Language and Culture

1
Language and Culture
2
An Official Language for the United States?

• English is NOT the official US language.
• No law requires that US governmental business be
  conducted in English.
• 16 states have declared English to be their
  official language
• California?
• Arizona?
• Florida?

3
Language Planning

• When governments make laws and policies with
  regard to language.
• Encouraging citizens to use/learn certain
  languages.
• Declaring an official language.

4
Reasons to Declare an Official Language

• Some countries just have too many languages to
  deal with, e.g. India.
• Some countries aim to preserve an indigenous
  language, e.g. Wales.
• Some countries want to recognise the
  place/importance of a certain language in the
  countrys past, e.g. Ireland.
• Declaring a world language as the official
  language enables the country to participate more
  easily in the world economy.

5
Linguistic States of Countries

• Monolingual rare, e.g. Korea
• Places emphasis on citizens learning other
  languages
• Bilingual e.g. Canada
• Multilingual e.g. Switzerland (French, German,
  Italian, Romansch) India (300 languages)
• Often these countries choose one or two
  national/official languages for business purposes

6
United States?

• Neither monolingual nor multilingual
• Majority speaks English, but hundreds of other
  languages exist, too
• Already has a world language as the national
  language why bother declaring an official
  language?

7
Reasons to Make English an Official Language

• Will force immigrants to learn English
• It is a symbolic act only

8
Reasons Not to Force English As an Official
Language

• Immigrants already know that English is
  important.
• The US may appear to be intolerant of
  differences.
• It may imply that other languages are not
  important in American history (e.g. European
  languages of the original immigrants Native
  American/First Nation languages).
• Symbolic acts carry a lot of weight
• Politically
• Places English above other languages.
• Opens the door for abolishing bilingual
  ballots/printing, etc.
• Socially
• Degrades non-English languages.
• Justifies non-English prejudices.
• May increase open contempt of non-English
  speakers.

9
Final Words

• First and foremost we must recognize the
  potentially destructive consequences of declaring
  one language the official language in a
  multicultural, democratic nation, (p.89).