Anyone answer : Should we choose a national language in the US ?

Question

I think we should make English and French the official languages . People get mad about the possibility of an official language because they think it ruins diversity . The point of an official language is not to completely abandon one's culture , it's to have a language to understand each other in . The UK is a little diverse and they have English as their official language , no one seems to mind it . I think if we would have chosen an official language in this nation's early days we would have chosen english and french due to them helping us gain independence and us having good relations with them , it was George Washington and Marquis de Lafayette who were the leaders of the Revolutionary War . I think German would have also had a good shot at becoming an official language during the immigration from Europe to the US in the 19th century .

Answer 1

Chinese will be our language

they own our economy

Answer 2

what language is the constitution bill of rights written in

Answer 3

I think Yes.

Having an official language would save millions of dollars every year by not having to print government documents in multiple languages...

air traffic controllers use English as their official language worldwide..

Having an official language does not make it illegal to speak a foreign language if you desire.. It just simplifies the task of disseminating information.

Answer 4

I am a third generation "Italian" immigrant!  While Italian was often spoke in our home (grandmother) English was our language, because we are AMERICANS!  If you want to speak Mexican, Italian, Chinese or any thing else in public....stay in those countries!

Answer 5

yes but the true divider party in our country will not let that happen

Answer 6

English!!

Answer 7

yes, english

Answer 8

I thought it was English. What with 99% of the country (which is here legally) speaking it.  

Answer 9

No, because it would be against what America stood for, or at one time or another.

America would be nothing without illegal immigrants in the first place.

Answer 10

We already have a standard language that has been a part of the country since 1776.It appears in most of our tv and radio stations, books and magazines, almost any form of communication. But it may be that it is necessary to make it a law to stop the press 1 for english calls.

Answer 11

English is the language of business and commerce and is so in many countries. My opinion is that it should be English. I speak some Spanish( Mexican, Tex-Mex) because it was needed somewhat when I was employed by our city.

If we can't come to terms with a main language to speak, then we will become a virtual tower of Babel and misunderstandings will only get worse. I don't think our constitution was written in a language other than English. Why not stick with that.

Those that want to speak another language , fine. Just make English the official language.

Answer 12

YES YES YES.

Why French?  I think Spanish makes more sense (or Chinese).

I don't see how it ruins diversity.  A lot of countries are extremely diverse but have a uniting language and culture for all people there.

Answer 13

No.  We don't need an official language.  What would it add?

Answer 14

should be English only....

Answer 15

i'm all for english as our official language.  but the aclu would never let that happen.  heaven forbid we step on anyone's toes and, even worse,  not do it in their native tongue.  i am thoroughly fed up with political correctness at the expense of the loss of self identity.

Answer 16

Umm english i can understand but french thats pushing it.

Answer 17

english

Answer 18

Official languages are a relatively modern invention, and usually just make official whatever everyone knows to be true in any case.

That is, in Great Britain, English was only the language of government at all levels, and therefore the de facto official language. Now, of course, Welsh is given equal priority in Wales and Scots Gaelic is given equal priority in Scotland, in theory, sort of. The questioner doesn't appear to know this. And he seems to confuse the UK with England, not realizing that England is only the largest and most important part of the UK.

In the US, English has always been the de facto official language since the days of the thirteen colonies, save in particular regions, such as Indian reservations or Puerto Rico.

For example, when California was handed over by Mexico to the U.S., did anyone question that the language of state government would be from now on in English, not Spanish? Was there any real question that when Hawaii was annexed, that under a U.S. regime, the territorial language of government would now be in English?

In any case, that is what happened. Schools were English and children were taught English. There was no legal right for Spanish people or Hawaiian people to have their own children taught in their own language, any more than there had been in Texas or Louisiana.

English as the de facto official language of the 13 colonies when they became a nation, for the same reasons that it was the official language of the 13 colonies, because they were British colonies, that is countries ruled by English-speaking governments. The region around New York (formerly called New Amsterdam) still had many Dutch-speaking inhabitants. Pennsylvania still had many German-speaking inhabitants. But these were the exceptions. There were a lot of French-speakers in the lands to the north of the 13 colonies, but those regions did not join in the rebellion. Accordingly, there wasn't really any chance that French or German would become official languages of the new state.

Under modern laws and a wish to retain older languages, possibly the matter might be quite different. But then, under this more modern understanding, Hawaii would not have been so anglicized.