Thread: Should english become the official language of the U.S?

The Senate actually voted on this on the 16th and passed an amendment:

Senate Votes English as 'National Language'
Bill Keeps in Place Multilingual Laws

By Jonathan Weisman and Jim VandeHei
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, May 19, 2006; Page A01

After an emotional debate fraught with symbolism, the Senate yesterday voted to make English the "national language" of the United States, declaring that no one has a right to federal communications or services in a language other than English except for those already guaranteed by law.

Link to article:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...051800242.html

I guess in a few years , spanish and english will definetly combine to make spanglish.... kind of the evolution of language I guess.

no,english shouldnt be the official language of the U.S. it would be breaking the whole "Freedom of Speech",wouldnt it?

^ no, freedom of speech has nothing to do with language pererference you idiot. And quite frankly, english is already the official language of the US as far as I'm concerned. Who cares if the government says it isn't? They don't have the balls to do it because they might loose foriegners' support. But you know what? You come to a different country, you have to learn the language, and english is our language so I think people need to get over it. Yes, english should most definately be the official language. Because it already is!

Well, it is true that most people in the US most likely speak English but there are also a lot of people that speak Spanish. I don't really agree with making English the official language because immigrants who move to the U.S. can't be expected to immediately know every single word in the English language. I think they should be considerate to these people and have things in there native language. I will say this though. I think that immigrants should learn how to speak English because that is the main language spoken in the U.S. after all. It just makes life easier if they can speak the language if only a little bit.

oh please! When you go to any other country you have two options: hire a translator, or know the language. If you go to france you better know french, and if you go to china you better know a dialect of chinese depending on what part of china you're going to, and the US is no exception! We have immigration programs for a reason, you know. To take them in and educate immigrants basic english and american history before we let them become citizens, why should we alter what we do now when we've been speaking the same language for hundreds of years? You come to this country, YOU should adapt, not us. I'm not trying to say that learning spanish or other languages isn't benefitical, but to change everything we do for them? No. That's not right.

Originally Posted by Priestess Angel

Well, it is true that most people in the US most likely speak English but there are also a lot of people that speak Spanish. I don't really agree with making English the official language because immigrants who move to the U.S. can't be expected to immediately know every single word in the English language. I think they should be considerate to these people and have things in there native language. I will say this though. I think that immigrants should learn how to speak English because that is the main language spoken in the U.S. after all. It just makes life easier if they can speak the language if only a little bit.

If we have things in their native language, they will be too lazy to learn english. I agree with dark. They should learn english. Just like i would have to learn another countrys language if i moved there.