Prof. David Peterson

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English 100

9/24/2018

English as an Official Language

The United States is in a position unlike any it has been in before. A recent rise in immigration and newfound appreciation of traditional cultures has combined to form a considerably strong language barrier. Many people that come to this country, through legal or illegal means, live for years before they begin to learn English, the language that this nation was founded upon. Some may argue that this relatively new chance to get by in certain communities without speaking English is a success of diversity. I, however, see it as a detriment to the potential of the United States as a nation, and a problem that should be addressed with the adoption of English as the official language.

Sure, America has experienced booms in immigration before. At the turn of the century people flocked here in record numbers. This new surge, however, is different in some aspects to the others. Firstly, a great majority of immigrants arriving today come across the Mexican border, some even traveling from as far as South America to do so. Nationality of new immigrants is not necessarily the key difference, however. These new immigrants, more than ever before in history, see less need to assimilate into the culture of the United States and instead want to keep many of their old customs. Unfortunately they also include their native language in their idea of traditional identity. While it is always important to remember the language that one brings with them, learning the language most commonly used in the new country should be a higher priority. Learning English may be unnecessary in a community with almost all Spanish speakers, but in the long run it only serves to detract from the ability of Hispanic minorities to succeed in today’s world.

The adoption of English as the official language of the United States would help solve many of the problems that arise when communication becomes a problem. For one, it would lead to a nationwide effort to teach English to non-speakers. Over time, this could possibly end immigrants’ reliance on foreign-language communities and help lead to new job opportunities, thus ending the cycle of poverty created by low-paying jobs that don’t require a mastery of English. The decline of poverty in Hispanic neighborhoods would inevitably lead to a reduction in the crime and drug dealing that has plagued these communities in recent years. Immigrants arriving in America should have hopes and dreams to hold their families together, not just an outside language.

A transition to English as an official language would also be beneficial to Americans that already speak it. Instead of learning Spanish as a response to its increased use, students could focus their attention on languages that will hold more value on the world stage of the future. United States intervention and developing success in the Middle East has produced a high demand for Americans that are able to speak Arabic. Also, China has grown increasingly more influential and is expected to emerge as one of the great business nations, leaving a demand for Chinese speakers as well. These languages do not get enough attention in our public school system because more resources are being spent to accommodate the explosive growth of foreign languages being spoken in our own country. Spanish is by no means unimportant, but instituting English as the official language of the United States would drastically reduce the need for it to be taught as the dominant second language in schools.

Although adopting English as an official language would be a very wise decision, it also comes with its costs. Making all public language English would no doubt create confusion and difficulty in areas that have a high concentration of Spanish or other foreign language speakers. It would leave some people who don’t speak English in a more difficult position, although the effect might be minimal and short-term. Making English the official language could also be seen as an unfair law in the context of civil rights because most whites would be unaffected by it while minorities, especially Hispanics and Asians, could be at a disadvantage. However, these negatives could all be seen as a rather urgent appeal to these people, persuading them to learn English.

After weighing all the potential consequences of the decision to make English the official language of the United States, I think it would be a resounding success if such a transition was made. Instead of widening the gap that separates many foreign language speakers from the rest of the nation, I think it would bring them together. Immigrants arriving in this country should be free to make an impact in the land of opportunity, and language should be no obstacle to attain these goals.

[Note: To protect the identity of the author, I’ve changed the author’s name and the due date. –Prof. Peterson]