Should we recognize English as the official language of the US of A?

[KarateCowboy]

And telling people they have to speak an official language to be officially American is only going to divide.

Yes, yes, and telling them they all have to follow the same traffic laws is only going to divide them.

Unity divides us! ... it's literally like 1984:
War is peace
Freedom is slavery
Unity divides us

 

[KarateCowboy]

I don't believe I said anything about diversity of law. I was talking more about cultures. You know... languages, food, customs... The things diversity usually refers to in a sociological sense...

Then why are you even bringing that up? We're talking about 'official language' as in official for laws and public institutions.

 

[KarateCowboy]

We don't need one.

In other words, we need one. Kind of like "We don't need a federal marriage amendment! Let the states handle it!"

Suuuuuuuuuuuuuure.

 

[GoldenBoy89]

Well then, might as well acknowledge it by making it official.

What would that serve? Just a pointless piece of legislation that only adds momentary comfort to conservative, English speakers while anyone that doesn't speak the language will no doubt feel a little less American.

Why do you want to divide our great country on such a frivolous point?

 

[Dave-W]

You really think congress is going to pass legislation in Russian or Mandarin? After some 240 years, just now they are going to start passing laws in foreign languages? You know it's not just one person that drafts bills and signs them into law, right?

No but local governments could. If San Fancisco China Town breaks off to be its own municipality they could pass local ordinances in Mandarin. Or Miami could start passing ordinances in either Spanish or Portuguese. Dearborn MI could pass them in Arabic.

 

[Dave-W]

Unity is our thing. That's why they even ever coined the phrase "Melting Pot".

They stopped using that term back in the 1970s. It was just not accurate. Some use "salad bowl" now.

 

[KarateCowboy]

What would that serve? Just a pointless piece of legislation that only adds momentary comfort to conservative,

If by "conservative" you mean rational, sane people of every political stripe. Only oikophobic bigotry works as an explanation to why someone would oppose this.

English speakers while anyone that doesn't speak the language will no doubt feel a little less American.

If they don't speak English then they should feel a little less American. That's the point. You can't have a melting pot without having a little heat.

Why do you want to divide our great country on such a frivolous point?

Yes yes, more insanity! Keeping the country united is divisive! Because, you know, unity is divisive, and hot is cold, and good is evil!

Divide the country by uniting it! Become thin by gaining weight! Kill yourselves that you might live!

 

[KarateCowboy]

They stopped using that term back in the 1970s. It was just not accurate. Some use "salad bowl" now.

No they didn't.

If it drifts toward "salad bowl" then it's because some bigots refuse to melt and refuse to get out of the pot.

 

[JustOneWay]

No they didn't.

If it drifts toward "salad bowl" then it's because some bigots refuse to melt and refuse to get out of the pot.

It was a stupid phrase back then, and it is still stupid.

Melting pot.
a pot in which metals or other materials are melted and mixed

The pot is constructed by usually one metal, and is used to house what it is designed to melt. - only nobody ever truly melts

Somebody said that we are a melting pot but not stew - and I say we are the stew and not the melting pot.

We are a stew....some meat, some seasonings, a few vegetables, and most importantly a gravy that combines everything into a flavorful bowl of different ingredients.

 

[ChristJudgeOfAll]

I think it's cute how everyone is pretending this wouldn't instantly become a stick with which to beat non-English speakers.

Non-English speakers need to learn English, and need to be pressured to do so.

 

[Arcangl86]

Non-English speakers need to learn English, and need to be pressured to do so.

Why?

 

[ChristJudgeOfAll]

What would that serve? Just a pointless piece of legislation that only adds momentary comfort to conservative, English speakers while anyone that doesn't speak the language will no doubt feel a little less American.

Why do you want to divide our great country on such a frivolous point?

Just about every country in the world has a official language. It is to put pressure on those who don't speak it, to learn it.

The point of a official language is to pressure people to learn it. China created a official language to force all the people who didn't speak it, to learn it. Spain did it with Spanish, he forced all the places they conquered to learn it, so it can create unity.

Language is important. The ability to communicate is important. It is important that the nation of one people, can all communicate with each other.

 

[ChristJudgeOfAll]

Why?

Language is important. The ability to communicate is important. It is important that the nation of one people, can all communicate with each other.

It makes far less sense to make the majority learn the language of the minority than the other way around.

 

[sahjimira]

Yes English

 

[DaisyDay]

That's right! Melt, or get out of the pot!

Unity unites us. Diversity divides us.

Have you melted yet?

 

[dogs4thewin]

Not only should we it is way overdue.

 

[GoldenBoy89]

Just about every country in the world has a official language. It is to put pressure on those who don't speak it, to learn it.

Just about every country has a central culture that unifies everyone within that culture. America is different in this sense. There is no single American identity. There is no single American culture for everyone to melt into and nobody is under any legal requirement to assimilate into American culture. That idea comes from a bygone era and just is not practical anymore.

The point of a official language is to pressure people to learn it.

Why should people be pressured to learn English? Maybe Americans should be pressured to learn other languages, which, IMO wouldn't hurt. For example, it has been immensely helpful for me to know both English and Spanish. I can't think of how many times I've had to translate for my boss something that a customer is asking but doesn't speak English and he doesn't speak Spanish. In my eyes, it is my boss who's at a disadvantage not knowing any other language other than English.

China created a official language to force all the people who didn't speak it, to learn it. Spain did it with Spanish, he forced all the places they conquered to learn it, so it can create unity.

And you want the US to be like communist China? You want the US to be like Spain? I say screw China and Spain and how they do things.. This is America! We're better than that!

Language is important. The ability to communicate is important. It is important that the nation of one people, can all communicate with each other.

You see? That's the problem... We are not a nation of "one people." We are a nation of many people. Many cultures, many traditions, many languages. I think that is something special in the world and something we should embrace as a country. It's what sets us apart from the rest of the world. It is a vision of the future where all cultures and religions and people of all beliefs can live together in relative harmony. You might not see it that way but I remain hopeful for America.

 

[ChristJudgeOfAll]

Just about every country has a central culture that unifies everyone within that culture. America is different in this sense. There is no single American identity. There is no single American culture for everyone to melt into and nobody is under any legal requirement to assimilate into American culture. That idea comes from a bygone era and just is not practical anymore.

Why should people be pressured to learn English? Maybe Americans should be pressured to learn other languages, which, IMO wouldn't hurt. For example, it has been immensely helpful for me to know both English and Spanish. I can't think of how many times I've had to translate for my boss something that a customer is asking but doesn't speak English and he doesn't speak Spanish. In my eyes, it is my boss who's at a disadvantage not knowing any other language other than English.

And you want the US to be like communist China? You want the US to be like Spain? I say screw China and Spain and how they do things.. This is America! We're better than that!


You see? That's the problem... We are not a nation of "one people." We are a nation of many people. Many cultures, many traditions, many languages. I think that is something special in the world and something we should embrace as a country. It's what sets us apart from the rest of the world. It is a vision of the future where all cultures and religions and people of all beliefs can live together in relative harmony. You might not see it that way but I remain hopeful for America.

There are things other countries can do better than us that we can learn from. The unifying ability of one language is powerful. We are a melting pot but we also cannot be completely different from one another. We are 50 states but we are also the United States. We need an official language, not everyone needs to just speak one language, but everyone should speak the language. I said should, it is not necessary. By making English the official language, we aren't forcing anyone to speak it, we are only saying you should speak it. It is very helpful, and it is the language the government recognizes.

We are also giving the heads-up to people, that, our laws will only be in English, public employees will only communicate in English (translation services are just costly, and the cost shouldn't be passed onto the majority).

Language is different than just culture. Language is suppose to allow us to communicate. It creates understanding.

Also, it is much harder to get the majority to learn other languages, than have the minority learn ours. It is just unpractical to get most Americans to learn another language.

Humans need the ability to understand each other to get things done. We can have different cultures, they can speak another language, but they need to learn the majority speaking language. It has been tested throughout time again and again. A employer and a employee needs to speak the same language. A servicer and client need to speak the same language.

It is practically costly and ineffective to always have a translator.

 

[amanuensis63]

There are only 8 countries in the world without a national language.

Some even have TWO (eg Finland) and one even has FOUR (Switzerland)

A national language can unite the people, why don't we have one on the federal level?

Ummmm because so few Americans can even speak one language with any skill?

If we make a "national language" do we get to skill test the following people and remove their citizenship?

 

[Blank Stair]

I think it makes sense that we have English as an official language.
All countries have a diverse population. And yet majority of countries have an official language.

There are only 8 countries in the world without a national language.
Every first world country has a national language except the U.S. and Britain.
http://www.englishlanguagefaqs.com/2014/05/which-countries-do-not-have-official.html

http://allafrica.com/stories/201508200681.html

A national language can unite the people, why don't we have one on the federal level?