English as the official language of the US.?

Question

How much cost would be involved? Would it be constitutional? For Catholics it would mean their priests could only speak English. Our money would have to have Latin removed. Lawyers could no longer use Latin.

Cora,you lost me with "the cost is not measured in money". The rest i understand. Does that mean let them waste money,it's OK or the cost would be greater than the money spent?

Answer 1

Que?

I think that 'official language' legislation is intended more for 'official' use. Road signs, etc.

Priests would not be regulated.

I, for one, am not interested in such legislation. It is unnecessary. State and local governments can do just fine in implementing the will of their citizens.

Answer 2

It would not, could not, affect private behavior. Catholics can still do Latin, so can everyone else. Businesses will still offer the "Numero Dos por espanol" service and nothing much for anyone would change.

Essentially, it would mean that government documents would not be available in multiple languagues (as they partially are now). This will have the unfortunate cost of overloading the U.S. bureaucracy with people filling out paperwork (immigration forms, government service forms, taxes) incorrectly because guess what, they can't understand the language. In addition, it might be unconstitutional to have the ballots in only one language as that may deny the one person/one vote provision. Some of the Supreme Court anti-Jim Crow decisions may become important.

The result is it will change government services and procedures, but will do so in a way that increases red tape, waiting in lines, and other annoying stuff.

Answer 3

The cost is not measured in money.

First of all, the Supreme Court has already ruled 90 years ago that people cannot be compelled to speak any language, or prohibited from speaking any language on 1st Amendment grounds.

So, until that gets overturned, the only constitutional laws would be that only English could be used in legal proceedings and that all laws are published only in English.

Here's the problem with that -- the doctrine that "ignorance of the law is not an excuse" only works because laws are published -- so that people are on 'constructive notice' of what the law requires. By limiting how laws can be published, that removes the constructive notice element for anyone who doesn't speak English. Meaning that ignorance of the law now becomes a valid legal excuse, because the law acted to prevent people form learning what is prohibited.

Answer 4

you are most assuredly mistaken

if english were to become the official language of the united states (which i actually hope could happen), it would NOT impact the use of latin by catholic priests, or the use of latin phrases by lawyers or doctors.

what it would affect, would be signs, and official publications. if english were the official language, all signs would have to be printed in english, and all official publications would also have to be printed in english. there would be the presumption that everyone would have to speak at least some english, to be able to make their way through the bureaucracy. there would be no other effects on everyday life.

your attempt to intiate a panic is laughable. perhaps you could try for 'the sky is falling, the sky is falling'

Answer 5

No, you are wrong. What cost? Priests could still speak what they wanted. The Latin doesn't bother anyone. To me it would mean no more translators, no hiring of people that deal with with the public that can't speak English. People would be forced to take classes and pay for it.

Answer 6

Funny how other countries can have official languages. For some reason American politicians don't have the ability to accomplish this simple task of making English the official language of America.

Are Americans going to be speaking Spanish or Korean in 50 years?

Answer 7

Nobody says you can't speak another language other than English .It would only mean the gov would stop catering to all other languages and people would have to learn English. No ESL in schools etc. w/e you want to speak in mass, at home, or over the phone is ok.

The gov would never pass it as law b/c they are too chickensh*t.

Answer 8

They just passed a bill that English is the Official language in the state of Kansas....

Answer 9

That's not what it would mean at all.

All OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS AND FORMS will be in English, as would the courts and congress.

You can speak Spanish all you want, just don't expect it in a document from Uncle Sam.

Answer 10

i think there should be a national language, but not forced. the US would be recognized as a English speaking country politically speaking.