English as the 'official language' of the United States

What does it mean if you have an official language? By default, english is the language of the US. It makes sense for people to speak it as it's much harder to succeed if you can't communicate with the citizens of your country. I think the "official" label is more symbolic.

sonicare

i think english should be the official language. why shouldn't it be?

[QUOTE="sonicare"]

What does it mean if you have an official language? By default, english is the language of the US. It makes sense for people to speak it as it's much harder to succeed if you can't communicate with the citizens of your country. I think the "official" label is more symbolic.

Darkman2007

i think english should be the official language. why shouldn't it be?

needled24-7

What does it mean if you have an official language? By default, english is the language of the US. It makes sense for people to speak it as it's much harder to succeed if you can't communicate with the citizens of your country. I think the "official" label is more symbolic.

i think english should be the official language. why shouldn't it be?

[QUOTE="theone86"]

[QUOTE="Wasdie"]

I don't know how pure spanish speaking or arabic speaking individuals make it to the middle of the midwest like they do, but they do.

The cost isn't just in dollar amounts, it's manhours lost by everybody trying to deal with them all because the people do not want to learn the common language of the area. It's also very illegal to not help somebody because they don't speak the same language so everybody has to put up with it. This leads to a lot of spending on a very small group of people to update everything to be in multiple langauges.

I'm all for diversity and cultures but there comes a point where the cons vastly outweigh the pros.

Wasdie

Well, foeign language consultants are the cost of doing business. A universal trade language also might reduce costs of doing international business, but I don't think a lot of countries would be very eager to do that. Part of the solution, though, could be to encourage multilingualism in schools so that on the job training is unnecessary and multilingualism is rather looked for during job searches. One of the things the TC mentioned is multilingual classrooms, another would be to make language requirements for high schools stricter. This will reduce costs, encourage education, and not disrupt the lives of those who can manage to live without learning the language.

The problem with teaching various languages to a level where you can have a general understanding is, which language do you teach who? I mean for years our schools in the midwest have taught basic spanish, french, or german. However we now have arabic, indian, chinese, japanese... it's a never ending cycle.

Bascially because the diversity is so high a standard language is needed.

I would think you would teach the next most spoken language in the country, Spanish in the case of the U.S. I agree that this somewhat arbitrarily leaves out other languages, but simply being taight in bilingual classrooms can raise one's aptitude for learning more languages in the future. Students taught in English/Spanish classrooms cna be proficient in both languages and be better prepared to learn a third by the time they reach high school.

What does it mean if you have an official language? By default, english is the language of the US. It makes sense for people to speak it as it's much harder to succeed if you can't communicate with the citizens of your country. I think the "official" label is more symbolic.

[QUOTE="sonicare"][QUOTE="Darkman2007"] it means it is the language that is used by the government during debates, or when writing new laws. it also applies to things like road signs and such , as well as the teaching of the language as a compulsary school course. obviously the US pretty much does all these things, , so it really just symbolic. the question is, are there many people in the US who have issues speaking English? that would seem weird to me (I suppose migrants from Central and South America might have language issues though)Darkman2007

Anyone who goes to school and doesn't know English pretty much has to be in an ESL course I believe, anyone who wants to get a job where they interact with people pretty much has to know English. I think the biggest difference would be that official forms would no longer be printed in other languages.

[QUOTE="Darkman2007"][QUOTE="sonicare"] There are certain communities in the US where people dont speak english. It's not just spanish speaking, but whatever language is their native tongue. However, almost all of their kids learn english because you need it to succeed.theone86

Anyone who goes to school and doesn't know English pretty much has to be in an ESL course I believe, anyone who wants to get a job where they interact with people pretty much has to know English. I think the biggest difference would be that official forms would no longer be printed in other languages.

[QUOTE="needled24-7"]

i think english should be the official language. why shouldn't it be?

Engrish_Major

Nah, I think that would be silly.

[QUOTE="theone86"]

[QUOTE="Darkman2007"] Im surprised people keep their original language after so much time . but if people are told to learn English (wheter by being told to, or forced to by circumstances), then Im not sure the US needs an official language, unless you want to also designate other recognised languages.Darkman2007

Anyone who goes to school and doesn't know English pretty much has to be in an ESL course I believe, anyone who wants to get a job where they interact with people pretty much has to know English. I think the biggest difference would be that official forms would no longer be printed in other languages.

I'm not entirely sure. Spanish at least, other languages might be available upon request.

[QUOTE="Darkman2007"][QUOTE="theone86"]

Anyone who goes to school and doesn't know English pretty much has to be in an ESL course I believe, anyone who wants to get a job where they interact with people pretty much has to know English. I think the biggest difference would be that official forms would no longer be printed in other languages.

theone86

I'm not entirely sure. Spanish at least, other languages might be available upon request.

[QUOTE="theone86"]

[QUOTE="Darkman2007"] forms in the US are printed in other languages? which languages would those be?Darkman2007

I'm not entirely sure. Spanish at least, other languages might be available upon request.

[QUOTE="theone86"]

[QUOTE="Darkman2007"] forms in the US are printed in other languages? which languages would those be?Darkman2007

I'm not entirely sure. Spanish at least, other languages might be available upon request.

I don't see what's wrong with making it the official language. It comes down to money for me. Is it less expensive to keep trying to cater to other languages, or is it more? Obviously it'll be more expensive.

I don't see what's wrong with making it the official language. It comes down to money for me. Is it less expensive to keep trying to cater to other languages, or is it more? Obviously it'll be more expensive.

airshocker

[QUOTE="Darkman2007"][QUOTE="theone86"]

I'm not entirely sure. Spanish at least, other languages might be available upon request.

needled24-7

That depends. If you delete the IRS Spanish portion of the website, are you preventing many people from doing their taxes?Engrish_Major

I'm fine with certain exceptions that make sense. The IRS is one of them. But I also think there will be community groups springing up that would be willing to help non-English speakers with translation services and the like, possibly even sponsoring classes so these people can learn English.

The job of an immigrant is to conform to our society. Learning English is a major step in that direction, I think.

I am no expert on the subject (though I play one on TV), so there is a good chance I am talking out of my ass here (shocker, I know), but my initial impression is it seems like a case of what Conservativesoften complain about: over regulation by the government. English is the language we speak. It is much great benefit to anybody who lives in this country to learn it. Everyone and their mom already knows all this to be true.

Why involve the Government?

I don't see much of a difference between making it official and leaving it as it is.

I do think English should be the official language. I mean if I moved to Mexico, I should learn to speak Spanish. I don't expect them to learn how to speak English just because I moved there. That goes for anywhere. If I moved to France, I should learn French. If I moved to Italy, I should learn Italian. If people move to the US, they should learn English. To me it just seems like common sense.

I agree that English should be a sort of official language. Not everyone would need it to be their first language, but all immigrants should have to speak English fluently as part of their mandates on becoming a citizen. One of the most frustrating things for me, and I know I'm way not alone, is to find yourself having to talk to someone that doesn't speak English but is a citizen (maybe). You shouldn't have to get a translator and you shouldn't have to speak other languages. People that live here should learn a fundamental level of English enough to communicate with others.

I know I'm going to be attacked by some that think it's ok for anything and everything, but that's just how I feel.

[QUOTE="dazman31"]

[QUOTE="Engrish_Major"] Isn't this already done?Engrish_Major

Don't live in the US so couldnt tell you. I think it's done here in Australia though...

Americans speak American sir! English is for those evil royal supporters!

I don't think it can survive constitutional scrutiny.

[QUOTE="theone86"]

[QUOTE="Darkman2007"] Im surprised people keep their original language after so much time . but if people are told to learn English (wheter by being told to, or forced to by circumstances), then Im not sure the US needs an official language, unless you want to also designate other recognised languages.Darkman2007

Anyone who goes to school and doesn't know English pretty much has to be in an ESL course I believe, anyone who wants to get a job where they interact with people pretty much has to know English. I think the biggest difference would be that official forms would no longer be printed in other languages.

I don't think it can survive constitutional scrutiny.

DroidPhysX

[QUOTE="DroidPhysX"]

I don't think it can survive constitutional scrutiny.

DarkOfKnight

[QUOTE="DarkOfKnight"][QUOTE="DroidPhysX"]

I don't think it can survive constitutional scrutiny.

DroidPhysX

[QUOTE="DroidPhysX"][QUOTE="DarkOfKnight"]If it was a neutral view on it, yes it would as it doesn't block you from speaking other languages.DarkOfKnight

I think it varies where you live, go to Miami and tell those people to speak English.Fightingfan

I have no problem with English/American being the official language. The fact that California has tax forms in 6 different languages (including English) means a bankrupt state is spending money that it doesn't have to have tons of paper printed up in languages that maybe 20% of it's population uses. The US government's Election Assistance Commission has materials in 11 different languages. This doesn't count the countless other beauracracies that exist at the federal level that has to print forms for public use (like the Social Security Administration). The federal government is broke too. Why have to print all that stuff up, at taxpayers expense when most of it will end up in the landfill?

The fact that the US does not have an official language costs the taxpayer millions of dollars a year with no benefit to the majority of them. Police departments have to pay for translators at taxpayer expense. Welfare agencies have to translators. Where does the extra costs end?

Immigrants should learn the predominant language that has been used for over 200 years, English, if they want to live here so they can assimilate here properly.

[QUOTE="Fightingfan"]I think it varies where you live, go to Miami and tell those people to speak English.DarkOfKnight

[QUOTE="DroidPhysX"][QUOTE="DarkOfKnight"]:lol: Sure thing buddy. It doesn't matter.DarkOfKnight

Why should it matter when English is the de facto language as it is?majoras_wrath