My biggest complaint about English as the official language of the United States is surprisingly, not directed at Spanish speaking people.
My biggest complaint about English as the official language of the United States is directed at… the English.
We were done with the English 231 years ago. I think it’s about time we quit speaking their language.
I want American to be the official language of the United States. We don’t even speak English. We haven’t spoken English in years so we should quit acting like we do.
I’m sure the English would probably be the first to tell us we don’t speak English. I’m sure they would probably support us if we wanted to switch to “American”. They would probably do everything they could to get us to stop saying we speak their language. They might even throw in a little cash to help subsidize our switch from English to American.
I mean, come on. When you get right down to it, Americans who speak “English” are speaking a foreign language.
If we could all just agree we don’t speak “English” in the first place, that would probably be the best place to start the debate about what language we should speak.
Subscribe to nudeanncoulter
i think we should all speak Esperanto
WARNING: To the first person who suggests we speak Klingon, you may instigate further original complaints.
There are no trekkies on this site, just Star Wars geeks. That being said, the Ewok language might be nice.
The binary language of moisture vaporators might be easier than that ewok jibberish.
suckerfish on October 2nd, 2007 at 7:34 am | Link
I was taught in grade school and im not sure of the sources of this information that way back when the usa was a wee lad there was a vote on what would be the official language. The vote for english won over german by one vote.
Ok so I think your wrong we should not speek american becuse there are many languages spoken as offical or native languages in america such a french in canada (ayyy canandian in canada) spanish or mexican in mexico, protugesse, spanish in south america. So I propose we make our offical languge united statesian.
Mark on October 2nd, 2007 at 10:11 am | Link
You know what? I think all of you are off base. Considering the way the United States has sold it soul to the Chinese (everything we buy i now made in China), I would not be surprised if Chinese is our official language 50 years from now. Even if the language isn’t our “official language,” I wouldn’t be surprised if the Chinese own most of the United States by then.
Please God no, not Ewokese. DBlock, I’d rather you guys pick Huttese before you go off half-cocked and pick that Ewok crap. Like suckfish said, it’s total jibberish.
Whatever you do, please don’t start butchering Shyriiwook. Just stay as far away from it as you can.
English literacy requirement as a component in the naturalization of aliens within the United States. Surprisingly, such a requirement
2
Has existed in statutory form for less than 100 years, having first been enacted in 1906.
Currently, federal law (8 U.S.C. Section 1423) provides that:
(a) No person except as otherwise provided in this
subchapter shall hereafter be naturalized as a citizen of the United States upon his own application who cannot demonstrate — (1) an understanding of the English language, including an ability to read, write,
and speak words in ordinary usage in the English language:
Yehuda Draiman on January 6th, 2008 at 3:20 pm | Link
See the problem is not with naturalized citizens or those who otherwise come here legally. It is those who are not here legally that present the problem!!
mark on January 7th, 2008 at 10:24 am | Link
Deport all illegals so I do not have to press 1 for English.
IAN on January 9th, 2008 at 2:09 pm | Link
@ Mark the xenophobe:
I hope that you lead a complete “Legal ” life and when you decide to get out of your hole and see the rest of the real world, you don’t find such hostility just because you are not “legal”
You guys should speak US. Don’t forget that America is a continent from Alaska to Argentina. Not just the US.
mao on July 15th, 2008 at 9:04 pm | Link
@ mao
I am unsure of which mark you are speeking to becuse there are two marks on this post each of which is the different person. I am the first, and the one you have mao fab (if thats you) have spoken with in other posts.
I just again must ask why you liberal type (yeah I said liberal types, I call em as I see em) must resort to name calling, foul language and personal attacks. By the way mao had you taken the time to read the rules of this board personal attacks and name calling are against the rules here on this American (USA) based board.
mark on July 16th, 2008 at 6:38 am | Link
Before English (or American, or whatever we’ll call “our” language) becomes official we need to start teaching it properly. Schools have eschewed proper English grammar and proper speech for quite some time. Our language is spiraling into ambiguous oblivion. We are so used to filling our daily speech with colloquialisms and slang that such things are de facto becoming official.
Improper English grammar is something up with which I will not put.
Matt on July 22nd, 2008 at 11:12 am | Link
Regardless what is an offical language in the US is not important. The most important is using one language as a foundation for all purposes; education, transportation, banks, economy, and etc. Their are many different forms of English, Spanish, Chinese, French, German, and etc.
We all have a basic foundation of language in education. When you have one basic language it simplifies everything. After you have been educated using one language it is what you live by. Simplify the US standard using what our fore fathers established. If I move to another country and live, what do I do, I learn the language of the country.
The standard language should be English in America.
William Sims on August 20th, 2008 at 11:18 am | Link
I truly believe our country needs to hang on to something…like our
langauge..IF there are people who feel they need not speak the English language, then maybe they should consider returning to their
home countries. This country and it’s politicians are getting out of hand…What has happened to all “we the people” believe in? What happened to our country?
If I went to a foreign country to live, I would be required to learn their langauge in order to survive..I’m sure they wouldn’t consider changing their langauge to English…Would they?
Keith on October 7th, 2008 at 1:32 pm | Link
The reason we don’t call it “American” is because it’s not a different language. We have a few different words and a different accent, but Brits and Yanks can still have conversations.
If you want to get that territorial, lets say that I speak Generation Y Mild-Accented North Georgian and my coworker speaks Moved From New York Floridian. I mean hey, he pronounces the letter O differently.
Have fun choosing your language next time you visit a website or install software.
Squiddy on November 3rd, 2008 at 10:24 am | Link
JUST REMBER PEOPLE U. S. A. is Our Home!!!!!
GR DENVER on November 3rd, 2008 at 4:15 pm | Link
yall i think we need some good old american language as our official language. all you geeks who mant ewok and klingon are dumb. if anything we need to speak half english half jibberish like 2 year old kids. so either good old american or baby language!!!!!!
jeff on November 21st, 2008 at 12:41 pm | Link
This was a very good post……very good…..makes sense to me.
I dont really speak =-bloody-= english. Maybe it should just be called American English, because in some circles, it already is.
“American?” Couldn’t that really constitute anyone who lives on the north or south “American” continent?
Dim as a dead lightning bug? Couldn’t that really constitute you?
Quit being stupid. Please. I bet you “aint got no greencard”…..yes? NO?
Im proud of America, the only one that really matters in the first place,
you know, The U.S.A. The country that keeps most on the planet in humantarian mission food and clothing , aid to other countries, emergency help to one of our greatest enemies, (earthquake in iran) the african continent would be a dust bowl of bones if we didnt feed most of them.
What my country brings to the table;
Cars, Trains, Spaceships(shuttles)….ok thats enough. I’ll leave the rest to your imagination and/or research.
How about mexico? Peppers and flat bread?
First, Mark, the US Congress never ever ever had an amendment/bill to make German the official language of the US. In 1794, there was a bill that debated whether or not documents sent out by the government should be translated into German, and that could be where that came from (http://www.us-english.org/view/12). Second, to the person who originally wrote this blog: My dad is English, and, yes, he does not think we speak English in America either. I think it is Louisiana that has adopted “American” as the official language of that state, something no on else has done (check this site: us-constitution.net). Personally, I think we should either learn to speak English properly, or just forget about the whole damn thing and speak whatever the hell we want to.
But please do not make Spanish or Chinese the official language of the United States of America. Then we know we are in trouble.
Mememe on January 14th, 2009 at 2:33 pm | Link
I don’t think that “american” should be an option for the United States language. It should be called something else as american refers to the Americas. By the way the United States people called themselves americans but it should be north americans or something else as people from Brazil are brasilians not south americans. Get it? Well, I guess “north americans” have some assignment to do as from what I see they lack identity: no language - no real name.
Judith Roessler on March 4th, 2009 at 2:00 pm | Link
I agree, this country was founded on immigration and yet we insist on forcing a language onto people, a language that is not even our own.
I have come to the conclusion that the United States has turned into a hypocritical society. People immigrated here to escape their country’s problems and yet it has become the same society that it ran away from,
Cait on March 30th, 2009 at 7:25 pm | Link
If anything, the official language should be Native American. Considering this is their land that we so rudely stole from them and called our own.
Cait on March 30th, 2009 at 7:28 pm | Link
English is English, no matter where you speak it. Australians speak English, no matter the slang and some different words they use. Spanish is Spanish in Spain and in the South American countries that speak it. Now if you want to say Australians speak Australian or Mexicans speak Mexican, then we can also say that Texans speak Texan or Missourians speak Missourian. Formalisms or whatever you want to call it do not really work here. English is English, period.
Legible on May 6th, 2009 at 2:42 pm | Link
Well……lets say you speak swahili…..http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swahili_language
….and you go to say, india….what do you have to do? CONFORM. Should be the same way here.
SXRXNRR on May 6th, 2009 at 7:29 pm | Link
i think that the us doesnt realy need an official languauge but at the sametime it does cuz everyone is making a big deal about it…we should jus leave it how it is now and call our language somthing that fits the idea of having more than one language! we should jus say we speak “north american” or somthing that doesnt say we speak only english. for people who speak more than one language they should have a certain name for it and for people who only speak english, one other languauge. but in the same name range.
16-year-old-kid on June 5th, 2009 at 9:31 am | Link
It would seem that you are a little insecure and upset that your languages died out years ago and English slowly became the language of your country. If you want to suddenly start speaking in Uto-Aztecan or Na Dene, then by all means do, but for as long as you’re writing ****e like this, it’s English.
Peter on June 28th, 2009 at 3:41 pm | Link
@ 16 year old kid..
So do wish to surrender your allowance so we may translate every document every book every movie etc. into every possible language spoken or ever will be spoken in this country?
This is why we need an official language.
mark on June 30th, 2009 at 3:50 pm | Link
We speak American English it is derived from English and has attributed many different words from other languages. But it is still english and should be considered for the official language.
Amber on July 2nd, 2009 at 11:36 am | Link
Im in a government class and we speak politics. I am making a bill on making english the official language which I am going to prove to everyone that ENGLISH should be the offcial language
i am a foreigner too.
Ashley on January 11th, 2010 at 11:11 am | Link
Making English the official language in the US is only for purposes such as employment, insurance, drivers license, education, hospitals, doctors, law enforcement, government, and etc. If you want a good paying job you need to read, write, and speak English. No business should have to have a translator to constantly explain all the things involved with a job. People that come to this country should be made to study and learn the language of the country they live. If I go to another country to live and work I would be expected to do all the right things in order to communicate.
My wife is Chinese and did not understand any English. I have had to help educate her on everything. I have paid a lot of money to help her be a US citizen. I don’t like any person to come to the US for a FREE ride. I pay taxes so I expect everyone to do the same if they want to stay in the US.
William on January 12th, 2010 at 10:48 am | Link
The English language is composed of many different languages which dirive from Greek / Latin / French etc.
It the United States, it is catergorized as American English since we’ve developed our own variations from state to state with the use of slang and different dialecs.
“Why can’t we all just get along?” Rodney King
marina on February 20th, 2010 at 8:09 am | Link