should english be the official language?

Question

i am just wondering. Also are we going to have to provide services in any language soonbe cause only in spanish is wrong and hurts people that speak other languages.

Answer 1

Yes, English should be the official language. I agree that if we offer forms in Spanish then why not other languages???

*Did you know there are now some stores in Dallas that accept Peso's for payment instead of US money...wow, sign of the times eh

Answer 2

I oppose a national language law for four reasons:

First, I doubt the constitutionality of such a measure. There are some issues in regards to the 14th Amendment and Congressional power to enact such legislation.

Second, we have survived for 200 plus years without a language law and we have had previous periods with higher percentage of non-English speakers in the nation. At the beginning of the 20th century, close to ten percent of people in the USA did not speak English. It is not even half this percentage today.

Third, official language laws cause more problems than they solve. The Canadians are constantly debating the language issue because of a linguistic straight jacket they imposed on themselves with the Official Languages Act. For example, the Federal government must provide services in French in areas where there are few if any French speakers while Chinese speakers in the area cannot get services. We have let market forces determine language usage in the USA for our existence and should continue to do so.

Fourth, most immigrants are learning English and their children are learning English so they can attend our college and university system.

Answer 3

I think it should be. And an overwhelming number of Americans feel the same way too. This poll way taken in June of 2006, and 85% thing English should be the official language. I don't think things have changed much in the past year.

We use our taxes so people who don't speak english can get government services. That isn't fair to those who speak French, or Russian, or German ect. Oh wait, most of the people from those countries do speak english when they come here. It is those spanish speakers that don't take the time to learn english.

Answer 4

Right now we have states that spend millions in order to provide things as basic as a drivers license test,or a ballot in multiple languages. Why is that? Do you think that if you decided to move to Germany that once you were a citizen of their country,that they would be providing you a drivers license test in English,Spanish,Russian or whatever. Somehow I doubt it,if people can't do something as basic as learning the language of the country they are coming to then why should we take their desire to be Americans seriously? And yes we should definitely put it into law that the official language of the US is english,and the government should do business in no other language except when engaged in international relations. If for no other reason we should do it to stop things like what recently happened in El Cenizo,TX where the town declared it's official language was now spanish,and declared themselves a sanctuary city for illegals. It is truly getting out of control if you ask me,and needs to be stopped now.

AD

Answer 5

No.

Okay, so this rule would apply to all government buildings--even hospitals. You can generally act out most things, like 'This hurts here' or 'I was running and tripped' but how do you say something like 'I'm allergic to penicilin?" That could be dangerous if someone doesn't know English!

America began with immigration, and is an immigrant country. We're not a melting pot, we're a fruit salad: people should be able to come to a country of freedom and retain their cultures. Isn't this what part of the American ideal is? Aren't we a haven for people of all cultures to come and be free? After all, the Statue of Liberty is etched with the words, "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Answer 6

Yes.

Where I life, the DMV offers its publications in about seven languages. This is an asinine waste of paper.

When my great-grandmother emigrated from Germany to America, she came here with very little money and knowing only a few words of English. She was desparate to learn English because it was important to her to be able to assimilate, so she found someone who would barter for English lessons -- so my great-grandmother did the woman's laundry in return for lessons.

I'm all in favor of people continuing to emigrate legally to the U.S. However, it irritates me greatly when they make no effort whatsoever to learn English. And it pisses me off that their laziness is actually accommodated [and thereby encouraged] by governments and businesses offering signs and services in languages other than English.

If an American emigrates to another country, they are allowed to do so only if they have a working knowledge of the local language. They have to actually prove it -- all immigration forms and interviews/orientations are NOT in English.

It gets even better. I lived for two years in Amsterdam. The Netherlands is probably the most bilingual country on Earth, because every citizen there knows a fair amount of English [and many speak it flawlessly]. This is because Dutch is certainly not a major world language, so they chose English as the language to use to communicate with other countries. However, they don't go out of their way to be pro-English -- you'll find very few bilingual signs. Also, though English is freely spoken, I nonetheless had to prove that I had a command of Dutch before they would approve me to be a resident alien -- not a "passing knowledge" of Dutch, but a COMMAND of Dutch, meaning I had to be pretty fluent. Past-tense verbs proved a problem for me, but they deemed me fit enough to pass -- but I had to give them a verbal pledge that I would continue improving; though they were not going to do a bureaucratic follow-up, I nonetheless took it upon myself to continue working on my language skills, because I didn't know how long I would be in the country.

So, I fail to understand why immigrants here aren't likewise required to learn English. I don't care about legislation, English IS the official language of the U.S., simply because it's the dominant one. It's been that way since the beginning, so if immigrants have the rude audacity to take exception to that, they are welcome to return to their native country.

Answer 7

Si senior. No me gusta cuando una persona no me responda con una idioma que conozco. Por otra lado, no creo que sea bueno si los services en otras lenguas terminaran.

Also, I think that many services are provided in many languages. For instance, the written portion of the driving test can be completed in almost any language if you go to the right place. It is just that the Spanish is the most accessible second language to get services in because it is currently the most common in the United States.

Answer 8

I don't see the point in wasting time and resources on legislation about something as petty as an official national language. We've got bigger fish to fry in this country. Declaring an official national language is just another way to control people. Besides, just because countries have an official national language doesn't mean they don't also have to provide services in more languages than their own. Ever been to a country in Europe? There's multiple-language signage everywhere. All this would accomplish is giving the elitist snobs yet another way to tell people who are different that different means bad.

Meanwhile, I'd rather see legislation about important issues that affect everyone in this country, not just the hyer-sensitive jerks who think that they are superior to everyone else.

Answer 9

i wonder if you've ever been out of this country. and i wonder if you understand basic business. your question leads me to think no on both counts.

the world is an international community. every country has immigrants and visitors from other countries. it's just good business to be able to communicate with potential customers. but it can also be a hassle. there are probably a few native speakers of swahili in america; but only a few. as a business owner it is not economically feasible to provide services in swahili. but when millions of citizens and visitors speak spanish, it would be stupid not to try to provide services in spanish.

why does this issue irritate you so much?

Answer 10

Yes. If people want to come to this country, they must learn our language. Nothing makes me more angry than picking up a phone and calling my pharmacy and hearing "Press 1 for English."

Answer 11

Absolutely, if you live in America. English is the language of business, and the three things that constitute, bind, and hold a country together are its language, borders, and culture.

* To Brian* Learning English a working knowledge of English is part of what it means to become a US citizen, legally anyways. The courts have interpreters and how can we be a nation without a common bind through the same communication? Do you remember the "Tower of Babel?
an ancient city in the land of Shinar in which the building of a tower intended to reach heaven was begun and the confusion of the language of the people took place. Gen. 11:4–9.
Babel: (usually lowercase) a confused mixture of sounds or voices.
(usually lowercase) a scene of noise and confusion.