Why should the official language of the USA be English

Why should the official language of the USA be English

Title/Topic-Why should the official language of the USA be English

English is a widely used language in the US with majority of the people referring to English as their mother tongue. According to Donegan (51), a large number of people in the US can fluently speak in English. The US federal laws have not defined a specific national language although, English is the language used to officially communicate in many institutions and legal set up like the judiciary, courts and other official notices.

Officiating English in the US is beneficial to the whole community since it will provide an equal platform for communication. United States is a multi lingual community with people from diverse ethnicity (Donegan 52).  The presence of language barrier can hinder communication mode among the citizens. Besides, the presence of a common language in any given country helps to foster national unity.  U S is a cosmopolitan state that incorporates people from all over the world. The English language acceptance as a national language will enhance communication among the people.

It is necessary for the U S to have a universal language. This will be used in addressing and giving important instructions and notices. These include safety signs, warning signs and other notices that are used to caution the general public against potential sources of danger (Marquez 10). Warnings such as the presence of high voltage current, radiation rays and other areas of high security alerts are most provided for in English in many countries. Although another language is inclusive in such notices, English language is among the choices provided.

Making English language national will enhance social mobility. The citizens will be able to access jobs equally and fairly without any form of barriers. The workers will be able to communicate well with one another as opposed to people using different languages (National Education Association). The common language will ensure uniformity at the work place as every employee can be able to understand and meet the expectation. King (55) states that a large percentage of people in the US can speak in English fluently. Officiating of the English language in the US does not mean that the federal laws are ignoring the minority groups. It is virtually impossible for the laws to address every minority group language. However, this should not be used as a drawback because the existence of a universal language is necessary in the bilingual community.

Existence of a common language helps to minimize cultural clashes and enhance peaceful coexistence. It is difficult to have the people try to understand the native language of the others. This can hinder coexistence of the people especially in the work place (Krauthammer 212). Making the English language official should not be viewed as a way of cultural degradation rather should be viewed as a means making things easier and convenient for every person.

English is a language that is spoken or taught in many countries. It is among the world’s languages that a person can easily learn.  Federal laws have not established a national language in the US. The introduction of a national language is necessary in the US as this will ensure that citizens will be addressed equally. This will also help to reduce ethnic barriers due to interaction of people from different backgrounds. According to Underwood (65), when people use a common language they are able to interact well and remove communication barriers. A common language also promotes peace and unity among a nation.

Most of the children born of the immigrants tend to embrace English language and this helps them to have an identity or a sense of belonging (Underwood 65). This is fair for them since they can be able to fit in the social standing of the community. This will also help to establish solidarity for the future generations.

Works Cited

Donegan, Craig. "Debate over Bilingualism: Should English Be the Nation's Official Language?" CQ Researcher 19 Jan. 1996: 51-71.

King, Robert D.  "Should  English Be the Law?"   The Atlantic Monthly Apr. 1997: 55-64.

Krauthammer, Charles. "In Plain English: Let's Make It Official." Time 12 June 2006: 112. Print. Lewis, Greg. "An Open Letter to Diversity's Victims." WashingtonDispatch.com. 12 Aug. 2003. Web. 15 May 2008.

 Marquez, Myriam. "English-Only Laws Serve to Appease Those Who Fear the Inevitable." Orlando Sentinel 10 July 2000: A10.

National Education Association. "NEA Statement on the Debate over English Only." Teacher's     College, U of Nebraska, Lincoln. 27 Sept. 1999. Web. 15 May 2008.

Underwood, Robert L. "At Issue: Should English Be the Official Language of the United States?" CQ         Researcher 19 Jan. 1996: 65.