If you walk into the cheesecake factory in Philadelphia, and greet the hostess with, como es ts, you would be kindly escorted out of the restaurant. The reason you would not be allowed to continue with your dinning experience is that this particular eatery will only serve English speaking costumers. It is hard to believe that in this country of freedom and liberty that someone can be turned away because of their language. Sounds like another time in our county when Americans were turned away because of their color. Many groups want to in-state a national language, English, in the United States.
The problem with this is the fact that there are indeed many perks of having a bilingual nation. For example, bilingual individuals can use their language skills to promote our business interests abroad. Their linguistic competence strengthens our foreign diplomatic missions and national defense. And they can better teach the rest of us to speak other languages.
Another factor that must be looked at before our country decides to enforce a language is the fact that the majority of other countries are at least bilingual, many are multilingual. Not only are other countries multilingual, but this country use to be. The different Native languages of this nation range in the hundreds.
Our country was founded on the premise that people of any race, creed, or culture could come here to escape persecution of their religion or culture. If we are taking away culture, why not instate Muslim as the national religion?
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
English only please
We live in a country founded by immigrants and in most cases the citizens of our country came here to escape persecution or simply to find the American dream. These one time immigrants and the cultures that they bring to our country are what makes America special. We are the most racially diverse country in the world and it is ignorant to think that America should have a national language.
Groups like U.S. English, English First, or the Official English movement think otherwise and support legislation that would make English the official American language. A national language for the U.S. does not make sense, because we live in a very diverse country. Majority of the countries around the world are multilingual, having two or more official languages. I mention this because unlike the United States of America, majority of these countries are inhabited by the same group of people that have been there for the last several hundred years: Guatemala, Mexico, Belgium, Finland, Ireland, Switzerland, and many, many others. The groups that are promoting this legislation are simply too lazy to adapt to the changing world around them. It is arrogant of Americans to say that “this land is our land and this land is your land,” but only if you speak English. The English speaker in all of us needs to remember that we are not the only people in this country and it would be un-American to make English the official language. I for one do not want to see a sign posted on the Statue of Liberty that says, “English only please.”
Groups like U.S. English, English First, or the Official English movement think otherwise and support legislation that would make English the official American language. A national language for the U.S. does not make sense, because we live in a very diverse country. Majority of the countries around the world are multilingual, having two or more official languages. I mention this because unlike the United States of America, majority of these countries are inhabited by the same group of people that have been there for the last several hundred years: Guatemala, Mexico, Belgium, Finland, Ireland, Switzerland, and many, many others. The groups that are promoting this legislation are simply too lazy to adapt to the changing world around them. It is arrogant of Americans to say that “this land is our land and this land is your land,” but only if you speak English. The English speaker in all of us needs to remember that we are not the only people in this country and it would be un-American to make English the official language. I for one do not want to see a sign posted on the Statue of Liberty that says, “English only please.”
Habla me en English?
Does it really matter if a person living in an English speaking country speaks English? Some might say, “Yes”. If that is true, should all world travelers learn to speak foreign languages? Some might say, “No”, because someone there probably speaks English, so why bother?
So why is the dynamic different when “they” are in “English” territory? To understand this, a person must know the unwritten rule, which says, "if you come here to live, work or play… you better be able to talk the talk, or just stay home!"
When looking at the larger cities like New York, Atlanta, Los Angles and Chicago where there are many nationalities and cultures that seem to co-exist, does this rule still apply?
According to a recent article written by the Gold Coast Bulletin (Australia), entitled, “Speaking in Tongues”, it reports the US Census Bureau showing only one in four New Yorkers admiting he or she can’t speak English well. And on a national level 8.6 per cent of America’s 300 million residents over the age of five have problems with the English language.
In the same report, Roley Sussex, Professor of Applied Language Studies at the University of Queensland’s School of Languages and Comparative Cultural Studies says, “Of the languages spoken at home around the world, the most popular in order are Mandarin (Chinese), Spanish, Hindi and English.”
But what does that mean to Georgians? According to a report from the Georgia Census Bureau, conducted by the US Census Bureau, the population of Georgia totaled 8.8 million people as of July 2004. This ranks Georgia as the ninth most populated, with the Hispanic population at 6.1 percent, as of 2003, up from 1.6 percent in 1990. With regard to the Hispanic population this means--Georgia has gone from twentieth to tenth.
What this means in terms of time and money for the government is that the immigrant populations tend to place additional fiscal burdens on school systems since English language training and bilingual education programs must be provided in many cases.
According to the Center for Immigration Studies, it costs an average 50 percent more to educate a non-English speaking child than an English-speaking one.
So, should English be required if a person lives, works or is educated in the United States? If time and money factor into the equation, the general consensus would probably be, “Yes”.
So why is the dynamic different when “they” are in “English” territory? To understand this, a person must know the unwritten rule, which says, "if you come here to live, work or play… you better be able to talk the talk, or just stay home!"
When looking at the larger cities like New York, Atlanta, Los Angles and Chicago where there are many nationalities and cultures that seem to co-exist, does this rule still apply?
According to a recent article written by the Gold Coast Bulletin (Australia), entitled, “Speaking in Tongues”, it reports the US Census Bureau showing only one in four New Yorkers admiting he or she can’t speak English well. And on a national level 8.6 per cent of America’s 300 million residents over the age of five have problems with the English language.
In the same report, Roley Sussex, Professor of Applied Language Studies at the University of Queensland’s School of Languages and Comparative Cultural Studies says, “Of the languages spoken at home around the world, the most popular in order are Mandarin (Chinese), Spanish, Hindi and English.”
But what does that mean to Georgians? According to a report from the Georgia Census Bureau, conducted by the US Census Bureau, the population of Georgia totaled 8.8 million people as of July 2004. This ranks Georgia as the ninth most populated, with the Hispanic population at 6.1 percent, as of 2003, up from 1.6 percent in 1990. With regard to the Hispanic population this means--Georgia has gone from twentieth to tenth.
What this means in terms of time and money for the government is that the immigrant populations tend to place additional fiscal burdens on school systems since English language training and bilingual education programs must be provided in many cases.
According to the Center for Immigration Studies, it costs an average 50 percent more to educate a non-English speaking child than an English-speaking one.
So, should English be required if a person lives, works or is educated in the United States? If time and money factor into the equation, the general consensus would probably be, “Yes”.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
An Issue of Time
Imagine you moved to
What you have just imagined is what many people are proposing
That is what we are really dealing with here, a time issue. The children of foreign immigrants are learning English at school. The next generation after those children will have an even better understanding of English. Given time immigrant families will learn English. Do immigrants of this time period not deserve the same time allowances given to those in the past?
The ProEnglish official website states “the English fluency needed to succeed in our society.” Is that not why immigrants come to this country, to succeed in our society and our economy? If speaking English is indeed such a needed ability, then logically the people coming to this country, in order to improve their lives, will learn it. The legislation to make English America’s official language is unnecessary.
Public English
Many are surprised to find out that America does not have an official language. Debates have sprung up over the years about making English America’s official language but to no avail. While the nation as a whole has not declared English as its official language, 28 states have done so already. I believe that English should be adopted as America’s official language. An official language would give us as a nation the unity it so desperately needs. All this would mean is that all the official documents would be in English and all official ceremonies would take place in English.
There is much controversy surrounding this. Some people believe that immigrants should be able to speak their home language here in America. There is nothing wrong with people wanting to speak their native tongue but, if I go to live in another country I would not expect people to accommodate my language barrier. The same should be for here in America. People can still speak their language amongst themselves, but they should not expect people to accommodate them.
There are many holes in this plan though. Some areas have high concentrations of immigrants that do not speak English. It would be hard in these areas for the government to operate and everyday tasks to be completed. A solution to this would be to offer classes in that teach basic English. America needs an official language to tie us together and bring us unity.
There is much controversy surrounding this. Some people believe that immigrants should be able to speak their home language here in America. There is nothing wrong with people wanting to speak their native tongue but, if I go to live in another country I would not expect people to accommodate my language barrier. The same should be for here in America. People can still speak their language amongst themselves, but they should not expect people to accommodate them.
There are many holes in this plan though. Some areas have high concentrations of immigrants that do not speak English. It would be hard in these areas for the government to operate and everyday tasks to be completed. A solution to this would be to offer classes in that teach basic English. America needs an official language to tie us together and bring us unity.
Unite America
While many people including well known politicians are against making English the official language of America. I think that American English is a diverse enough language as it is. Making English the official language of America can only make things better. This will force immigrants to learn the language and will help bring the country together, while getting rid of all the confusion us Americans have when encountering someone who lives here, but speaks another language.
On the state level 27 states have adopted English as the official language of the state, while in the past six years seven other states have put in a piece of legislation to make English the official language. Georgia is one of the seven states that are trying to pass a bill that would make English the language of the state.
Coming from Cherokee County I know of this firsthand; Last December Cherokee County made English the official language of the county and it is illegal to have any signs or advertisements in Spanish. Cherokee County also has the second largest population of Hispanics in the state of Georgia trailing only Hall County. If a county with a Hispanic population as large as Cherokee’s can adopt English as the official language, then why can’t this country?
On the state level 27 states have adopted English as the official language of the state, while in the past six years seven other states have put in a piece of legislation to make English the official language. Georgia is one of the seven states that are trying to pass a bill that would make English the language of the state.
Coming from Cherokee County I know of this firsthand; Last December Cherokee County made English the official language of the county and it is illegal to have any signs or advertisements in Spanish. Cherokee County also has the second largest population of Hispanics in the state of Georgia trailing only Hall County. If a county with a Hispanic population as large as Cherokee’s can adopt English as the official language, then why can’t this country?
Our very roots
You mean to tell me we have groups like U.S. English, an advocate group for “Official English", but we do not have groups working to solve the real problem of illegal immigration? There are actually people wasting our time and tax money trying to push English as the official language and how sad is that?
Here's the truth. America is a country of so many different cultures, religions and people. What kind of an American is a person who tries to force people into just one language? That's no American at all. Look, I understand that English is the dominant language of our society and that we should look to open more avenues to people who cannot speak it to learn how to do so. However, we must not begin to force anything like this upon the citizens of our society.
Would you enjoy it if suddenly at school they said you can no longer wear your favorite team's colors and that you must wear colors they choose? Of course you wouldn't. How much would you like it if the government showed up at your church and shut it down because you're not Catholic? Probably not a whole lot. If you go to Mexico, do you think the government makes you speak Spanish-only? No, you must adapt to their culture as they must adapt to our own. There is no need for force on such a petty issue.
Here's the truth. America is a country of so many different cultures, religions and people. What kind of an American is a person who tries to force people into just one language? That's no American at all. Look, I understand that English is the dominant language of our society and that we should look to open more avenues to people who cannot speak it to learn how to do so. However, we must not begin to force anything like this upon the citizens of our society.
Would you enjoy it if suddenly at school they said you can no longer wear your favorite team's colors and that you must wear colors they choose? Of course you wouldn't. How much would you like it if the government showed up at your church and shut it down because you're not Catholic? Probably not a whole lot. If you go to Mexico, do you think the government makes you speak Spanish-only? No, you must adapt to their culture as they must adapt to our own. There is no need for force on such a petty issue.
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