The Official "Should the US Have an Official Language" Thread

[Rudey]

Originally posted by MysticCat81
Perhaps, if you can consider a language spoken on a daily basis by less than 10% of a country's population to be "common and unifying."

The issue is simply whether the Senate amendments to the immigration reform bill confer any legal status on English, as opposed to symbolic status. Since "national" and "common and unifying" confer no real legal status, they do not create an official language.

I think the real issue is one of expectations. The cynic in me thinks that many politicians propose phrases like "national language" and "common and unifying language" in order to placate those who want to see English made the official language of the US, knowing that the phrases they are proposing are really only symbolic and accomplish little.

It's all about baby steps. Another baby step is a proposal to reduce non-English services. After a few baby steps, you realize you've moved ahead quite a bit.

And I'd love to see where that 10% came from.

-Rudey

[MysticCat]

Originally posted by Rudey
And I'd love to see where that 10% came from.

From my previous post. I wasn't referring to English in the US. I was referring to official languages in some other countries such as those to which I had already referred -- Ireland, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Benin -- where only a small minority of the population actually speak the official language on a daily basis.

[Optimist Prime]

this is almost a non-issue, at least to me, but valid to some, so...






who cares? will it effect which language(s) you speak?

[BetteDavisEyes]

Originally posted by Optimist Prime
this is almost a non-issue, at least to me, but valid to some, so...


who cares? will it effect which language(s) you speak?

I agree.


For the record, Hispanic is not an ethnicity or race. It is merely a term used for any person that speaks Spanish regardless of ethnicity. Latino/Chicano is the term used when referring to anyone of Latin descent.

[Rudey]

Originally posted by BetteDavisEyes
I agree.


For the record, Hispanic is not an ethnicity or race. It is merely a term used for any person that speaks Spanish regardless of ethnicity. Latino/Chicano is the term used when referring to anyone of Latin descent.

So if I speak Spanish I'm hispanic?

Doesn't Chicano mean Mexican and Latino mean Latin American?

I know a few Spanish words so I'm part hispanic...cool

-Rudey
--For the record La Primera lives!

[KSig RC]

Originally posted by BetteDavisEyes
For the record, Hispanic is not an ethnicity or race. It is merely a term used for any person that speaks Spanish regardless of ethnicity. Latino/Chicano is the term used when referring to anyone of Latin descent.

This is somewhat oversimplified - the term 'hispanic' (from a demographic point of view) refers to those of descent from spanish-speaking cultures/heritage, or Latin America (this excludes Rudey, although his conversion may be taking place before our very eyes).

While it is not technically a 'race', it is used demographically to define hispanic populations from the large bodies of 'black' or 'white' (both of which 'Hispanic' can fall into, as can Latino).

[xo_kathy]

Originally posted by BetteDavisEyes

For the record, Hispanic is not an ethnicity or race. It is merely a term used for any person that speaks Spanish regardless of ethnicity. Latino/Chicano is the term used when referring to anyone of Latin descent.

I agree with KSig.

Also, Chicano is NOT in anyway a term for anyone of Latin descent. Don't say that up in Washington Heights or the Bronx - you'll have a load of Dominicans, Puerto Ricans and Cubans ready to set you straight! As far as I know, Chicano is used for Mexican Americans only.

[Phasad1913]

Given the history of this country, the federal government should not make that kind of a symbolic statement. It isn;t going to change anything with regard to how people communicate either among themselves or in other, more official and professional environments. The country has a lot of different groups of people in it. These groups speak different languages. Period. There is nothing that can or should be done about it. Over time, it just happened. The nation, meaning its people, should realize, understand and accept that. The desire and effort to learn the language that most people speak in ths and any other country is going to have to come from within that person if THEY feel that it will be necessary for them to live and prosper in that nation. That is the same inner motivation that is required for other types of assimilation. The federal government should not step over that line. Again, that socio-political statement such an act would make would be terrible.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally posted by xo_kathy
IAlso, Chicano is NOT in anyway a term for anyone of Latin descent. Don't say that up in Washington Heights or the Bronx - you'll have a load of Dominicans, Puerto Ricans and Cubans ready to set you straight! As far as I know, Chicano is used for Mexican Americans only.

It's also something that someone outside the Mexican community should not use. My husband wouldn't be offended if I called him Chicano, but he might be if one of his coworkers did. My husband most often calls himself a "Hispano" and sometimes "Latino".

[ann.coulter2]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

So, should the US have (an) official Language(s)?

My friend Newt thinks so. Read his opinion recently posted on my favorite Lambda Alpha Upsilon forum.

[RoyalEmpress33]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

I did a search and could not find this discussed, except as a side-bar to other debates.

So, should the US have (an) official Language(s)?

Although some people may disagree with me,and I certainly don't mean to offend anyone, I believe we should have an official language. I'm well aware that America is made up of many different cultures and languages, but English is the dominant language, well for right now anyway.I look at it like this, if Blacks as well as other minority groups had to learn it and accept it as the official language, than why can't anyone else? Asking this is just like asking if a large sum of Americans or other nations started to migrate to Mexico or somewhere in South America for instance where Spanish is spoken, and then saying, "You should make English the official language." Sorry if I digressed a bit, but I was thinking about this lately as well...

[UGAalum94]

I think we should have English as the official language.

I also think that we should limit and define what additional languages that government services will be provided in.

I've got no problem with Spanish being an official second language, but I think the idea that we can accommodate all the world’s languages is unrealistic and impractical.

I don’t think we should have bilingual or multi-lingual schools although I think schools should provide ESOL services for a well-defined number of years to those who need them. (I don’t think any students should be served by ESOL for their entire school careers, but mainly because it becomes a dumping ground although NCLB is helping with this.)

Could whoever mentioned laws and treaties that prohibited the US having an official language please name some? I know we’d have to repeal any current laws that are contrary to a new one, but the use of treaties made me think you meant something international.

As far as the historic arguments go, when we had the “melting pot” as our central immigration metaphor, we emphasized assimilation, and learning English was considered an American trait. As we’ve moved to the salad bowl metaphor, emphasizing multi-culturalism, I think the motivation to learn English is diminished. Because I firmly believe that being able to communicate with each other is a core national value, I don’t think separate language groups is a good idea. We need to speak the same language to be one national people.

[PiKA2001]

Originally Posted by Alphagamuga

I think we should have English as the official language.

As far as the historic arguments go, when we had the “melting pot” as our central immigration metaphor, we emphasized assimilation, and learning English was considered an American trait. As we’ve moved to the salad bowl metaphor, emphasizing multi-culturalism, I think the motivation to learn English is diminished. Because I firmly believe that being able to communicate with each other is a core national value, I don’t think separate language groups is a good idea. We need to speak the same language to be one national people.

Well said. It's hard to bring this up (English as the US's official language) without people screaming foul in regards to using this as a tool to discriminate against immigrants. On a side note, listen to this : I was at a McDonalds in Phoenix, AZ a few weeks ago having lunch. When I ordered I spoke to the lady in English, she understood me/what I ordered, but only replied to me in Spanish. She counted my change back to me in Spanish, and told me "thank you" in Spanish when she handed me my bag. I felt that was really rude of her, and was tempted to go back and order a meal in German.

[ThetaPrincess24]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

I did a search and could not find this discussed, except as a side-bar to other debates.

So, should the US have (an) official Language(s)?

Yes and it should be English.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

Well said. It's hard to bring this up (English as the US's official language) without people screaming foul in regards to using this as a tool to discriminate against immigrants. On a side note, listen to this : I was at a McDonalds in Phoenix, AZ a few weeks ago having lunch. When I ordered I spoke to the lady in English, she understood me/what I ordered, but only replied to me in Spanish. She counted my change back to me in Spanish, and told me "thank you" in Spanish when she handed me my bag. I felt that was really rude of her, and was tempted to go back and order a meal in German.

I would definitely write a letter to the local newspaper and McDonald's corporate headquarters. IMO, that's the same as if she was standing there picking her nose while she waited on you.