Bilingualism in the United States

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Currently in the United States, about one in four, or twenty-six percent, of American adults can speak a language other than English (McComb). To be bilingual means to possess the ability to speak two languages, and a society that implements a bilingual approach is one that adapts means of everyday life, ranging from street signs to education, to the inevitabilities of more than one language. The United States is in debate on whether or not to adopt Spanish in conjunction with all English communication. In my opinion, to assume a bilingual society would create a separation in our country with two competing languages. There are multiple perspectives on the issue and to accurately form an opinion requires consideration of numerous aspects. The decision to undertake Spanish alongside English in all facets in the United States should be constructed on bilingual history, statistics, legal implications, supportive and defensive arguments, education dynamics, cultural factors, and the necessary provisions to our current society needed to implement such a system. To begin, let’s look into the background and history of the issue and of bilingualism in the United States. Although bilingualism in the United States is a current issue, it has been part of our history from the start. In the early days of exploration and colonization, Spanish, French, Dutch, and German were just as common as English (Phelps). As our nation developed, though many colonial leaders including Benjamin Franklin protested bilingualism, German and French remained common in colonial North America with even the Articles of Confederation being published in both English and German (Phelps). As millions of immigrants arrived in the United States throughout the nineteent... ... middle of paper ... ...spx>. Peterson, Daneen G. "Bilingualism = A Divided America ." Stop the North American Union, 07 Jun, 2006. Web. 28 Feb 2011. americanunion.com/Bilingualism.html>. Phelps, Shirelle. "Bilingualism." Encyclopedia of Everyday Law. Gale Cenegage, 2003. Print. Taylor, Jordan. "Bilingual Education: Impractical in America." A look at the world from a bubble. Reflections, 18 Jan. 2008. Web. 28 Feb 2011. ugnome.wordpress.com/2008/01/18/bilingualeducationunamerican/>. "The benefits of bilingual education." Vancouver Sun 26 Feb. 2011:n.p. Web. 28 Feb 2011. Zehr, Mary Ann. "Hakuta: Fear of Bilingualism Is Part of U.S. Culture." Education Week. Editorial Projects in Education, 29 Oct. 2010. Web. 28 Feb 2011. fear_of_ bilingualism_is.html>.

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