The issue of whether or not immigrants should be forced to learn and speak English has been discussed for many years and is viewed differently by legal immigrants, illegal immigrants and American citizens. R. D. King (1997) wrote that the issue of immigrants learning to speak English dates back to 1753 with regards to German immigrants. In his article, Should English Be the Law, King (1997) states, “In 1753 Benjamin Franklin voiced his concern that German immigrants were not learning the English language” (par. 4). Even after all these years, the issue of immigrants learning and speaking English in order to better communicate with co-workers, at the bank, or seeking medical care remains a concern for English-speaking American citizens.
London: The British council, 2000. House, Juliane. English as a lingua franca: A threat to multilingualism? Journal of Sociolinguistics 7/4, 2003: 556-578. 10 Jan 2014. http://ukonline-web.uni- koeln.de/remarks/d5134/rm2169656.pdf.
“George Bernard Shaw.” Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition (2013): 1. Historical Reference Center. Web. 4 April 2014. “George Bernard Shaw.” www.biography.com, 2014.
One of the many issues in the United States today is why isn't there an official language? With most every country you research you will find that an official language has been established. With the United States being what many would call a "melting pot" because of the many nationalities that inhabit it, how can a unanimous decision be made about which population's language is the official, most dominantly spoken one? 7As one of the major centers of commerce and trade, and a major English- speaking country, many assume that English is the country's official language. But despite efforts over the years, the United States has no 2official language (USConstitution).
“Domesday Book.” BritannicaSchool.com. Britannica, n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2014.
Www.britishcouncil.org. British Council, 2000. Web. 25 Mar. 2014.
"Philadelphia County QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau." Philadelphia County QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May 2014.
Illegal immigration has been an ongoing issue in the political arena for the past decade with immigration laws still being discussed. To immigrate means to come into a country of which one is not a native for permanent residence. The United States is a nation founded by people who emigrated on the principle of freedom. What would our forefathers think if there could see the issues facing their nation today? There are many issues surrounding immigration policy such as national security, border patrol, deportation, lack of jobs, and lower wages.
United States Census Bureau. United States Census Bureau, Mar. 2014. Web. 8 Apr.