2006-11-11 05:03:59 · 25 answers · asked by ohoma 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
a country doesn't normally need an official language. once upon a time folk in america spoke choctaw, pawnee, mandan and so on. then a whole bunch of new characters showed up speaking dutch and french and portuguese.
people spoke the language that would get them understood. if they didn't want to be understood they spoke some other language. dutch never became the official language of white america, because it never needed to: everybody knew that if you were a yankee you spoke dutch.
these days the language which usually gets you understood is english. usually isn't always: if you need to speak spanish and you don't - it's because you're stupid.
no need to make any language an official language though: the language you need to speak is the language which will get you understood.
and this is true if you are in boise, decatur, vilnius, or choma.
2006-11-11 06:19:15 · answer #1 · answered by synopsis 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
English. I'm French, and I don't understand why Spanish should be another official language. I mean, I know why people say that. But if you live in, say, Wisconsin. And you move to Florida. Why would you have to learn another language? It's not fair.
I mean, I did study English, and I'm going to study Spanish. But that's just because I'm interested in those languages, and because I like to travel, etc. But I don't see why people should have to learn another language!
I don't think that letting people speak only Spanish is actually fair to them. There should be programs to help them learn English. Because what happens is that those who only speak Spanish, who don't master English, will never get good jobs! They will be ok as long as they live in the same area, and work as janitor or own restaurants or things like that. I'm not saying that thoe jobs are bad. But they have a limited choice.
So, I think it's fair for neither the people whose first language is Spanish nor is it for people who speak English only.
2006-11-11 13:37:15 · answer #2 · answered by Offkey 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
We are an English speaking country and in all honesty it should stay that way. It is too costly to switch signs, documents, and cater to two languages I believe. Also Spanish would not even apply to many of our states in the country...do you really think North Dakota would ever need to be bilingual. I think it is something that areas of the country can do, but I don't think the "country" should ever have any need as a whole to change the official language.
2006-11-11 13:15:27 · answer #3 · answered by ÐIESEŁ ÐUB 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
English.
2006-11-11 13:12:21 · answer #4 · answered by ? 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Since we are near countries with it as the official language, Spanish would be the best official language second to English.
2006-11-11 13:26:39 · answer #5 · answered by Julie S 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
English and American Sign Language.
2006-11-12 18:04:25 · answer #6 · answered by InterpreterNatalie 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
What was the language spoken by the natives before the English speaking guys came.
Incidentally wasn't Columbus Spanish.
2006-11-11 14:43:02 · answer #7 · answered by curious 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
This is the united states, and the english language is the official language, and thats it, people need to get over it, always trying to inject their language into the USA, I say you want to come here and live, then LEARN the language, DO NOT expect us to learn your language. Be thankful that you are allowed to come here reap the wealth of our great nation. Just my humble opinion.
2006-11-11 13:16:45 · answer #8 · answered by Jennifer L 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
English...period.
2006-11-11 13:10:41 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
If not English or Spanish or German,so I guess it would be the Native American.But still I like it better that American speaks English,because I can understand and speak the language.
2006-11-12 09:48:40 · answer #10 · answered by Simba's Rose Bud 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋