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Why should English be the official language of the US
Effects of bilingualism in the classroom
Why should English be the official language of the US
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“Bilingualism for the individual is fine, but not for a country”, claims S.I Hayakawa in his article “Bilingualism in America”, published in USA Today in 1989. A language is a systematic means of communication. It is used to express ourselves and communicate with others. More than 300 languages are spoken in the United States but English is one of the common bonds among the Americans of all backgrounds. English is the language of freedom, commerce and opportunity around the world. English is the official language of 51 nations and 27 states in the United States of America. Most scholars believe that English is the common language in the United States of America. This is true in fact but not in law. The founders of the United States of America were aware of the importance of the language of nation building. A nation’s language was thought to be the essence of national culture. There were movements to make English as the official language but failed in their attempt. Making English as the official language promotes unity among the people, serves as a means of communication for immigrants, helps in business, and cut government spending on bilingualism. For years, there has been considerable debate on whether English should be the official language of United States or not. There was a movement taking place throughout the country aimed at making English the official language. The main focus of the English Only Movement is to eliminate or limit bilingual education in public schools, prevent state and local governments from spending tax dollars on translations of road signs and government documents, and to abolish multilingual ballots. The legislation places no restrictions on which language a person speaks at home, in the community, c... ... middle of paper ... ...he private day-to-day life of people. They can choose to speak in any language at their home. Having English as an official language helps immigrants as English is spoken by most of the people in the world. English as an official language promotes unity among people but not differences. In conclusion, we can say that having English as the official language has more pros than cons. Works Cited Annals of the Congress of the United States, 1082. Hope Viner Samborn, "Tongue- Tied," ABA Journal, February 1996, 22. U.S. English, Inc., "Making English the Official Language", http:// www.us-english.org Hayakawa, S. (1989). Bilingualism in America. USA Today . James M. Inhofe, C. M. (Oct 23, 2006). Should English be declared America's national language? A nation of immigrants considers the pros and cons of giving English official status. New York Times Upfront .
What is the official language or the United States? 90% of the people would answer English, but guess again. The United States doesn’t have an official language. The subject of English as the official language of the United States has been covered intensively by the world press over the past decade. Declaring it the official language of United States can make an improvement in many areas, and is very relevant for future generations. Even though English-only movement has close connections to restrictionist and anti-immigration organizations. Which suggests that the movement has a wider, more far-reaching, and more negative agenda than simply advocating an official English language policy. English should be the official language of United States because making it the official language of the United States refers solely to the language of the government, not of the people, private business, classrooms, etc., and in 1990 US census reported that 97.1% of the US population speak English.
middle of paper ... ... Our government already works in an English-speaking capacity, and of all the languages we have put forward for our country in the past, English makes the most sense overall. While providing the necessary instruction and help for non-English speaking citizens and/or immigrants, we will still be preserving the cultural heritage of early America. Works Cited Perea, Juan.
Language is part of the few benefits that immigrants bring with their culture. United States benefits from cultures of the many immigrants that migrate to the U.S. the variation of different languages brings great benefit to the U.
Wiley, Terrence G. "Language Planning, Language Policy, and the English-Only Movement." Language in the USA: Themes for the Twenty-first Century. Ed. Edward Finegan and John R. Rickford. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2004. 319-38. Print.
Bilingualism, a very controversial topic to debate in today’s United States. People generally define bilingualism as the ability of using two languages that individuals have. However, this is not the reason why that bilingualism becomes such a debatable issue. In this case, bilingualism is defined as the government’s use of languages other than English for public services in order to support the immigrants’ lives in the United States. People who support bilingualism want the government to continue having this kind policies. They think that bilingualism helps immigrants to assimilate into the American culture and moreover, it will unify everyone who are on this land. Although bilingualism provides some kind of benefits toward immigrants, they cannot solve the problems in the deep root. Bilingualism should not be continued in the U.S. Why? It reduces the immigrants’ incentive to learn English, threatens national unity, and costs so much.
...the official language of the United States of America. Although the roots may be diverse, Americans unite because they are American. The diversity that has been maintained since the founding of America is a beautiful accomplishment to be cherished, not destroyed.
In the article, “Public and Private Language”, Richard Rodriguez argues that bilingual education delays learning a “public language” and developing a public identity”. I can relate to Richard’s story because my family and me moved to America when I was young and we also had the same struggle learning a new language. I agreed with Rodriguez when he expressed that he didn’t feel like a true American until he mastered the English language because English is the first and main language in America.
According to the 2011 census, over 20.8 percent of the United States population spoke another language other than English (www.us-english.org). Language barriers, cultural differences, and immigration have been a part of life in the United States for decades. Language is considered a vital tool in the construction of someone’s identity and an expression of culture. In the last 200 years immigrants have chosen to make the United States their home, but some proceeded with caution by slowly adapting to the English language and culture.
Language can bring people together but can also isolate. The United States is known as a melting pot, not only does that refer to culture but also the many different languages. We know of language barriers, but very seldom do we think of the language barriers within our borders. Even with the language barriers it solidifies the need for a national language, the United States of America should allow the freedom to express one’s culture while maintaining English as our national language, therefore offering common ground to its citizens.
The United States is made up of many different ethic groups. These groups vary from Latinos, Asian American, African American, Pacific Islanders, Native Americans, and etc. These ethnic groups come into America speaking many different languages. However, many people are still surprised to learn that the United States has no official language. Many assume that English is the official language of the United States. But despite efforts over the years, the United States has no official language. Because the United States has no official language, it is suffering with large costs. These large costs will lead us on a road to wasteful government expenses, language battles that fuel ethnic resentment, and in the long run serious ethnic and linguistic separatist movements. An official English legislation is the answer to the problem.
The United States of America has long been considered the “melting pot” of cultures, ethnicities and even languages. For decades, the experience of immigration into America has influenced the linguistic assimilation into the English language, a prevailing characteristic of American society. The rapid growth of English assimilation and the clash with cultural identity extends to modern generations, especially in modern education. David Nieto’s history of bilingual education discusses the influence of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, having initiated the use of bilingual Education in America. Eventually, the Bilingual Education Act of 1974 defined and legitimized bilingual education in schools, which added special programs for minority students
students are not proficient in the English language and speak a language other than English at home (Greene, 1998). This idea, the use of two languages in schools, by teachers, students, or both, for a variety of purposes educational or socially, is not exactly novel (Greene, 1998). The bilingual education system was first legally
For the perspective of bilinguals, it is not a matter of obstinacy towards English, but a desire to maintain one’s culture and individuality without suffering the wrath of English ideals. The monolingual ideology in the United States presides due to the interpretations of bilingual implications. Monolinguist supporters believe language to be harmful to the representation of the United States as a whole. The influence of the ideology is even prevalent in media as seen by an article produced by PBS. The article asks “does bilingualism in America threaten the English language?” (¿Habla español?) Such a question shows the radical view of monolingual ideologists and its evidence in today’s society. Supporters also believe foreign language cultures will take over the “American culture” as well as alter the economic and political status of the country. The educational implications argued by supporters evidently contribute the monolingual ideology as well. Our nation supports the use of a foreign language only on English terms, meaning English is the first language. The prevalence of the monolingual ideology in today’s society not only is prevalent but is
Ultimately, English is rapidly rising, causing other languages unable to compete with it, this is not good, as having a global language as the loss of language is considered a loss of identity for all people. While having English as a global language may offer positive aspects for everyone, it can never replace the identity and cultural of ones mother language.
One of the most controversial debates in this era is the issue of national language in the United States. Although many countries have declared English as their official language, the U.S. bicameral chambers have persisted to recognize English as the official language. In his article, “In Plain English: Let’s Make It Official,” Charles Krauthammer reflects on contrasting viewpoints in our nation regarding this matter, and supports his idea that a comprehensive plan for ensuring the rights of languages should be passed by the legislative bodies. He believes that America’s great success has been the astonishing capacity for acculturation with its influence of English language, and that immigrants are more conforming to English (LEO 707). Nathan Tabor, being another proposer and the author of “Speaking English Preserves Our National Heritage”, believes that our country has become a multicultural ground for several ethnicities with different backgrounds. Throughout his essay, he strongly emphasizes that all citizens should adapt to a common culture by accepting the English language as the official gateway to success in the American society. With the reliance on these perspectives, every citizen of the United States should accept the English language, which supports the American cultural traditions, ensures the idea of the American Dream, and preserves our union.