Preview

Should English Be a National Lanauge of Us

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1169 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Should English Be a National Lanauge of Us
Julie Atkinson
Prof. Thorne
WRT-101-013
30 November 2012

Topic: Should English be the national language of the United States? Yes, English should be the national language of the United States. Why? There are 85 percent of other countries that have a national language, why not the United States. Of 52 states in the U.S. 30 has made English the national language.
Learning Objective: The reason why I want to concentrate on this issue is because I want to explain why United States should make English the national language not for all nations just for United States, where Americans live.
Tentative Thesis: English should be the national language of America, so that Americans would have a language of their own. People who resided in America should be aware that English is the national language and therefore, should be able to speak and understand it in order to communicate.
Proposal:
America is due to put into place the English language as the National language of the United States. Although there are 30 states that have made English the national language, which does not mean that government agencies will use other languages for some other interest such as tourism, health, foreign affairs, development. The government is spending our tax dollars on: bilingual teachers, creating bilingual curriculum, creating tests in different languages, creating government services and court documents in other languages and paying for translators so they can have the same privileges as an American. Why should the government cater the foreigners and Illegal aliens and have the American people pay for it in many ways. It’s time for America to wake up and give back America to the Americans that were born here. This is why English should be the national language of America, so that the Americans will have a language of their own. Foreigners and Illegal aliens who resigned in America should be aware that English is the National language and therefore, should be able to speak and

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    In "Bassackwards: Construction Spanish and Other Signs of the Times," by Jay Nordlinger, delivers a message to Native Americans and immigrants who speak many different languages. This message states that in America, English must be used as the only common and official language. Jake Jamieson redelivers the same message in his writing “The English-Only Movement," Government, companies, or bosses at construction jobs.…

    • 533 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    For as long as the United States has been a country, there has been controversy over establishing English as the official language. Even the idolized US President Theodore Roosevelt had a firm belief the US has “room for but one language in this country and that is the English language”. In a 2010 poll conducted by Rasmussen, eighty-seven percent of American voters said they would support making English the official language. Immigrants would also benefit from establishing English as the national language, because after learning English they would be able to actively participate in the democratic system employed throughout the US. Although the United States is a notorious melting pot of different cultures and ethnicities, language should be legislated, because having multiple languages spoken in the public isolates minorities.…

    • 569 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Although there are many positive aspects of making English the official language of the U.S. there are also just as many negative aspects. The United States was founded as a country of freedom. Freedom of speech is one of our most important rights in this country. Many people believe that making English or any other language for that matter takes away that right. It would take away the individualism that people love so much in this country. Taking away individualism could also keep immigrants from coming to this country and could force many to leave and go back to where they came from. Affecting individualism in this way could also greatly affect…

    • 721 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    There are many different ethnicities in the U.S, more than any other country in the world. It varies from Latino people, Pacific Islanders, Asian American, or African American. The United States is the only country where one can find all different cultures and languages. In the United States, English is not the only language which Americans use to communicate. Vietnamese, Chinese, or Spanish is very popular in the U.S. Therefore, according to the article “In Plain English: Let’s Make It Official,” the author Krauthammer argues that English should be the official language of the United States. So what are Krauthammer’s arguments and also what are the advantages and disadvantages if English becomes the official language of the United States?Canada…

    • 514 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Why the United States does not have an official language has been an ongoing debate for a long time. A lot of people are for it and a lot of people are against it. While conducting my research I learned that if the United States made English the official language of the country it would be going against the first amendment, Freedom of speech. Regardless of going against the constitution 27 states have made English their official language. Why is it so important to so many people that the United States have an official language? Would it aid immigrants in the assimilation process and make it more likely for them to succeed? Can other languages be used in the country for certain official purposes, if English is the sole official language? Does official English offend the idea of American diversity? Does it discriminate against non-native speakers? Does an adequate incentive exist to learn English without it being official? Is there anything wrong with the status quo? Do most countries in the world have an official language? Is it important for any tangible and practical reasons? Do English only laws threaten or enhance public safety? Is official English good public policy? (Debate 2010) These are questions that rise in everyone’s mind when the topic of designating an official language in the US comes up.…

    • 403 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The English only movement has many pros that will greatly help the United States. If English is made the official language of the United States it will unite the people with a common language rather then divide by not understanding one another, it will allow people to feel comfortable in the workplace, and encourage immigrant workers to learn English. By making English the official language does not mean “English Only” it simply means that for the government to act officially and effectively the default language should be English which would mean that no one would have the right to demand government activities or records in any other language (Wilson, 2009). I personally feel that this would be a great idea simply because in order for the government to communicate there must be one official language. By making English the official language does not mean that cultural diversity is not accepted in the United States or that no one can speak their cultural background language it just means that in order for all government officials to be on the same page of communication, a common language must be established. Making English the official language would not prohibit the government from using other languages when there is reason for doing so, such as legitimate common sense needs (Wilson, 2009). I feel this would be great idea because then there would be no miscommunication or misunderstanding on anyone part due to language barriers.…

    • 833 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In today’s society, there are over thousands of different languages or dialects speak around the world. And because America is such a diverse country with many individuals capable of speaking two or more languages, they tend to forget the importance of speaking English in America. As an American living in America, it’s not important whether they speak English or not, but what’s important is which language they choose to represent themselves freely.…

    • 871 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Best Essays

    Currently, and surprisingly, there is no official language designated for the United States of America. Should English be that official language for our nation? The United States is usually thought of an English speaking country and the Official Language needs to be representative of the same for many reasons. The voting public is extremely divided; with some stating that the United States should remain language-less, others claim it should be Spanish, while another viewpoint is to choose multilingualism, and even some claim an unrecognized language of “American” should become the new official language. There are many views on this topic, heated debates, and political upheavals by both citizens and illegal immigrants of various backgrounds, not only the English and non-English speaking. This topic is extremely controversial among many groups; both political and non-political. The underlying ramifications of a decision; or lack thereof, many may not realize but will be presented thoroughly in addition to the mere implications of a decision finally being made on the topic on a nationwide basis and statewide level, will be weighed against each other. The results of the research efforts shall present several aspects concerning English as the official language of the United States including, but not limited to; language choices aside from English that are being presented as the official language, the financial ramifications between having and not having an official language, a brief history on the nature of English as the official language of the nation, a brief overview of the legal actions related to the same; and any incidental information that is deemed relevant pursuant to the nature of the research intentions.…

    • 2747 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Good Essays

    From the perspective of the opposing side, everyone has the right to their own language. By making English the official language of America the nation would be denying certain rights and services to those who are non-native speakers. Moreover, America is known to be a “melting pot”, a multicultural nation built and maintained by immigrants. It is they who bring with them their multitude of cultures and languages that give the nation its diversity. These different languages and cultures lend to the nation an uncommon uniqueness. Furthermore, as pointed out by Dennis Barron, official English may be unnecessary as “without legislation [the United States has] managed to get over ninety-seven percent of the residents of this country to speak the national language. No country with an official language law even comes close.” He goes on to explain that in today’s era, non-native speakers are learning English “faster than earlier generations of immigrants”. He proposes that, instead of official English, the United States should adopt "English Plus", which would encourage residents to speak both English and another language. By doing this, culture in the United States would be more universal and the U.S. itself…

    • 681 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Back then, it wasn’t uncommon to hear up to 20 different languages spoken in daily life. Today, those numbers are more staggering. According to U.S. English Inc., an advocacy group that supports declaring English as our official language, 322 languages are spoken in the country, with 24 of those spoken in every state and the District of Columbia. California has the most languages, with 207, while Wyoming has the fewest with 56. So why won’t Congress declare an official language? Because we are a nation of immigrants and these numbers prove it. Because declaring an official language would abridge the rights of individuals with limited English proficiency, individuals who are paying taxes and who are entitled to the same rights as those who speak…

    • 555 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    English as a common ground is so that Americans can understand what is being spoken to each other. Americans should be able to communicate and read any material out in this country without wondering what is being said. Foreigners or non-English speaking citizens are increasingly becoming more segregated, creating poverty- stricken areas. The creation of these areas is due to the language barrier (US-English, 2012). Americans who speak English can find it insulting when other begins to speak to them in another language. Majority of the states have English as their official language. So when a foreigner begins to speak another language or attempt to communicate in English, it could be found offensive because if the same person were to go to their country, it would offensive if you did not speak their language. When living or visiting the United States, it would be safe to assume that everyone spoke English if it were the official language. No one would be insulted, nor would an individual find it hard to communicate with another. Making English the official language of the United States means that the government will be conducting everything solely in English. This includes all public documents, records, legislation and regulations, as well as hearings, official ceremonies and public meetings (US-English, 2012). “This means that everything will be conducted in the English language and that no one will have the right to demand government services in any other language” (ProEnglish, 1994). The government cost of multilingualism is in the hundreds of million dollars. Companies have to spend about 15 to 20 percent of production cost to use in translation services (CalRecycle, 1995). For example, Hospitals have to pay for translators to those who do not speak English. Translators in California are paid $45 to $50 an hour! While…

    • 673 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The researcher stated that English is now the official language in the United States. There are documents that discuss the importance of an official language in America, which supports this statement. In this research there are further details about English as the Official Language in the U. S. and how language can unite people in society, it can be universal as a language, and it also shows that it has the tendency be a challenge, for other cultures to learn as a second language. There should be a way for everyone to co-exist and to function as one nation under God in America. Language is the substance for people to communicate with one another and to co-exist freely.…

    • 1624 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    The English only debate has been an ongoing deliberation for many decades in the United States. Questions from political parties, legislators, and common people have been a hot topic on the English only subject and what they believe would be best for the nation (Echevarria, Vogt, & Short, 2008). Would having English as the national language of the United State unify the nation or would it tear it apart? Would it be politically correct? Would it be fair? Would it cause segregation? Would it be a security threat? These are just some of the questions that…

    • 1220 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    An imperative question that one must ask themself about whether or not to make English the official language of the United States is that, isn 't it better to learn and become familiar with languages other than one 's own rather than know only one language your whole life? It should be recognizable that different languages and cultures bring uniqueness to our country. Making English the official language here in the United States has advantage and…

    • 811 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Establishing a national official language opponents say that it is undemocratic and believe it would violate the US constitutions protection of due process and equal protection. Proponents say that English only laws would save the government money in printing fees and single lingual publication (Mount 2010).…

    • 304 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays