The+Elevators

ENGLISH: THE OFFICIAL U.S. LANGUAGE?. November 13, 2008 http://www.uwm.edu/Course/350-192/lcarson.html.

Pros of making English the official language Cons of making English the official language
 * Unite Americans
 * Such a bill would apply only to the Federal government (like documents)
 * Immigrants would be more encouraged in more us democratic processes
 * Fewer racial conflicts
 * Government operations would be more streamlined -EB
 * It will overlook the individuals own culture]
 * Health hazards where minorities have trouble getting health care \
 * Would make it difficult for law enforcement officials to question people speaking different languages
 * Is a great resource for America in diplomatic efforts
 * 94% of Americans already speak English, there is no legislation necessary-EB

James, Crawford. __Language Policy__. 2000. November 13, 2008 < http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/JWCRAWFORD/langpol.htm >.


 * United States has never had a language policy\
 * In 1980 studies showed 38 percent in speakers of minority languages, and 37 percent in U.S. residents who have some difficulty with English\
 * “Language Policy //n.// 1. What government does officially – through legislation, court decisions, executive action, or other means – to (a) determine how languages are used in public contexts, (b) cultivate language skills needed to meet national priorities, or (c) establish the rights of individuals or groups to learn, use, and maintain languages.”-EB

november 13, 2008 < http://insidecharmcity.com/2008/04/22/english-as-the-official-language-in-frederick-county/ >.


 * A Frederick County commissioner wants to make English the official language
 * In October, a Jenkins proposal to cut some county services to illegal immigrants was defeated, 3-to-2.
 * Native-language accommodations discourage immigrants from learning English.
 * Plenty of other countries have designated official languages to manage diversity. Why not the U.S.A. ?
 * Congress had never even considered declaring English the nation's official language until 1981
 * American English has never been in jeopardy
 * One thing we can say with certainty: **Language diversity has always been with us-KR**

november 13, 2008 < http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Jwcrawford/question.htm >.

1. Plenty of other countries have designated official languages to manage diversity. 2.      Congress had never even considered declaring English the nation's official language until 1981. 3.      Currently, all official documents in the U.S. are written in English, though some also have versions in other languages. -RB

English as an Official Language. Monday, March 17, 2008. November 13, 2008 http://alex-researchpaper.blogspot.com/2008/03/pros-and-cons.html.

Pros


 * Unite the nation
 * political leaders argue for this issue rather than against it, for they claim that knowing how to speak English is the key to success in America
 * would simplify and expedite matters in education, government, and business, as well as ease communication and racial conflicts
 * Officiating a national language would encourage immigrants who do not speak it to learn

Cons


 * America is a nation of immigrants
 * cover up cultural identity as well as discourage immigrants whose native tongue is not English
 * wouldn't necessarily increase the percentage of Americans who can speak English
 * "English-only" laws are politically incorrect and biased against immigrants-EB

http://www.workings.com/LIA_EOL.htm

1. Representatives voted 259-169 to declare English the official language of the United States. 2. 1.9 billion people worldwide, one-third of humanity, speak English 3. English is the official language of many countries 4. 98% of Americans speak English 5. More than 300 languages are spoken in the United States. 6. 1.9 billion people worldwide, one-third of humanity, speak English-KR

1. $1.5 billion is a rough estimate of how much the U.S. government spends annually on language education 2. English language advocates reports that nearly 17 million Americans admit that they not do speak English very well, that the number of Americans who do not speak English has soared since the 1990 census, and that 18% of Americans do not speak English at home 3. Before Columbus, roughly 300 languages were spoken here in the U.S 4. a language scholar and Republican senator from California, sponsored a constitutional amendment to make English the official language- KR

States with official English laws. 2008. November 14, 2008 .

States with official English laws:

Alabama (1990) Alaska (1998) Arizona (2006) Arkansas (1987) California (1986) Colorado (1988) Florida (1988) Georgia (1986 & 1996) Hawaii (1978) Idaho (2007) Illinois (1969) Indiana (1984) Iowa (2002) Kansas (2007) Kentucky (1984) Louisiana (1811) Massachusetts (1975) Mississippi (1987) Missouri (1998) Montana (1995) Nebraska (1920) New Hampshire (1995) North Carolina (1987) North Dakota (1987) South Carolina (1987) South Dakota (1995) Tennessee (1984) Utah (2000) Virginia (1981 & 1996) Wyoming (1996) EB

http://www.workings.com/LIA_EOL.htm

1. The financial burden of language "assistance" by government is enormous.-RB

Making English our official language. December 16, 2003. November 14, 2008 .

• Many nations showed almost unanimous agreement on the importance of learning English • “In May, about 20 percent of the students at Miami Senior High School, where 88 percent of the students speak English as a second language, failed the annual Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) exam, which is required for graduation. The poor results prompted protests and demands for the test to be given in Spanish as well as English. Over 200 students and teachers gathered outside the school waving signs and chanting "No FCAT." A state senator from Miami introduced a bill that would allow the FCAT to be given in Spanish.” -EB

Making English the Official Language of the United States. Feb 15, 2008. November 14, 2008 .

• Fifty-two countries throughout the world have designated English as their official language • US has not • it would save money • make the states more united • allow for better communication with immigrants • 82% of Americans speak only English in their homes- EB

Language in America - English as the Official Language. November 14, 2008 .

• 1.9 billion people worldwide, speak English • Many countries use English to conduct common and official business • More then 300 languages are spoken in the US • 98% of Americans speak English very well or well • Government Multilingual Programs Are Costly- EB

No habla English: Democrats stop bill making English the official language. May 15th, 2008. November 14, 2008 .

• Multiple languages can result in multiple and confusing road signs -EB

English as Official Language?. November 14, 2008 .

• Making English the official language would not prevent people from communicating in a language they choose -EB

november 14, 2008 .

1. According to a 2000 census, 88% of Americans speak English, and it is the generally accepted language in America. 2. more than 300 different languages are spoken in the U.S 3. A Rasmussen Reports survey found that 85 percent of Americans agree that English should be the official language.- RB

november 14, 2008 <http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/general_current_events/85_support_english_as_official_language_of_u_s

1. Making English the nation’s official language is favored by 92% of Republicans, 79% of democrats 2. It is supported by 91% of those over 40 and 78% of those under 40 3. 88% of white Americans support English as the official language along with 76% of non-white Americans.- RB

Holt, Brady. __Councilman hopes to make English city's official language__. 7/24/08. november 18, 2008 . Councilman hopes to make English city's official language
 * English has been the de facto official language in College Park and the rest of the united states to Jack Perry.
 * Kimberly Propeack, advocacy director for the Latino rights group CASA de Maryland, said in an e-mail that English-only legislation "tends to be read as cultural declarations about who is welcome in a community."
 * Jack Perry wants to hear the pros and cons through out College Park of making English the official language.
 * He wants to request city staff to investigate what sort of experience other English-only municipalities have had.
 * Perry comments, "I'll probably be in the minority because of the liberalness of my co-councilpeople, and we have to bend over backwards" to speakers of other languages, he said. "I'm sure that everybody's going to tell me I'm wrong. I've been there before." -AA

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/604013/making_english_the_official_language.html?cat=9

• Agreements on the importance of learning English are Vietnam, 98 percent; Indonesia, 96 percent; Germany and South Africa, 95 percent; India, 93 percent; China and the Philippines, 92 percent; Honduras, Japan, Nigeria, and Uganda, 91 percent; and France, Mexico, and Ukraine, 90 percent.

• If forms only had to be printed in English they would be much cheaper to make -RB

CCCC Guideline on the National Language Policy. Novemeber 18, 2008 .

A language policy for a multilingual society would do three things: • provide resources to enable native and nonnative speakers to achieve oral and literate competence in English • support programs that assert the legitimacy of native languages • foster the teaching of languages other than English

• Thousands of people are on waiting lists to enroll in English classes • For the last two hundred years immigrants have learned English fine with out any laws • First amendment guarantees freedom of speech • English only laws violate constitutional rights

What people can do to help support the national language policy: • Try to include all citizen in community activities • Provide services in the minorities official language so their rights are not affected • Learn a second and third language • People who do not speak English need time to learn it so give them the respect to • Encourage immigrants to speak their native language • Learning new languages causes people to learn others cultures -EB

november 18, 2008 .

november 19,2008 <http://www.strictlyspanish.com/whitepaper2.htm>.

1. At least five cities and towns have approved ordinances making English the official language, and eight are considering them 2. there were 4.5 times as many non-English speakers than in the 1990 census 3. 66 percent of other immigrants speak no English 4. In 1910, 23 percent of foreign-born whites, 39 percent of Japanese, 41 percent of Chinese, and 66 percent of other immigrants spoke no English, as compared with less than 10 percent of foreign-born residents in 1990 5. About a third of the world's nation-states have official language provisions in their constitutions 6. The U.S. as a nation has never declared an official language 7. Forty million Hispanics speaking their native language at home, at work, and on their daily lives. 8. Employers want to train employees in their native languages. When employees understand the tasks they are required to do without the language barriers 9. Employers want their employees to fully understand the terms of their employment. But employee manuals are offered in the native language of the employees 10. Publishers provide textbook materials in Spanish at the request of certain states, so many books are being translated 11. 322 languages are spoken in the country-KR

Crawford, James. Surviving the English Only Assault:. 1996 . Novemeber 18, 2008 <http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/jWCRAWFORD/mitesol.htm>.

• immigrants today are highly motivated to learn English • making an official language has been shown to be harmful to children's academic growth • We need more than one language in today’s world-EB

Crawford, James. __Language Legislation in the U.S.A.__. June 24, 2008. november 19, 2008 <http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/jwcrawford/langleg.htm>. Language Legislation in the U.S.A.: Legislation that was pending in congress and would amend the U.S. code in these ways:
 * The English Only legislation first appeared in 1981 as a constitution English Language Amendment.
 * Was approved by two- thirds vote of the House and Senate and ratified by three-quarters of state legislatures.
 * Since 1981, 24 states have have adopted various forms of Official English legislation.
 * English would be designated the official language of the U.S. government – indeed, the **only** language that federal employees and officials, including members of Congress, would be permitted to use for most government business.
 * The English Only would extend to federal "actions, documents, policies ... publications, income tax forms, informational materials," records, proceedings, letters to citizens, to any form of written communication on behalf of the U.S. government.
 * Exceptions to the ban on federal use of other languages would be permitted for purposes that include national security, international trade and diplomacy, public health and safety, criminal proceedings, language teaching, certain handicapped programs, and the preservation of Native American languages.
 * An "entitlement" would be created, to ensuring the "right" of every person to communicate with the federal government in English – but for English speakers only.
 * Civil lawsuits to enforce the law would be permitted by persons claiming to have been "injured by a violation" of it – a "right of action" that could give virtually any taxpayer the standing to sue in federal court.
 * Naturalization ceremonies would be specifically restricted to English only.
 * Bilingual provisions of the Voting Rights Act, which guarantee minority-language voting materials in certain jurisdictions, would be repealed. - AA