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cultural and linguistic diversity
cultural and linguistic diversity
the importance of english language as our lingua franca
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The debate of instituting English as the official language in the United States is a debate that has been going on for centuries. Many people believe that English should be the official language because we are American, and Americans speak English. However, many of those people fail to realize that we all come from different heritages and corners of the world. Language should be an art of expression, one where people of all heritages and backgrounds can speak in the language that they have learned. Implementing English as the official language in the United States would be to essentially ignore and disrespect all of the heritages, nationalities, and religions that make the United States a unique place to live. The United States is unique because of the melting pot effect, referring to all the different kinds of people living in one place, expressing anything they want too without consequences. In households all across the United States, families are speaking languages that either are a result of their heritage, or language they choose to speak around each other. However, these families know that once they get out into the real world in the United States, they are going to have to know English. English is the most dominant language in the world, and in order to do business in the most powerful country in the world, people are going to need to speak and read English. In France, many business students are being told to learn English, because “English is becoming as commonplace as creeping ivy and mortarboards” (Carvajal). Professors are telling French students to learn the English ways, because not only is that where the jobs are, but in order to communicate with the most important people in business, they must know English... ... middle of paper ... ...d cannot live it. Works Cited Carvajal, Doreen. "In Many Business Schools, the Bottom Line is English." The New York Times. The New York Times, 10 Apr. 2007. Web. 26 Mar. 2010. . Marquez, Myriam. "Why and When We Speak Spanish in Public." Language Awareness: Readings for College Writers. Ed. Paul Eschholz, Alfred Rosa, and Virginia Clark. 10th ed. Boston: Bedford-St. Martin's, 2009. 542-43. Print. Mujica, Mauro. "Why the U.S. Needs an Official Language." The World & I. N.p., Dec. 2003. Web. 26 Mar. 2010. . Salais, Leticia. "Saying 'Adios' to Spanglish." Language Awareness: Readings for College Writers. Ed. Paul Eschholz, Alfred Rosa, and Virginia Clark. 10th ed. Boston: Bedford-St. Martin's, 2009. 545-47. Print.
Language can bring people together but can also isolate. The United States is known as a melting pot, not only does that refer to culture but also the many different languages. We know of language barriers, but very seldom do we think of the language barriers within our borders. Even with the language barriers it solidifies the need for a national language, the United States of America should allow the freedom to express one’s culture while maintaining English as our national language, therefore offering common ground to its citizens.
From the time the Pilgrims landed in this great nation at Plymouth Rock, immigrants have been culturally diverse and have spoken many languages. When the Pilgrims arrived in the New World, they did not know how to communicate with the natives. Through intense study the natives learned the Pilgrims’ language. Even with the common language they were still a melting pot of different culture. Some would say that America has gotten over the language/ cultural barriers and now almost everyone speaks the common language of English, but there are still many immigrants who do not know English. Bilingual education is put into public schools for this reason, so that immigrant children can be assimilated to English gradually. The national language should be English instead of the official language because America has prided herself in being very diverse. If we take away the diversity, then we take away the core values that America has always had since her founding.
Currently in the United States, about one in four, or twenty-six percent, of American adults can speak a language other than English (McComb). To be bilingual means to possess the ability to speak two languages, and a society that implements a bilingual approach is one that adapts means of everyday life, ranging from street signs to education, to the inevitabilities of more than one language. The United States is in debate on whether or not to adopt Spanish in conjunction with all English communication. In my opinion, to assume a bilingual society would create a separation in our country with two competing languages. There are multiple perspectives on the issue and to accurately form an opinion requires consideration of numerous aspects. The decision to undertake Spanish alongside English in all facets in the United States should be constructed on bilingual history, statistics, legal implications, supportive and defensive arguments, education dynamics, cultural factors, and the necessary provisions to our current society needed to implement such a system.
Policy in the United States towards foreign languages has long been a complicated process. The nation was founded by polyglot immigrants and welcomed, to varying degrees, many subsequent waves of immigrants speaking languages familiar and foreign. Most immigrants learned English and despite efforts to maintain their mother tongue, the “permissiveness and apathy” of American society towards second languages allowed the gradual erosion of many mother tongues. English, although the common language in schools, the courts, government, and the business community in the United States, is not the official language of our country. This fact juxtaposes paradoxically with the necessity of speaking English for success in our society, and the dying out of many languages native to immigrants after the third generation. Since no official policy at the federal level governs the official language of the United States, nor the teaching of foreign languages until after the Second World War, language education in the U.S. remained a patchwork of local policies.
In first place, having an official language has always been a huge concern to Americans, because it is ...
Mujica’s article, “Why the U.S Needs an Official Language,” the author clearly states his claim at the start of the article. Mujica illustrates the fact that English is slowly becoming the official natural language of the US even though there is no official declaration. The author uses sub-claims such as pointing out the fact that despite the multilingual nature of the American citizens many are embracing speaking English. Mujica uses examples from various sources to build up to his thesis, “given the globalization of English one might be tempted to ask why the United States would need to declare English its official language. Why organize something that is happening naturally and without government involvement?” (581)
Hispanic America language has some strengths and weaknesses as observed in the article and this makes it one of the influential groups in the United States. It is also important noting that those who belong to this group originated from various parts of the world. The strengths in the pattern of communication make this language one of the most adorable languages in the world as many people feel respected whenever they talk to someone from this particular group. The weaknesses that can be identified only show how people tend to believe they are shy, but it is as a result of respect for
English as the official language of the United States could benefit the U.S. Government and America as a whole. America has long since been a multicultural nation and has been an English speaking nation since it was founded. The constitutional and federal documents are all in English, which furthers the American people, believing English should be our official language. The majority of states already have English as their official language, for English has always provided a much needed cohesion to our diverse citizens since it was founded.
Most people who grow up with a foreign language spoken in there house grow up with an advantage in society. This advantage can only occur once the individual learning that foreign language also learns the dominant language spoken in that country. Once both of these languages are learned and mastered, the individual has now placed them se...
It has become common knowledge that the United States is falling behind the rest of the world. Economically, Industrially, and educationally, the rest of the world pushes forward and welcomes change while the United States clings to what it has known for decades. One of the largest gaps between the US and the rest of the world is its policy about second languages, and it puts the US at a disadvantage. Those who oppose change believe the US can better itself without making secondary language learning mandatory; they argue that it will cost more money, “turn students off” to learning a second language entirely, and that the benefits are not worth the costs. Unless a change is made in the United States’ language education, the country will continue to fall behind. Making learning a second language mandatory not only helps students, but the country as a whole by “raising the bar” and improving the country’s competitiveness with the rest of the world.
Since language is an essential part of culture, and America has no national language, then America is not tied together with one culture. There are reasons why the U.S. Government has not declared an official language. The most important being that an official language of English would promote xenophobia, making the English speaking afraid of new immigrants or vice versa. It would also deprive the American citizens who do not speak English of some of their basic rights. For example, how could someone vote, or take a driving test, if they do not know the language. On the other hand, immigrants would benefit if they were forced to learn a national language in America. They would be able to receive a better education, find a better job, and participate more completely in society (Gallegos, 1994).
English becoming the official Language of the United States is not just a controversial topic, it is necessary to keep America alive. American history and tradition is falling, and the ground on which she was founded is slowly fading. Americans must wake up to the importance of preserving the history of their culture. America is considered to be the greatest country in the world by even some who are not Americans. The “American Dream” is something people fantasize over all around the world. In order to keep the desire to be American, one must truly understand what it takes to be American. English is essential in living the American life. English should be the official language of the United States to give the people what they want, to recognize the historic role, and to limit controversy.
Since English is widely acknowledged as the language of “political and economic adaptability,” it is technically already the official language in practice if not in theory; an official declaration of a national language would be superfluous and redundant (Nature of Language, p. 98). Also, if an official declaration of an official language were to deny services such as translation and other benefits to foreign-born immigrants and their children—as nativists advocate—then such a declaration would only serve to subvert the progress that America has made over the past centuries as the world’s melting pot. Therefore, the U.S. does not need to declare English as the official language since that would exclude many non-English-speaking Americans who have just as many rights to services and benefits as other Americans do.
For many years, the thought of English being the official language of the United States has come with a little controversy. Some argue that English should be the official language because it is the most dominant language in the world. Some believe by doing so, it would create a stronger unity among the American people. Proponents believe that although the United States is diverse, it may be too much for the American people to juggle multiple languages. Others believe that English shouldn’t be the official language and instead be one of many prominent languages that are widely used in our nation such as Spanish, French, and Chinese. I believe English should be the official language in the United States. However, I believe more emphasis should be placed on learning new languages especially among youths in school and during developmental stages.
Even though there are advantages as well as disadvantages, the need for international language for communication, politics, economics and security is necessary and English is the best “language candidate” for that function. English is a language spread all over the world and it is used by millions and millions of speakers. According to my opinion, people should use English as a tool to communicate with all cultures but every country must keep their culture and language is a great part of it. In conclusion, language defines identity of a country and everyone should keep their language and explore others.