Is English the 'official language' of the U.S.?

[miss g 1]

official what? The minute you start with official anything you're basically saying this language is more recognised than another, its such a power thing, you dont need an official language.. just go with what are the majorities, and if people are too ignorant to take it upon themselves to learn then well, whos problem is that.. i think people should be encouraged to grow themselves, let their brain cells exercise a littlebit. I met some lady in London who was having a go about how she didnt like Miami because there were too many Spanish speaking people and everywhere she went they spoke spanish and she didnt understand.. ok if you move somewhere.. LEARN THE FREAKEN LANGUAGE DUMBASSES...

why should English be the official language and why just one??? so many places cope with 2 or 3 offical languages.

[pedroh 21]

cuz it involves learning.. and thinking.. and because everything non-American shouldn't be learned and should be ignored, therefore eveyrthing than english.. doesn't matter

[miss g 1]

i see youre point, i think i should never have read that book by Michelle Foucault about "knowledge being power" i think its irresponsible to not learn as much as you can about the world you live in. thats why there are so many problems in this world people are so insecure they think embracing other ways will disolve their own.

[HAL 9000 96]

i see youre point, i think i should never have read that book by Michelle Foucault about "knowledge being power" i think its irresponsible to not learn as much as you can about the world you live in. thats why there are so many problems in this world people are so insecure they think embracing other ways will disolve their own.

And there is your problem for reading philosophers' rants.

J/K

Knowledge definitely is power. So is common sense... and they're not mutually exclusive but can most certainly be used to advance any point of view under the sun.

[IAMX 3,055]

why should English be the official language and why just one??? so many places cope with 2 or 3 offical languages.

Officially? Because this country has widely spoken English throughout it's history. It doesn't take a genius to suggest that English is obviously the language of the U.S., and only is de facto. It's great to learn other languages, and certainly if you plan on getting anywhere in life should learn them, but it shouldn't be supported by the government because it costs more money and creates too much of a complicated issue in which languages to support. This is an English speaking country and we should continue to respect people's vastly different backgrounds and let them speak the language they like, but officially, i.e. government-wise, only go with English. This coming from someone who knows a little bit of French and Spanish, and is learning Greek. My fiancee also knows Greek, English (can speak it better than many Americans I know, but thankfully not me ), and German. (all three fluently)

It's much the same manner we respect other languages abroad, with respect to different cultures and languages, but to avoid confusion and conflict, making it so foreigners coming to the country must learn the local language. I don't see what's so bad about this.

Edited September 17, 2008 by SRVT

[SpiritAlight 1]

There is only one clear answer.

It is this:

English is not the official language in the U.S.

There is no official language here.

Period.

[Mononoke28 134]

I don't really mind it being in Spanish seeing as Puerto Ricans that live in the mainland can vote.

Good point, I didn't think of this. The main language that is spoken in PR is Spanish and they are US citizens.

But anyway, I do agree that anyone coming to the US should at least try to learn the language and not because I want to get all Lou Dobbs on everybody but mainly for their own personal benefit. I totally understand when I come across people who don't speak English, and no, they're not all Mexicans by the way. But it does make me wonder how secluded their lives might be. It's sad.

Diana

[Nessa 23]

maybe they should have an official language according to each state population, like texas and cali could be spanglish and the rest english

[Mononoke28 134]

Spanglish is not a language. Thank God for that!

Diana

[Nessa 23]

it might as well be

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Spanglish is not a language. Thank God for that!

Diana

Languages evolve, they're created and they die off, all the time. One day, Spanglish may very well be a language in its own right. That wouldn't be a bad thing

[HAL 9000 96]

Spanglish is not a language. Thank God for that!

Diana

Languages evolve, they're created and they die off, all the time. One day, Spanglish may very well be a language in its own right. That wouldn't be a bad thing

Even though Spanish and English share about 50-60% homology... they are separate entities with enough evolution in between to make a current day hybrid like Spanglish a complete stupidity.

I don't argue though that that's where we may be headed with more and more additions from other languages as time goes by. Lots of time that is.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Spanglish is not a language. Thank God for that!

Diana

Languages evolve, they're created and they die off, all the time. One day, Spanglish may very well be a language in its own right. That wouldn't be a bad thing

Even though Spanish and English share about 50-60% homology... they are separate entities with enough evolution in between to make a current day hybrid like Spanglish a complete stupidity.

I don't argue though that that's where we may be headed with more and more additions from other languages as time goes by. Lots of time that is.

Actually, I would differ a bit here. In my work -nerdy papers- I constantly use code-switching; not out of whim, but as influenced by Chicana theorist Gloria Anzaldua (RIP )

She talked about that place in between the borders, La Frontera, where her identities were fluid, and so was her lenguaje. A lot had to do with legitimizing a bilingual identity. Her work is fabulosamente unique.

De facto, Spanglish IS spoken by a high percentage of Chicanos, and other Latin American immigrant groups. I don't see any pejorative connotation for it from where I am seating. Sentada.

Most if not all immigrant or refugee groups create their own patois, their own mixture of linguistic norms and; like AJ said, languages evolve.

Paz, L.

[HAL 9000 96]

Spanglish is not a language. Thank God for that!

Diana

Languages evolve, they're created and they die off, all the time. One day, Spanglish may very well be a language in its own right. That wouldn't be a bad thing

Even though Spanish and English share about 50-60% homology... they are separate entities with enough evolution in between to make a current day hybrid like Spanglish a complete stupidity.

I don't argue though that that's where we may be headed with more and more additions from other languages as time goes by. Lots of time that is.

Actually, I would differ a bit here. In my work -nerdy papers- I constantly use code-switching; not out of whim, but as influenced by Chicana theorist Gloria Anzaldua (RIP )

She talked about that place in between the borders, La Frontera, where her identities were fluid, and so was her lenguaje. A lot had to do with legitimizing a bilingual identity. Her work is fabulosamente unique.

De facto, Spanglish IS spoken by a high percentage of Chicanos, and other Latin American immigrant groups. I don't see any pejorative connotation for it from where I am seating. Sentada.

Most if not all immigrant or refugee groups create their own patois, their own mixture of linguistic norms and; like AJ said, languages evolve.

Paz, L.

Yeah I just think its an earsore...

I suppose that if that 'language' would be developed with grammar and proper rules to structure it, then it would be yet another option for people to communicate amongst themselves. To be honest I see it firmly as two halves that are lacking trying to come together to form a cohesive way of communicating... and the result (for the most part) are people that do not know sufficiency in either languages.

I mean, como se le occur a one person to tratar and hablar like they know dos languages when really they solo know like half de cada one?

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Spanglish is not a language. Thank God for that!

Diana

Languages evolve, they're created and they die off, all the time. One day, Spanglish may very well be a language in its own right. That wouldn't be a bad thing

Even though Spanish and English share about 50-60% homology... they are separate entities with enough evolution in between to make a current day hybrid like Spanglish a complete stupidity.

I don't argue though that that's where we may be headed with more and more additions from other languages as time goes by. Lots of time that is.

Actually, I would differ a bit here. In my work -nerdy papers- I constantly use code-switching; not out of whim, but as influenced by Chicana theorist Gloria Anzaldua (RIP )

She talked about that place in between the borders, La Frontera, where her identities were fluid, and so was her lenguaje. A lot had to do with legitimizing a bilingual identity. Her work is fabulosamente unique.

De facto, Spanglish IS spoken by a high percentage of Chicanos, and other Latin American immigrant groups. I don't see any pejorative connotation for it from where I am seating. Sentada.

Most if not all immigrant or refugee groups create their own patois, their own mixture of linguistic norms and; like AJ said, languages evolve.

Paz, L.

Yeah I just think its an earsore...

I suppose that if that 'language' would be developed with grammar and proper rules to structure it, then it would be yet another option for people to communicate amongst themselves. To be honest I see it firmly as two halves that are lacking trying to come together to form a cohesive way of communicating... and the result (for the most part) are people that do not know sufficiency in either languages.

I mean, como se le occur a one person to tratar and hablar like they know dos languages when really they solo know like half de cada one?

They do hermano. Hell! You and I do it here tambien

But you do get my point, right?

Legitimizing one's language is part of an identity validation process. Me likey reading Anzaldua, mucho.