Why isnt English the official language of the USA?

markus   Sun May 07, 2006 8:16 am GMT
Recently in the news I read about immigrant's singing the national anthem in Spanish. There was an uproar with many saying that it should be in English, only. Why hasn't the federal government of the USA declared English the sole official language of the country like Canada has done for English and French?
Guest   Sun May 07, 2006 8:24 am GMT
Why should it?
D6078AK   Sun May 07, 2006 9:54 am GMT
I think the US never got around to "declaring" English as the official language simply because there was never a particular reason for doing so.

Formed from English-speaking British colonies in the first place, there was formerly never any question that English would NOT be the language of national discourse.

It is only now, with a rising Hispanic population, that the issue has come to the fore.

The case of Canada is entirely different. Here, the British colonies included a substantial French-speaking population with confessional, legal and language rights assured by the Crown.

To successfully create Canada in 1867 as a self-governing Dominion of the British Empire, the linguistic rights of both English- and French-speaking Canadians had to be considered.
Joe   Sun May 07, 2006 12:22 pm GMT
"Recently in the news I read about immigrant's singing the national anthem in Spanish. There was an uproar with many saying that it should be in English, only. Why hasn't the federal government of the USA declared English the sole official language of the country like Canada has done for English and French?"

Since you posted this and seem to think that people should sing the anthem in English, can you explain why that should be? I'm an impartial observer so if you can't convince me you won't be able to convince anyone. Maybe the “native Americans” can object at the fact English spoken at all. Those damn Iraqis are still speaking their native language, I know lets invade, kill a hundred thousand civilians and call it a war on terrorism. That’ll teach them. We can then call the people who defend their country terrorists and rebels (rebelling from what…an invasion). We will then continue to occupy that country and send thousands of our youth over there to die while “we” sit at home with our flag flying from the porch. God bless America.
Joe   Sun May 07, 2006 12:23 pm GMT
I might not be that impartial, by the way.
greg   Sun May 07, 2006 2:19 pm GMT
D6078AK : « Formed from English-speaking British colonies in the first place, there was formerly never any question that English would NOT be the language of national discourse. »

Pas si sûr. En 1776 le sentiment anti-britannique était si fort que l'on a songé au français, à l'allemand, au grec et même à l'hébreu pour faire fonction d'idiome national des États-Unis nouvellement créés avec l'aide de la France.

Le Congrès continental — soit l'assemblée législative des treize colonies britanniques de l'Amérique du Nord-Est à partir de 1774 — a même publié des documents officiels en français et en allemand, je crois.
D6078AS   Sun May 07, 2006 3:03 pm GMT
"En 1776 le sentiment anti-britannique était si fort que l'on a songé au français, à l'allemand, au grec et même à l'hébreu pour faire fonction d'idiome national des États-Unis nouvellement créés avec l'aide de la France."

It's true that this was considered amongst some of the Continental leadership but frankly, there was never any practical way the general population of the Thirteen Colonies was going to stop speaking English in favour of French or German. And Greek or Hebrew? Be serious.

No, the real impetus quickly moved towards the notion of "Americanizing" the English language instead.
markus   Sun May 07, 2006 3:11 pm GMT
If many people constantly hammer out the point that the us is an english speaking country, then it would be logical to have only one official language for the country and official language version for the song. If the law of the land, the us constitution, doesn't state that the us has an official language, then spanish speakers can possibly make the us into a bilingual country, like up north in ca. The majority in the US speak English but it seems like that might be usurped by Spanish if the federal government does not act now. that isn't being alarmist, that is just the way it is. Their should be a national debate as to whether we are an English speaking nation or are we bilingual, like Canada, with 2 national languages, English and Spanish. Whichever way you support, Congress should act to resolve this issue.
Duque de Albuqerque   Sun May 07, 2006 3:20 pm GMT
I really hope Southwestern USA will become officially Spanish-speaking!

Viva la Hispanidad!
greg   Sun May 07, 2006 3:20 pm GMT
D6078AS : je n'ai pas dit que la majorité anglophone rejetait l'anglais. J'ai simplement nuancé ton affirmation précédente, laquelle me semblait inexacte.
Uriel   Sun May 07, 2006 3:35 pm GMT
Duque, Duque, you should really learn to spell Albuquerque...and New Mexico is officially Spanish-speaking. Spanish and English have official status in the state.

The US doesn't need an official language. It's a big place, with room for lots of variety.
Joe   Sun May 07, 2006 3:40 pm GMT
There is no issue. Who cares how someone sings the national anthem? English is the language of the minority and that won't change. You are making a mountain out of a molehill. Stop being a racist and do something more important. The Klan is nothing, Neo-Nazis are idiots and if you think either of those "groups" are any good then you my friend, are an idiot also. Making a country officially bilingual means all government documents have to be translated and that is a waste of money.
Joe   Sun May 07, 2006 3:42 pm GMT
I should have said that English is the language of the majority. Silly little me.
j   Sun May 07, 2006 5:28 pm GMT
the discussion on the exactly same topic has just ended recently - see:
http://www.antimoon.com/forum/t103-0.htm
"Official languages of the US" -
109 replies in the discussion which lasted for almost TEN months!
Jim C, York   Sun May 07, 2006 6:57 pm GMT
I found it funny that Bush said he didn't want them to sing it in any other language, then the First Lady said she thinks they should! Then she was told her husbands possition, and she changed her mind instantly!

Put it this way, People should be happy they want to sing the national anthem at all! What harm can it do if they want to sing it in their own language. I think it sounds better in Spanish anyway

Also can some one explain why there is a rift between Spanish speaking/"Hispanic" people and "white" people in America. In Europe there is not that attitude of Spain being ethnicly different?