards for centuries, thus English has become a language of opportunity for people worldwide. Language on a global scale is an unseen, but well heard, struggle for power. Language is more than a means of verbal communication. A language can serve as a cultural vehicle that displays the global influence of a territory. Even it is possible for a language to carry multiple identities especially in context where people have social and cultural values they themselves create and at the same time are exposed to those social and cultural values they have no choice to avoid and; consequently become part of their identity (Dastgoshadeh, A., & Jalilzadeh, K, 2011). To most, learning English as an international language for the purpose of fulfilling communicative needs is a big threat to national, cultural and even religious identities as learning an international language causes people to lose their own language which is the carrier of all their cultural...
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...is a language? A language is a systematic means of communication by the use of sounds or conventional symbols. It is the code which we use to express ourselves as well as to communicate with others. It is a system for communicating ideas and feelings using sounds, gestures, signs or marks. Any means of communicating ideas, specifically, human speech, the expression of ideas by the voice and sounds articulated by the organs of the throat and mouth is a language. This is a system for communication. A language is the written and spoken methods of combining words to create meaning used by a particular group of people. There are so many languages used in the world. Out of the many languages in the world, English language plays a significant role in the day to day lives of the people. Do you think English is a global linking language? If I were to answer this question I’d say yes. Maybe your answer might differ from mine. "English is without a doubt the actual universal language" said Carlos Carrion Torres of Brazil. What so ever let us see why I believe that English is a global linking language. English language is known to be a global language. But what exactly is a global language? Global language is the language spoken internationally that many people learn as a second language. There are so many languages in the world but out of those many languages English language is considered to be a language that links the world together. In my point of view I believe that English language...
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...REPORT ON “THE NAGGING LANGUAGE ISSUE” (BILINGUAL APPROACH IN EDUCATION) Submitted by: ARVELLA M. ALBAY Ph.D Psych Student Submitted to: DR. MARY ANN VILLENA Professor June 29, 2013 MANUEL L. QUEZON UNIVERSITY Manila, Philippines School of Graduate Studies Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (Ph.D) First Semester 2013-2014 SEMINAR IN PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIAL ISSUES (SPSI) Topic : THE NAGGING LANGUAGE ISSUE (Bilingual Approach in Education) Reporter : ARVELLA MEDINA-ALBAY, Ph.D Psych Professor : DR. MARY ANN VILLENA INTRODUCTION BILINGUAL EDUCATION involves teaching academic content in two languages, in a native and secondary language with varying amounts of each language used in accordance with the program model. ➢ “Bilingual Education Policy (BEP) in the Philippines is defined operationally as the separate use of Filipino and English as the media of instruction in specific subject areas.” As embodied in the DECS Order, Filipino shall be used as medium of instruction in social studies/social sciences, music, arts, physical education, home economics, practical arts and character education. English, on the other hand is allocated to science, mathematics, and technology subjects. ➢ From the above description, it is quite evident that there is confusion for some educators who defined BEP as the actual use of both languages (English and Filipino) inside the classroom. As stated above, BEP clearly states the scope and limitations of English and Filipino use. ...
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...Ashraf Shaikh English 711 Essay Assignment #3 Elizabeth Spencer 22nd April 2015 Bilingual Education or Not? The debate on whether United States should adopt the bilingual academic program whereby children speaking other languages are taught in two languages, in English and in a second, native language (Hayakawa, 1991). There have been studies and researches indicating the benefits of the bilingual academic program, particularly to the students – such as high academic scores, mental flexibility, improved personal identity etc. At the same time, there is evidence showing a number of downsides to the programs – such as double expense to the government, politicized aspects etc. The aim of this paper is to examine different aspects of the argument on the subject of bilingual programs in schools, and whether United States should make English as its official language. It also demonstrates the argumentative ability regarding the controversial issue of bilingual academic program in the United States. Honestly, I feel that the need to make English the official language of the country is preposterous. Only, because it practically is the main language of the country just unofficially. From a general point of view, the definition of bilingualism is whereby a person possesses the ability of easily and naturally speaking in two languages, without experiencing any problem whatsoever. However, from the context of United States of America, bilingualism has a controversial definition (Fallows...
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