Do you think that English should be declared the official language of the USA?

[Navy Pride]

your comments please

 

[massive_attack]

Re: Do you thinkl that English should be declared the official language of the USA?

to me it only makes sense. if the US is going to have an `official language' it should be english. not to mention having 2 official languages would cost a **** load in duplicate paper work, etc.

 

[Comrade Brian]

Re: Do you thinkl that English should be declared the official language of the USA?

English is already the official language of the US, thus the author of this poll is either lacking in common knowledge or likes to waste others' time.

 

[Jay R]

Re: Do you thinkl that English should be declared the official language of the USA?

I was under the impression that English was the prevalent language in the US not the 'official' one. They haven't needed to declare any one language as official in the past and the only reason that it is becoming an issue is due to the large numbers of Latin American immigrants who don't wish to assimilate and feel that if you want to order a burger in California you should damn well do so in Spanish.:smile: Im sure an American member will post a clarification.

As for the question, of course English should be the official language of the US. Ask any economist and they'll tell you that a uniform standard language is right up there as one of the keys to America's economic success, there's no use having a huge domestic consumer market if people can't speak to one another. As the reason given for allowing illegals to stay is their contribution to the economy it would be silly for Liberals to claim that they shouldn't have to assimilate to better function within that economy.

But if you'll allow me to pick apart the thread question, 'declaring' an official language and enforcing such a policy are two very different things, much like declaring illegal immigrants to be 'illegal' and trying to do anything about it. A government with balls is hard to find.

 

[Euro_wisdom]

Re: Do you thinkl that English should be declared the official language of the USA?

English is already the official language of the US, thus the author of this poll is either lacking in common knowledge or likes to waste others' time.

Well, sorry to contradict you but:

Many people are surprised to learn that the United States has no official language. As one of the major centers of commerce and trade, and a major English-speaking country, many assume that English is the country's official language. But despite efforts over the years, the United States has no official language.

Almost every session of Congress, an amendment to the Constitution is proposed in Congress to adopt English as the official language of the United States. Other efforts have attempted to take the easier route of changing the U.S. Code to make English the official language. As of this writing, the efforts have not been successful.

Here is the text of a proposed amendment. This particular bill was introduced in the House of Representatives as H.J. Res. 16 (107th Congress):

The English language shall be the official language of the United States. As the official language, the English language shall be used for all public acts including every order, resolution, vote, or election, and for all records and judicial proceedings of the Government of the United States and the governments of the several States.

Also introduced in the 107th Congress was this text from H.R. 3333:

The Government of the United States shall preserve and enhance the role of English as the official language of the United States of America. Unless specifically stated in applicable law, no person has a right, entitlement, or claim to have the Government of the United States or any of its officials or representatives act, communicate, perform or provide services, or provide materials in any language other than English. If exceptions are made, that does not create a legal entitlement to additional services in that language or any language other than English.

http://www.usconstitution.net/

the United States has never had an official national language. Although there is a single de facto main language which is english, as well as a range of government regulations and practices on which languages are expected to be used in various circumstances. But english is not the official language of the US.

As for the poll, I think english should be the official language. I think it would help integration of immigrants. I think it is not normal that some people coming from Latin America won't make the effort to learn the language spoken by the majority. Immigrants would be more encouraged to become involved in the U.S. democratic process.

I heard several times that making English the official US language would overlook the importance of an individual's native language and culture. And I don't agree. Making of English the official language isn't going to prevent the minorities from speaking their own language when they're together. And it is not made so they would forget their culture.

 

[Lizai]

Re: Do you thinkl that English should be declared the official language of the USA?

The purpose of language is to facilitate communication. Having everyone speak a different one would kind of defeat that purpose, wouldn't it? And English is the most widely-spoken. It's written on all our signs, labels, and paperwork. And quite frankly, if these people coming to America didn't want to learn English, they should not have come to an English-speaking country. There's a price for everything, and part of the price for coming to America is that we speak English here, so if you don't, it'd probably be smart to learn.

 

[Real Korimyr #9]

Re: Do you thinkl that English should be declared the official language of the USA?

It is the language that our country was founded in, the language that we teach in our schools, and the language that the vast majority of our citizens speak. It's the language that is necessary to succeed in business in this country.

Of course it should be our official language.

Even with the development of an adequate replacement-- an international auxiliary language--our cultural heritage is in English and should be preserved thus.

 

[The Mark]

Re: Do you thinkl that English should be declared the official language of the USA?

It is the language that our country was founded in, the language that we teach in our schools, and the language that the vast majority of our citizens speak. It's the language that is necessary to succeed in business in this country.

Of course it should be our official language.

Even with the development of an adequate replacement-- an international auxiliary language--our cultural heritage is in English and should be preserved thus.

Actually, English might become an international language. I've seen various articles discussing how people around the world are learning English because they see it as the best way to be able to communicate with the most people.

Of course, English is one of the most confusing languages around, with some words taking on multiple meanings

 

[Kandahar]

Re: Do you thinkl that English should be declared the official language of the USA?

I'd have to say yes. It has nothing to do with making the country less appealing for non-English speakers, since I'm all for immigration. I just want to make sure America doesn't develop "France syndrome" where you have an underclass prone to rioting and radicalization because they are completely isolated from the larger society in which they live.

 

[Scarecrow Akhbar]

Re: Do you thinkl that English should be declared the official language of the USA?

Such an Amendment has to be passed and ratified NOW, before the Republican amnesty plans take effect and the Quebecization of America commences in ernest.

Yes, an Amendment, not a law. Any law defining English as an official language will be overturned by one court or the other on purely ideological grounds, using babble-speak about the First Amendment, the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and probably the American's with Disabilities Act, as well, for basis.

While they're at it, can they attach a rider to the new law requiring employees taking orders at the drive-thru to pass an english-speaking and comprehension test? That would give the law enormous support here in Southern California.

 

[Jerry]

Re: Do you thinkl that English should be declared the official language of the USA?

That’s interesting……lots of different political perspectives responding to this pole, yet the pole is unanimously “Yes”.

It appears that all the people can be pleased, at least some of the time.

 

[Navy Pride]

Re: Do you thinkl that English should be declared the official language of the USA?

English is already the official language of the US, thus the author of this poll is either lacking in common knowledge or likes to waste others' time.

The Senate voted yesterday if English should be designated tbe official language of the U.S. and the only people that voted against it were democrats including Kerry and Clinton.......Correcttion one republican out of 55 voted against it.........

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/w...te_endorses_english_as_the_national_language/

 

[Tashah]

Re: Do you thinkl that English should be declared the official language of the USA?

English should indeed be the official language of the United States. Personally, I would also require that English be the primary language taught in all public schools. Any other language would be an elective. Any American business that encourages or promotes a bilingual society also galls me. I would boycot them in a heartbeat.

btw... In the Israeli education syllabus, English is a required second language.

 

[cherokee]

Yes.........

 

[128shot]

I'm very strongly opposed not requiring students in schools to be bilingual or multilingual, however I think this would be a great asset in America seeing as most of us speak English, after all.

 

[earthworm]

Re: Do you thinkl that English should be declared the official language of the USA?

English is already the official language of the US, thus the author of this poll is either lacking in common knowledge or likes to waste others' time.

There is NO , as yet, official language for our nation. And there would be no need for this, but for the politically correct, and their concept that the immigrants should keep their native tongue, even as citizens of America..
This is wrong, and serves to fractionalize and divide our nation...

 

[alphamale]

I think that the senate just approved a bill regarding this. That english is the language of this country is a historical accident, because the now-U.S., like many places in the world, was part of the british empire. But the language is in place, and should be made official, since language is a powereful unifying cultural force. Liberals, of course, oppose it because it impedes the balkanization of the country, one of their dreams.

 

[Scarecrow Akhbar]

Re: Do you thinkl that English should be declared the official language of the USA?

There is NO , as yet, official language for our nation. And there would be no need for this, but for the politically correct, and their concept that the immigrants should keep their native tongue, even as citizens of America..
This is wrong, and serves to fractionalize and divide our nation...

The immigrants should keep their native language, it adds to the pool of skills making the country competitive.

The immigrants should not expect the rest of us to use their language, though. And that's what any "english only" bill should be about.

 

[Thorgasm]

Do I think immigrants should learn English in order to assimilate? Yes.

Do I think declaring a national language will do anything to aid that? No.

It is a silly ploy to appeal to the emotions of voters. What good will declaring a national language do? It will benefit incumbent representatives by creating the illusion that they are doing something about illegal immigration.

 

[alphamale]

Do I think immigrants should learn English in order to assimilate? Yes.

Do I think declaring a national language will do anything to aid that? No.

It is a silly ploy to appeal to the emotions of voters. What good will declaring a national language do? It will benefit incumbent representatives by creating the illusion that they are doing something about illegal immigration.

Balderdash. Immigrants won't learn english if there's no reason to. Once english is the official language, all official documents whould be required to be in english. Then for example, the State of California wouldn't have ballots in about 15 languages.

 

[ludahai]

Re: Do you thinkl that English should be declared the official language of the USA?

btw... In the Israeli education syllabus, English is a required second language.

Sounds similar to Taiwan. English is the reqired second language to study in addition to Mandarin, which is the official language. Native languages (in addition to Mandarin) as well as Japanese are commonly studied in addition to English.

As for the question, of course the U.S. as a whole sould have an official language - with exceptions granted for places like Puerto Rico, Alaska, and Hawaii for obvious reasons. More than 90% of the countries in the world have an official language.

One poster (can't remember who) compared the situation to Quebec and Neal Boortz also makes the comparison. However, the major difference is that there were people there already who spoke French before "The Conquest" in 1761 and before they were forcibly incorporated into Canada. The advocates of bilinguilism in the United States are arguing on behalf of recent immigrants to the United States who don't seem to want to adapt to the U.S. Completely different situation, and as a Quebecois-American, I resent the comparison.

 

[Thorgasm]

Balderdash. Immigrants won't learn english if there's no reason to. Once english is the official language, all official documents whould be required to be in english. Then for example, the State of California wouldn't have ballots in about 15 languages.

Balderdash! (that word always requires an exclamation point:2razz: ) Making a language "official" won't force anybody to do anything. There are plenty of bilingual people who can interprit for them. All official documents are in english already.

 

[alphamale]

Balderdash! (that word always requires an exclamation point:2razz: ) Making a language "official" won't force anybody to do anything. There are plenty of bilingual people who can interprit for them. All official documents are in english already.

Yes it will encourage them. Who wants to drag an interpreter through life with him? And all offiicial documents AREN'T in english already - your's is the typical clueless opinion of someone who doesn't live in the southwest, doesn't know what he's talking about, and of course will never be informed by the liberal media.

 

[Thorgasm]

Yes it will encourage them. Who wants to drag an interpreter through life with him? And all offiicial documents AREN'T in english already - your's is the typical clueless opinion of someone who doesn't live in the southwest, doesn't know what he's talking about, and of course will never be informed by the liberal media.

I have lived in Los Angeles, CA, Lubbock, TX, and Chicago, IL. I do know what I am talking about. You can say that I am clueless but it won't make you right. Many parents use their kids as interpreters. They do this already. What will making english official do to change this?

 

[ludahai]

I have lived in Los Angeles, CA, Lubbock, TX, and Chicago, IL. I do know what I am talking about. You can say that I am clueless but it won't make you right. Many parents use their kids as interpreters. They do this already. What will making english official do to change this?

He was referring to official documents, which are often available in foreign languages. Until NH declared English its official language, many documents from local governments in the northern part of the state (and some further south) were bilingual English/French. Some street signs still are.