Making English the official language of the United States

[TheNoNamedOne]

With the flood of immigrants coming into the U.S. from South/Central America, Mexico, and the Carribean, Spanish could challenge English in a few generations as the main language in which many parts of society in the U.S. operate in. Culture may be attatched to language more than anything else.

Should the U.S. seek to protect its culture and identity, which though may not be entirely distinct, is quite different from that of the "South", and, therefore, enshrine English in our Constitution as the official language of the United States?

Or, should the language merely be decided on the changes in demographics without concern for maintaining a linguistical root to our past heritage?

[socalheart]

I wouldn't be against English as the official language of the US. I do think that it's interesting that the US doesn't have an official language though. That the US hasn't officially declared one shows that it remains open to accepting a multitude of nations and their languages, as it did in the beginning... at least in concept. What perturbs me is that because of the lack of an official language, some people try to force their own languages as primary in education. I'm not against learning multiple languages in schools or having them available to learn.

[Fonze]

I dont think they should either and dont believe others should be forced in school. The only reason would be for parents and for helping children learn a new language.

I was born in cali but did not learn english till i started going to school and was in ESL till the begining of 2nd grade.

[Isaak Brodsky]

Fantastic topic TP!

English-only initiatives are foolishness. Just sent out a paper for publication covering this very topic.

Let's just consider for a second or two just how many languages are spoken each day in the States.

Mastering English means you have access to power. But, it takes time for new immigrants to assimilate; the children of immigrants undergo rapid assimilation, and their children usually lose touch with their parents' and grandparents' cultural mores. We've been doing this stuff for centuries!!

Only in rare eras when xenophobia has spread has there been a call to mount English only campaigns.

ESL teachers in our nation's schools tend to do very well in helping students acquire English skills. Why mandate what's already widely practiced and what everybody already knows about having English language ability??

[ryukyuboi]

I support English being deemed the "national" language, but not the "official" language.

[Fonze]

With the flood of immigrants coming into the U.S. from South/Central America, Mexico, and the Carribean, Spanish could challenge English in a few generations as the main language in which many parts of society in the U.S. operate in.



Im not against whites or english, but what did they expect this was not a white mans land. Eventually this was bound to happen. If it were native languages or whatever.

I agree it should be our language just not the only one to the point were we stop handing stuff out in other languages to citizens that dont understand english.

[Isaak Brodsky]

It doesn't matter, really, how massive the flood is into the US.

Everyone knows across the face of the earth that English is the de facto language of international commerce.

It may very well remain that way for some time despite China's economic rise.

Americans young and old, newly minted too, know this fact at least implicitly. If you want to be a player, you've got to take hold of English.

This was not the case, say, four-hundred years ago when German started replacing Latin as the language of the cultural elite.

[Isaak Brodsky]

Fonze, by the way, really funny avatar. Have you partied at Burning Man??

[Fonze]

Fonze, by the way, really funny avatar. Have you partied at Burning Man??

No and i use to live in Reno for like 8 years but i was to young. I have friends who have gone but never remember anything (LSD):D

[Isaak Brodsky]

Citizens of the nations throughout the globe argee to a common language so as to conduct the business of governing, commerce, finance, etc..

At our founding, we decided to recognize English of German.

[TheNoNamedOne]

With the amount of spanish speakers in the US they might as well makes everyone hablamos espanol.
Why does the US need an official language in the first place?
IMO the US is a melting pot of different languages and cultures so making one language a priority might be asking some to basically forget their own.

An official language can be a unifying force for culture and national identity.

The melting pot analogy can only continue to survive if absorption takes place. Will Spanish speakers after generations always melt into the English Language? If the critical point of Spanish speakers gets so large, then rather than melt into cultural language of English, it could displace it -- just like an exotic species. Then it is no longer a melting pot. A whole new pot has been brewed.

But I guess then new immigrants would have to melt into the new melting pot. So, these pots are all changeable. There is no ONE melting pot, but it is deceptive to put forth that there is.

But who would want a fractious national community of different languages something akin to Africa or Indonesia? Because of the problems different languages cause, these countries actually do stipulate an official national language -- albeit sometimes two ro three of them.

But one sole one would be the most efficient route to go. Why risk the upheavel in the U.S.?

[Fonze]

The thing is the only ones not really using english are the immigrants themselves but thier children and their childrens children will eventually make it there native language. One of the reasons i use it is to communicate with my parents. My kids understand but i dont think they will be the best speakers. I think this is a scare tactic by the anti-immigrant and anti-hispanic.

[Asshat]

The thing is the only ones not really using english are the immigrants themselves but thier children and their childrens children will eventually make it there native language. One of the reasons i use it is to communicate with my parents. My kids understand but i dont think they will be the best speakers. I think this is a scare tactic by the anti-immigrant and anti-hispanic.

Yep. I've been to many of my Mexican friend's homes and the elders spoke Spanish, but overall, everyone understood English, and people would translate as required, or not, but it wasn't a big deal.

This whole issue is self-correcting. If a Spanish-speaking person wants a better job, he will learn English. If an English-speaking buisness man wants to sell his product to Spanish speaking people, he will learn Spanish.

It's not a big deal.

[Fonze]

Yep. I've been to many of my Mexican friend's homes and the elders spoke Spanish, but overall, everyone understood English, and people would translate as required, or not, but it wasn't a big deal.

This whole issue is self-correcting. If a Spanish-speaking person wants a better job, he will learn English. If an English-speaking buisness man wants to sell his product to Spanish speaking people, he will learn Spanish.

It's not a big deal.

Ya thats true my dad always wished he would have spoke better english. He does speak alright just he wished more. I know people who dont want to also though cause they only deal with themselves and have their kids translate.

[TheNoNamedOne]

@Umi:

For the most part I agree. It is self-correcting. But, I think it can only be self-correcting for as long as a critical mass, or tipping point is not reached. Up until now, even with a large influx of Spanish speaking immigrants, the U.S. society could absorb them. But that is because the percentage of the English Speaking society has been so large. If that percent decreases substantially then absorption may no longer be so, but displacement instead.

Of course I don't think this could happen within the next 5 or even 10 years. But 20 years? If the rate, or even something less and comparable to todays rate continues, I wouldn't be so sure.

[Isaak Brodsky]

Pat Buchanan is a xenophobic loon....

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.......................gosh....................... .....where did that come from?

[TheNoNamedOne]

Ian, we both know you understand that arguments rest separate from the flaws of the characters that put them forth. Ad hom is no rebuttal, unless you can show that his tactics have been dishonest separate from his opinions.

In any event, I share a similar negative view of Mr. Buchanon.

But, I am quite certain you can rise above the mud slinging of ad hom in discourse.

[Asshat]

@Umi:

For the most part I agree. It is self-correcting. But, I think it can only be self-correcting for as long as a critical mass, or tipping point is not reached.

It's not working out that way though. For example, do anything technical anywhere in the world, and English is used if the desired outcome is marketability, or anything where a global outlook is preferable.

Fly from here to Singapore and you will be handed off to Vietnam (as they interrogate your flight plan) and it's all in English.

Sure, I may have a problem getting a starter for a 1967 Chevy Impala in Receda, Ca in English, but I bet I get it. :)

No, it is the fear of the white man losing his power. It's been eroding since the 60's having to share things with Black folks, and then women started wanting to be equal, and then there was EEO laws, affirmative action, and now they want to force us to learn Espanol.

I aint worried about it, but maybe it's because I have so little invested in Estados Unidos. Hell, I've been living like a second class citizen here so long, maybe I'm just used to it!

[Isaak Brodsky]

Yeah, I know, I just couldn't resist.

There's a lot, actually, that can presented as evidence of PB's extreme views of non-Anglo Saxon protestants.

[TheNoNamedOne]

To Umi's post:

lol at your car trouble.

Yeah, English is the lingua franca around the world for commerce. No question about that. I also see your point about the white man being afraid. That certainly is so. However, I am not really looking at it from losing something, because I live in Japan, don't see English losing out before my death, and am not lamenting my seed losing their linguistic culture/heritage because I have no plans for children. Just looking at it from an analyzing point of view and what is best for national unity/identity in culture -- regardless of skin color.

However, if stability is a goal of governments and the world order, I am prone to think that governments should designate an official language. Countries that do not have different languages and distinct cultures because of language differences, seem to be more internally at peace. I think that should be promoted and solidified as future insurance for continuing peace -- or giving it a higher probability. After all, I do not see the computer tech guys in skyrise buildings rioting, but I can envision low income or unemployed English speaking and Spanish speaking rioting against one another because of miscommunication down at the street level.

Even if they were one language, rioting could still occur, but with different languages I think conflict could spark sooner and extinguish later.

[Fonze]

Well i think pat has said that groups like La raza do say things about regaining the country. I think those groups are just as bad and stupid for the country than those that are so anti immigrant and anti hispanic. If they radicals on the right give these folks a chance they might see that these people will learn to love this country as much as the next american.

[Isaak Brodsky]

I don't think it is ever necessary to designate an offical language.

Language change is a fact. Social, economic, political and technological forces internally and externally shape the ways in which languages in countries are used. The languages as well as their dialects throughout all regions experience shifting. One form falls out of favor only to be replaced by another. We can't change these facts but only adapt.

The American dialect of English is a complex weave of various languages that come into contact with it through immigration, tourism and globalization.

Those who presently practice communicating in English in the US have the linguistic capital and, thus, the cultural capital to move ahead. At some point in the future, Spanish or Chinese may come to compete with or even replace English as the language that carries the most linguistic capital in America. We can't ignore the fact that economics often drives a people's motivation to acquire new languages.

The US was a melting pot at one time, but it seems to me to be a tossed salad.