NationStates Jolt Archive

I read in a newspaper someone wrote in saying English is not our official language and we don't have one. My friend and I had an argument about this and it ended a stalemate. Based on what I have read about official languages, it is "the language the government conducts its business in". This doesn't mean a country has to legally name a language as my friend suggested. English is the dominant language in the US and we do business in it.

If you say that English is not the official language, then why is almost everything made here solely in English? Why aren't public schools in areas that are, say, dominantly Hispanic or Chinese using those languages? they use English.

It's not the official language because we are a multi-ethnical society, I believe.

I think that's the way it should be because it turns our many little cultures in our country to one major culture.

It's not technically the official language, although it might as well be.

We don't have an official language.

The US, like Sweden and many other countries, does not have an official language.

I read in a newspaper someone wrote in saying English is not our official language and we don't have one. My friend and I had an argument about this and it ended a stalemate. Based on what I have read about official languages, it is "the language the government conducts its business in". This doesn't mean a country has to legally name a language as my friend suggested. English is the dominant language in the US and we do business in it.

If you say that English is not the official language, then why is almost everything made here solely in English? Why aren't public schools in areas that are, say, dominantly Hispanic or Chinese using those languages? they use English.
English is the "language of business" almost all over the world. It's also the language of tech. Just ask the French, who had ( and may still have, for all I know ) a campaign to prevent the use of Anglicized technical terms from polluting their pristine language. Heh!

Should the US have an "offical language?" I don't think so. Too restricting.

It's not our official language de jure; none is.

English is de facto the language of the US, but it does not have a de jure official language. However, English is the only language used in business, schools and politics. The wikipedia article on the US has something about that...

I think the US should have an official language....and I think that the official language should definitely be Esperanto. Then all I have to remember is "Neniu, mi ne parol multe Esperanto" and make people speak English to me anyway.

I'm looking forward to it with baited breath.

Esperanto is the official language of the entire world.... so it might as well be the official language of the USA. :D

Gah, Simonist beat me to it.

Esperanto is the official language of the entire world.... so it might as well be the official language of the USA. :D

Gah, Simonist beat me to it.
Ahem.....
PWNED!

Thanks for backing me up on that, though... :D

while english is the language that the government uses, it is required to provide, for example, ballots in other languages. socorro county has to print up about 200 ballots in navajo for each election.

As far as I'm aware, Somalia is the only country with a single native language. Does this mean that only they can have an official language?

Simonist']I think the US should have an official language....and I think that the official language should definitely be Esperanto. Then all I have to remember is "Neniu, mi ne parol multe Esperanto" and make people speak English to me anyway.

I'm looking forward to it with baited breath.
Yay Esperanto!

There is no officially declared language in the United States. However, it should be made English and everybody should be forced learn to speak it, even brokenly.

I think English should be the only printable language. Except in 75+% ethnic areas.

Here is a map of which states legally make English official: (blue-English-only; light blue-English and other)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v495/juvanya/english_official.jpg

like everyone else is saying, there is no official language to the united states, i think there should be one, mainly because over time different regions are going to eventually be speaking different languages, if we want to keep the united states together as one we have to have an official language for all regions. its already started happening, theres places in the south near the border where you wlak into a mcdonalds and they have to call someone that can speak english over for you to order.

Simonist']I think the US should have an official language....and I think that the official language should definitely be Esperanto. Then all I have to remember is "Neniu, mi ne parol multe Esperanto" and make people speak English to me anyway.

I'm looking forward to it with baited breath.
Well, better "unbait" your breath then. That's a lost cause. English is a conglomerate of several different languages and is flexible and adaptable in the extreme. I love it. You can say so many different things in so many different ways, yet obtaining a working knowledge of English enough to get by in most situations is relatively easy. It's probably the most adaptable language on the planet, adopting thousands of words from a wide variety of other languages on an almost daily basis, not to mention all the newly coined words from science, tech, medicine, and the street. How many languages can say "Hello, my friend" with "Yo, bro! How's it be hangin'?" to name just one example? :D

I think English should be the only printable language. Except in 75+% ethnic areas.

Here is a map of which states legally make English official: (blue-English-only; light blue-English and other)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v495/juvanya/english_official.jpg
That is so cute.....there's Kansas, in the middle of all those OFFICIALLY English states, holdin' out for diversity. That, of course, is amazing, considering that only [approximately] 196,800 (7.2%) are foreigners and/or illegal aliens.

Yeah diversity. The only time Kansas will probably ever exhibit any.

like everyone else is saying, there is no official language to the united states, i think there should be one, mainly because over time different regions are going to eventually be speaking different languages, if we want to keep the united states together as one we have to have an official language for all regions. its already started happening, theres places in the south near the border where you wlak into a mcdonalds and they have to call someone that can speak english over for you to order.
That happens here in New Jersey too. lmao

i have been thinking on why english is the leading language now, with all the immigrants coming from everywhere. if you know please let me in on the secret.

but as i see it was english was big during the colonies, being english colonies, and so that was the spoken language, so when an immigrant came from some where else that didnt speak english they had to learn it and fast if they wanted to survive, it was pretty much no choice. and that continued over the years that if you moved to america and wanted to get by you had to speak english, there werent any pamphlets in multi languages for you to pick your language.

so maybe some of the problem today with a growing language difference in each difference is because america has given in to all of the foriegners that cant speak english, they make it easy(easier) for them to live here without knowing english.

so maybe some of the problem today with a growing language difference in each difference is because america has given in to all of the foriegners that cant speak english, they make it easy(easier) for them to live here without knowing english.

This rarely lasts more than a generation. Even if immigrants don't learn English, it's highly likely that their children will.

but as i see it was english was big during the colonies, being english colonies, and so that was the spoken language, so when an immigrant came from some where else that didnt speak english they had to learn it and fast if they wanted to survive, it was pretty much no choice. and that continued over the years that if you moved to america and wanted to get by you had to speak english, there werent any pamphlets in multi languages for you to pick your language.
Um, my history books suggested the colonies weren't limited to English-speaking. And man, if you tried to pass all that area off as strictly English-speaking back in those days, I'm willing to bet some drunk Germans would kick your ASS outside the local tavern. Then maybe, depending on how angry/drunk they were, they might throw you in front of an oncoming carriage. But those don't come as fast as cars, so usually you can move in time.
Nonetheless, I'd not suggest trying all this out....

I read in a newspaper someone wrote in saying English is not our official language and we don't have one.

That is correct. We do not have one. If the United States were to pick an official language, it would almost have to go bilingual with English and Spanish. Perhaps even trilingual based on the staggering number of homes in the United States where German is the primary language. Let's also not leave out French. Oh forget it .... let's just not declare one.

This doesn't mean a country has to legally name a language as my friend suggested. English is the dominant language in the US and we do business in it.

All International treaties are written in French. If you flip over just about any US Government form, such as income tax returns, you'll find it in Spanish or you will easily find Spanish alternative forms. The US does business in a multitude of languages. Lately we've been doing a lot of business in Arabic.

If you say that English is not the official language, then why is almost everything made here solely in English? Why aren't public schools in areas that are, say, dominantly Hispanic or Chinese using those languages? they use English.

It's because we live in a time where using multiple languages is no longer seen as a sign of culture or education, but merely a quaint hobby. Our multi-lingual Founding Fathers would be very ashamed.

However, everything you can find in English, you can also find in Spanish right there in the same office. I often find it very, very strange to see Americans who don't speak Spanish as well as English.

What I find equally strange is the number of people from countries where the native/official language is *not* English, but they still type freely, openly, and eloquently in English on these forums. Could you do the same on a forum in, say, Danish?

This rarely lasts more than a generation. Even if immigrants don't learn English, it's highly likely that their children will.

Heh ... in Texas, we have family groups that have been here since the days of the Republic who still only speak Spanish. Of course, Texas would never declare English as its official language.

It's even mandatory to learn Spanish in public elementary schools in Texas. Which, by the way, is the one thing I mention if anyone asks me to say something nice about Bush. He did that as Governor. I applauded him for it.

Soon, thanks to that, nearly all Texans will be bilingual.

I know up north(near Quebec) they have French signage. But I can't imagine dominant German areas. I know we are majorly German, hell even I am partly German. So where is an example. I'm not doubting you, I'm just curious. Also French is more dominant than German.

I know up north(near Quebec) they have French signage. But I can't imagine dominant German areas. I know we are majorly German, hell even I am partly German. So where is an example. I'm not doubting you, I'm just curious. Also French is more dominant than German.

I take it you don't listen to Garrison Keillor. :D

Anyway, Minnesota is a good example of where a lot of German immigrants settled and kept much of their culture and language even to this day. You're probably right about French being more dominant.

I believe it's the Official Language.

I believe it's the Official Language.

Then you should be able to show the Constitutional Amendment for which such a declaration would be required ... or, at the very least, the Federal statute.

The US has no official language. I promise.

English isn't the official language of England either (has no official language - but English is de facto).

English isn't the official language of England either (has no official language - but English is de facto).
Okay, I've officially fulfilled my weekend educational requirement with this snippet.

That, and now I can lord it over my friend from the UK who tried to convince me it WAS their official language....

Simonist']That, and now I can lord it over my friend from the UK who tried to convince me it WAS their official language....

Hooray! The benefits of an education! :D

Well it seems to depend on how you define official language. I define it as the major business language of the nation and the government's language. So do almanacs. The Wold Almanac and Book of Facts 2006 should be out now. Go to a bookstore and look in the Nations of the World section. Uners United States is English as official.

After a little wikiresearch, German is also common in the Dakotas and Pennsylvania.

Here is a nice map of our ancestry. I didn't know Nj was domiantly Italian.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Census-2000-Data-Top-US-Ancestries-by-County.jpg (Map)

Well it seems to depend on how you define official language. I define it as the major business language of the nation and the government's language. So do almanacs. The Wold Almanac and Book of Facts 2006 should be out now. Go to a bookstore and look in the Nations of the World section. Uners United States is English as official.

After a little wikiresearch, German is also common in the Dakotas and Pennsylvania.

Here is a nice map of our ancestry. I didn't know Nj was domiantly Italian.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Census-2000-Data-Top-US-Ancestries-by-County.jpg (Map)
The link to the map appears to not be working, at least when I click on it. And here I was so excited to confirm what I already know -- that I live where a TON of Micks settled.

I often find it very, very strange to see Americans who don't speak Spanish as well as English.

That's because, as I gather from your posts, you are Texan. Up here in Michigan we have very very little Spanish influence. Few people speak anything but English, but you'll find some who speak German, Finnish, Dutch or more rarely French. But that's almost always in addition to English. Sometimes you'll find old people in the Upper Peninsula who speak only Finnish but that's very rare these days.

I for one started studying French in middle school, and studied it through my junior year of high school. That was about 6 years ago so I forgot a good deal of it, but I'm taking it again in college now. I decided to study French because it seemed more useful at the time. Canada is only about 2 or 3 hours away and Mexico is several days away. Also, at the time I'd never met anyone who spoke Spanish natively and I'd met several people (mostly Canadians) who spoke French.

i have been thinking on why english is the leading language now, with all the immigrants coming from everywhere. if you know please let me in on the secret...I can give you a date...you'll figure the rest.

the end of WWII.

The US has no official language. I promise.
You can have one of ours if you want... we have 4 of them :D

You can have one of ours if you want... we have 4 of them :Dare you from the land of Chocolate?

are you from the land of Chocolate?
Exactly. You can have some chocolate, too, if you want :D

Exactly. You can have some chocolate, too, if you want :Dthx...I also have a Watch made over there...was a gift...

fucking expensive :D like a small motorcycle

thx...I also have a Watch made over there...was a gift...

fucking expensive :D like a small motorcycle
I assume you got a Rolex? ;)

I assume you got a Rolex? ;)yeah...never loses a second...no batteries needed...

awesome style.

yeah...never loses a second...no batteries needed...

and it looks awesome.
Wait, you really did get a Rolex?? Whooo! Never, in my wildest dreams could I afford such a thing... so you weren't kidding about the small motorcycle...
I praise thee oh worthy time bearer of Rolex. ... or something ;)

Wait, you really did get a Rolex?? Whooo! Never, in my wildest dreams could I afford such a thing... so you weren't kidding about the small motorcycle...
I praise thee oh worthy time bearer of Rolex. ... or something ;)i only take it out when i go inside the water (even if it is water resistant)...

I take good care of it...It should make it to my grandson...

...I expect it to last 100 years (with some repairs)...so its about 25$/year...
even if it last half that...its only 50$/year.
I would expend more in nestle coffee...or chocolate ;)

i only take it out when i go inside the water (even if it is water resistant)...

I take good care of it...It should make it to my grandson...

so I expect it to last 100 years (with some repairs)...so its about 25$/year...
Oh, well..that's not so much, then ;)
Just kidding. If you really appreciate it then it's definitely worth that small motorcycle. Less dangerous anyways :D

edit: hey, you keep changing your mind! Alright, then. I guess I did spend a lot of money on chocolat-ey things. ...Even more than most people, because I lived right next to a chocolate factory :D

Oh, well..that's not so much, then ;)
Just kidding. If you really appreciate it then it's definitely worth that small motorcycle. Less dangerous anyways :D

edit: hey, you keep changing your mind! Alright, then. I guess I did spend a lot of money on chocolat-ey things. ...Even more than most people, because I lived right next to a chocolate factory :Done chocolates gift pack per week is more than $25/year....way more...

but no... I dont eat that much chocolate...Its for the ladies ...If you know what I mean ;) :D :fluffle: :D

America is like a salad bowl that went terribly terribly wrong.

America is like a salad bowl that went terribly terribly wrong.why do you say that?

one chocolates gift pack per week is more than $25/year....way more...

but no... I dont eat that much chocolate...Its for the ladies ...If you know what I mean
..one gift pack per week? Wow, your girlfriend is one lucky girl... (and I do hope she gets enough excercise ;))
America is like a salad bowl that went terribly terribly wrong.
Wait... I sense that there's a hidden meaning. Something deep. I just...can't put my finger on it. ....is that just me?

In Ireland English is the primary language,and Irish is the second.in ireland you have the right to do all your business with the government in irish,like fill out forms,etc.having trials in irish holds them up for months so irish translators can be found.all the gardai(police)are required to have a limited amount of irish,as everyone has the right to refuse to speak english and speak only irish to the gardai.

America is like a salad bowl that went terribly terribly wrong.

Salad bowl:All mixed up,but nobodys individuality is lost
the new PC version of melting pot.
I prefered melting pot.

In Ireland English is the primary language,and Irish is the second.in ireland you have the right to do all your business with the government in irish,like fill out forms,etc.having trials in irish holds them up for months so irish translators can be found.all the gardai(police)are required to have a limited amount of irish,as everyone has the right to refuse to speak english and speak only irish to the gardai.
And this is what's commonly understood by an 'official language'. :p

In Ireland English is the primary language,and Irish is the second.in ireland you have the right to do all your business with the government in irish,like fill out forms,etc.having trials in irish holds them up for months so irish translators can be found.all the gardai(police)are required to have a limited amount of irish,as everyone has the right to refuse to speak english and speak only irish to the gardai.1 question...
In what language they teach at elementary school?

You can have one of ours if you want... we have 4 of them :D

Sweeeet .... surprise us with one. :D

If you say that English is not the official language, then why is almost everything made here solely in English? Why aren't public schools in areas that are, say, dominantly Hispanic or Chinese using those languages? they use English.

You must have missed the McDonald's cups that said "I'm loving it" in fifteen different languages, as well as the menus you can request in different languages. How about the fact that their menus are more picture than words? (so you can point to what you want). You definitely do not live in a large urban center where streetsigns are in more than one language, there ARE classes in public schools where all the subjects are, indeed, taught in Chinese, Russian, Spanish, etc. and I will also note that driving tests, state subject exams in in NY, and all government materials like income tax forms, medical forms, etc do indeed come in multiple languages.

In other words, sir or madam, you seem to have simply missed seeing it, and English is nowhere listed as America's official language.

I think English should be the official language for the United States. Why? Because it is part of being American.

My husband's grandfather could only say "bacon and eggs" when he arrived just a generation ago. Yet he was a successful businessman, and required his children to learn English because it was part of their new American culture.

We are a multi-cultural country. This is true. However E Pluribus Unim....from many one. We can be united, and still maintain our individual cultures. If nothing shows us as American's.....then why bother even coming here? Or...why worry about who is here legally or illegally...but that is a whole other battle isn't it?

:fluffle:

We are a multi-cultural country. This is true. However E Pluribus Unim....from many one. We can be united, and still maintain our individual cultures. If nothing shows us as American's.....then why bother even coming here? Or...why worry about who is here legally or illegally...but that is a whole other battle isn't it?

Is there no one else who finds it ironic that the country's motto, which is Latin, is quoted in making the point that everyone should speak English? ;)

Sweeeet .... surprise us with one. :DOkay, here, I give you Rhaeto-Romanic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhaeto-Romanic) (Rumantsch), even though it's not one but a group of Romance languages (spoken in eastern Switzerland and northeastern Italy).
...They really need a few new speakers or else these languages are doomed! dun-dun-duhhh!

Is there no one else who finds it ironic that the country's motto, which is Latin, is quoted in making the point that everyone should speak English? ;)
True, that is quite amusing. As is the fact that he spelled (spelt to you brits ;)) it wrong...

it is obvious to anyone who lives in the nus that english is the primary language.
admittedly it is a multi-cultural society but it is mainly made up of british emigrants and its national language reflects this.
as for those of u who claim that america has no national language, how do americans communicate every day?
in businesses and in law?
in the white house?
for although america is a multi-cultural nation, its national language is english!

btw vote in my supermarket poll
;)
cya

It's Spanish, ask anyone.

Is there no one else who finds it ironic that the country's motto, which is Latin, is quoted in making the point that everyone should speak English? ;)


Not really. It's more symbolic than anything. As Rome was the great empire of the West, with Latin as the lingua franca, so the US is the new great empire of the West, with English as the lingua franca.

Perhaps I'm reading too much into that.

In any case, as has already been said, even although English is not de jure the official language, it is the de facto official language. And producing some documents in other languages or providing some services in other languages does not make English any less the de facto official language, rather it is the mark of a modern, tolerant democracy. (It could also be seen as an attempt to assimilate these minority cultures more, by making mainstream interaction more accessible to them)

English is the "language of business" almost all over the world. It's also the language of tech. Just ask the French, who had ( and may still have, for all I know ) a campaign to prevent the use of Anglicized technical terms from polluting their pristine language. Heh!

Yup, the 'Academie Francaise' is tasked with keeping English words out of the french language. A lot of modern terms are getting through though.

Since ALL of our government papers are in English, most business and government activity is in English, and since the majority of legal inhabidants of this country speak English, I'm going to have to say English should be the official language.

The United States has no "official language" because of the enormity of languages spoken within our borders. However, English should be the official language......for every official document is in English, and many of our standarised test are in English ONLY. It should also be a policy that you should have some English Profiency before coming here, but that is just me

Okay, here, I give you Rhaeto-Romanic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhaeto-Romanic) (Rumantsch), even though it's not one but a group of Romance languages (spoken in eastern Switzerland and northeastern Italy).
...They really need a few new speakers or else these languages are doomed! dun-dun-duhhh!

Nice! Then it's settled! This will become the official language of the United States. I shall begin the petitions immediately.

Nice! Then it's settled! This will become the official language of the United States. I shall begin the petitions immediately.
Perfect. Allegra, then (I believe this means either 'hello' or 'welcome'...or possibly both ;))

and as to:
The United States has no "official language" because of the enormity of languages spoken within our borders.
uuh...how should I state this? That's not really relevant to determine an official language, I believe. As far as I know there aren't many countries where only one language is spoken. In fact, I think those are rather exceptions to the general rule.

English is not the official language of the United States. It is the predominant language used by an overwhelming majority of citizens; however, it doesn't have the force of law saying that it is an official language.

Frankly, I think it should be the official language and I think immigrants should be expected to learn English to communicate. I'm tired of seeing businesses having to scramble to accomodate people who speak one particular foreign language over others. And I'm Latino.

In Ireland English is the primary language,and Irish is the second.in ireland you have the right to do all your business with the government in irish,like fill out forms,etc.having trials in irish holds them up for months so irish translators can be found.all the gardai(police)are required to have a limited amount of irish,as everyone has the right to refuse to speak english and speak only irish to the gardai.1 question...
In what language they teach at school?

1 question...
In what language they teach at school?

Both. Different schools teach in different languages. Depends what you want to go to.

This arguement is quite silly really. Some states have official languages, and require all legal documents to be available in these languages. The US does not have such a language on a federal level. It just happens to be that English is the predominant language.

No, it's just the de facto standard.

The United States has no "official language" because of the enormity of languages spoken within our borders. However, English should be the official language......for every official document is in English, and many of our standarised test are in English ONLY. It should also be a policy that you should have some English Profiency before coming here, but that is just meHm? All official documents? I'm pretty sure that a lot of the former Mexican US states still have Spanish as an official language and have official documents in that language.

The reasoning behind not declaring an official language (or languages) was not only that there were quite a few being spoken in the colonies at the time of independence, but that the Founding Fathers thought it was better to force government to approach people in their language than forcing people to learn a language to speak to government.

Oh, fetid photons, not this non-starter again.

The United States has no "official language" because of the enormity of languages spoken within our borders. However, English should be the official language......for every official document is in English, and many of our standarised test are in English ONLY. It should also be a policy that you should have some English Profiency before coming here, but that is just me
Not true. Every document that the US government produces has to be available in any language at the request of the people. Of course, they're usually printed in just a handful of the most common ones in the interest of savings.

But if I speak only Swahili, I'm entitled to ask the government to provide whatever documents I need in my own language.

English isn't the official language of England either (has no official language - but English is de facto).

are u insane?
of course engliah is our official language otherwise we woodnt speek it and literary texyts wood not be written in it!!!!!!!
fool!!!!!

are u insane?
of course engliah is our official language otherwise we woodnt speek it and literary texyts wood not be written in it!!!!!!!
fool!!!!!

Uh...please tell me your incredibly bad grammar and spelling are sarcasm. Please?

Uh...please tell me your incredibly bad grammar and spelling are sarcasm. Please?

I'd say so. :D

Well, sometimes you need to ask! There are people that stupid out there.

Well, sometimes you need to ask! There are people that stupid out there.
Em...actually. Looking at my keyboard.... and now at the errors.....

They might actually be unintended :eek:

We don't have one because because the Mexican population speaks all spanish and the blacks speak god knows what along with Rednecks like myself speaking twang!!!:upyours: i,m just as puzzled as everyone else!!!:confused:

Em...actually. Looking at my keyboard.... and now at the errors.....

They might actually be unintended :eek:

Well, I can forgive typos if I can see a key next to the one that's wrong in the word in question...but "woodnt" [sic, no apostrophe]? That's deplorable when avowing the falsity of English as the US's "official" language. What defines an "official" language anyway?

We don't have one because because the Mexican population speaks all spanish and the blacks speak god knows what along with Rednecks like myself speaking twang!!!:upyours: i,m just as puzzled as everyone else!!!:confused:

Well, if you're truly a twang-talkin' redneck, we can easily understand and forgive your confusion. You're neck can't be too red, though -- you've successfully posted an online forum.

An official language is a language that is given a unique legal status in the countries, states, and other territories. It is typically the language used in a nation's legislative bodies, though the law in many nations requires that government documents be produced in other languages as well.

English is official.

The United States does not have an official language; nevertheless, American English (referred to in the US as simply English) is the language used for legislation, regulations, executive orders, treaties, federal court rulings, and all other official pronouncements

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_in_the_United_States

If English were official why would there be groups like US English (http://www.us-english.org/inc/)?

However, everything you can find in English, you can also find in Spanish right there in the same office. I often find it very, very strange to see Americans who don't speak Spanish as well as English.

I don't find it strange, some ( like myself ) did not bow to peer pressure to learn a single particular "popular" second language [Spanish].... Though did do others.

I normally speak English [and need so for my mom's family]

For my Dad's side, I can speak Acadian French
I know some broken Polish [dealing with my Wife's family]...

I also know two somewhat "dead" languages, Koine Greek and Classical Latin

And I can speak broken Japanese [though slowly working on improving this]...

I see no need to learn a language, when if I need someone to translate, pretty much anyone who is available who could do it.

Even if English were the official language of the United States, the ACLU would file a dozen lawsuits in an attempt to remove it :D

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_in_the_United_States

If English were official why would there be groups like US English (http://www.us-english.org/inc/)?
Because Mexicans are invading and they want to secure English as the ONLY OFFICIAL LANGUAGE. We shouldn't be quoting wikipedia, it can be biased.

I think we have more of a dialect of English, like how Americans say and spell things differently, but communication between the English and Americans is possible. Much the way a person with a Bostonian accent could talk with someone with a southern accent. Same language, different dialect.

If you say that English is not the official language, then why is almost everything made here solely in English? Why aren't public schools in areas that are, say, dominantly Hispanic or Chinese using those languages? they use English.

Officially, the U.S. has no official language, although a bill was introduced in Congress to make it so (it died in committee). And public schools in some areas ARE teaching in Spanish.

However, I am sick of buying things whose instructions seem to be in every language BUT English!

H.R.997
Title: To declare English as the official language of the United States, to establish a uniform English language rule for naturalization, and to avoid misconstructions of the English language texts of the laws of the United States, pursuant to Congress' powers to provide for the general welfare of the United States and to establish a uniform rule of naturalization under article I, section 8, of the Constitution.
Sponsor: Rep King, Steve [IA-5] (introduced 3/1/2005) Cosponsors (139)
Latest Major Action: 4/4/2005 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:h.r.00997:

The last action on this bill was on 4/4/05. With the blistering pace that Congress keeps it is possible that something may happen with it, but it seems to have died in committee.

The fact this bill was introduced seems to imply that there is no official language for the Federal government. Several states do have official languages, but Uncle Sam doesn't.

Okay, here, I give you Rhaeto-Romanic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhaeto-Romanic) (Rumantsch), even though it's not one but a group of Romance languages (spoken in eastern Switzerland and northeastern Italy).
...They really need a few new speakers or else these languages are doomed! dun-dun-duhhh!

Try listening to it being spoken and you will realise why no one wants to speak it... ;) for christs sake, i'm studying german at uni and to paraphrase Mark Twain the only reason eternity exists is so that people can learn german. But Rumantsch...God must have been stoned...

Being in a situation where English is NOT spoken and my language skills in Japanese are enough to get by most of the time, but not do things like, oh, say, register the car I bought without help; I don't think English should be made offical.

It's hard to learn another language to a point where you can manage well enough in society. Think about the language skills needed to do something like open a bank acocunt, let alone vote.

And since native like ability is NOT needed to gain citizenship in the US, I'm MUCH happier that ballots can be made in any language requested to help new voters understand what the hell they're voting on!

Oh, and thank God for Japanese insistance that most street signs and trains include English on them. I would have been even more lost than I am now. ;)

That's got to be rough. When I lived in Germany I could make a reasonable guess as to what signs said. But with Japanese......

Try listening to it being spoken and you will realise why no one wants to speak it... ;) for christs sake, i'm studying german at uni and to paraphrase Mark Twain the only reason eternity exists is so that people can learn german. But Rumantsch...God must have been stoned...
:D Hehehe! I shall tell some of my friends, or maybe even hint at this in one of the 'Rumantsch meetings' at uni ;)
...but of course, they wouldn't even let me in :(
Still...I always liked the language. It has a very ... rural touch ;)

The fact this bill was introduced seems to imply that there is no official language for the Federal government. Several states do have official languages, but Uncle Sam doesn't.
I heard from an Austrain, my architecual drafting instructor, that back in the early days of the Republics, there was a vote as to what language the US should speak, and whether it should be German or English. And it was a close vote, a mighty close one.

Anyone, clarification?

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:h.r.00997:

The last action on this bill was on 4/4/05. With the blistering pace that Congress keeps it is possible that something may happen with it, but it seems to have died in committee.

The fact this bill was introduced seems to imply that there is no official language for the Federal government. Several states do have official languages, but Uncle Sam doesn't.

Correct...


English designated the official language of the Commonwealth.

English shall be designated as the official language of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Except as provided by law, no state agency or local government shall be required to provide and no state agency or local government shall be prohibited from providing any documents, information, literature or other written materials in any language other than English.

As a frequent visitor to the US from England. I can confirm that you lot are definitely not speaking English.

As a frequent visitor to the US from England. I can confirm that you lot are definitely not speaking English.

lol...

BTW. English isn't recognized as official language. It is the first language of most the population, but not all. There is nothing to discuss here...

well technically english is the official language of the british collonies in america (which later became the usa)

the first settlers had a vote on what it was

First came English, then German, then Welsh

you came about an inch from having cymraeg as your national language

prenhawn da!!!!!!!!1