A backlash against Spanish?
Wednesday November 8, 2006
If Arizona voters made one thing clear in Tuesday's elections, it's that they aren't too keen on the idea of public servants using Spanish while performing their official duties. At last count, a measure making English the official state language of the state was passing with support of nearly three-fourths of the voters. The measure basically says that state and local government employees can't use Spanish under most circumstances, although there are some exceptions, such as in performing law enforcement and in teaching the language in schools.
The measure doesn't say anything specifically about Spanish, of course, but that's clearly the non-English language that has drawn attention in a state that borders Mexico and has had a great deal of immigration, both legal and illegal, from that country. I'd be interested in hearing what readers of this site think of the vote — does it represent prejudice or is it, as the measure's backers claimed, a reasonable means to help ensure national unity? Simply click on the Comment link below to share your thoughts.
The measure doesn't say anything specifically about Spanish, of course, but that's clearly the non-English language that has drawn attention in a state that borders Mexico and has had a great deal of immigration, both legal and illegal, from that country. I'd be interested in hearing what readers of this site think of the vote — does it represent prejudice or is it, as the measure's backers claimed, a reasonable means to help ensure national unity? Simply click on the Comment link below to share your thoughts.
Comments
I belive that English should be the official language of the US, however in states having a large population of spanish speaking residents, (in my opinion) it is more efficient to transact business in a language that both parties feel comfortable using.
Being bilingual is always an advantage. Banning a language is nothing more than admitting the population is too lazy/stupid to learn another one.
It’s amazing how US expats insist on speaking English in Spanish speaking countries yet try tto ban Spanish in the US.
El español es una de las tres lenguas más habladas en el mundo. Es la lengua común de vente-tres países y cuatrocientos-cuarenta millones de personas. El español es, además, una lengua esencial en la política al ser uno de los cinco idiomas oficiales de la ONU y lengua oficial en la Unión Europea. A estos datos se debe añadir que el español es un idioma esencialmente ligado a la cultura y los negocios.
Hay ciento-trenta millones de personas que habla francés en el mundo y es idioma oficial en más de trenta paises!
Official language is the must language of a nation, and all other languages spoken should be free to speak but they must still learn the official language.
We have this same problem of explaining it to Europeans, Kurds in Turkey should and can speak their language but they must learn Turkish at Turkish schools.
I don’t know about risks of Mexicans to Arizona’s feature especially when they are building a wall by the mexican border, but for Turks it is a question of keeping the country one and undivided.
This has nothing to do with banning a language and more a recognition of English as our national language. Both my parents immigrated here legally and learned English as their path to citizenship. But our family has kept its culture, language and heritage alive. Being bi/multilingual is wonderful (I’ve spoken 5 languages, with Spanish being the latest). People should be accomodating in learning the language of their host country, not demanding that their hosts learn their language.
>>The measure basically says that state and local government employees can’t use Spanish under most circumstances …
Can’t or simply not obligated to … ?
“Can’t” seems at first thought not only unconscionable, but also unenforceable.
¡Pero, espere un momentito! Are public employees legally responsible for their public utterances? Incorrectly responding to a question not properly understood because a public servant was trying to use their night school Spanish could leave the state financially liable for damages. No lo sé…
Rex
If people in every culture made an effort to be less xenophobic and lazy, they’d realize that learning a second language can be fun, and this wouldn’t even be an issue. I speak HORRIBLE Spanish myself, but I love trying to communicate in it, and the practice is good for me.
The way I see it, there are so many people from all over the world, speaking hundreds of different languages, coming to the United States. A common language makes communication between people so much easier.
For instance, if a couple years ago I started speaking Igbo to a Spanish speaker, and vice versa, nothing benefical would have come out of it. A common language just makes life easier.
I don’t care if people are speaking Korean to one another, but if they’re going to ask me for something, it’s best that we undertstand each other, right?
I think in states that were formally part of Mexico (like Arizona) and by default have a large Spanish speaking population should definitely have two official languages.
I live in Arizona and was, apparently, among the 25% who voted against this. We already have laws on the books which would prevent any other language from becoming the “official” language of the state. This was one of several “immigrant-bashing” propositions on the ballot. Having said that, however, while I agree with the writer who said that Americans “insist” on speaking English in other countries, in no way would we expect any other country to make English its official language, or to have all signs, printed materials, phone trees, etc. in more than one language. I realize that immigrants can’t learn English the minute they cross the border, but do think they should begin making the effort when they arrive here. I would expect to do the same if I moved to another non-English speaking country.
English SHOULD be the OFFICIAL languaqge of our country. I speak Spanish fairly well, and use it frequently in my work and daily life. Nothing wrong with that.
I support LEGAL immigration, figainst ILLEGAL “immigration”. Nothing racial at all. Just about our laws, our social and economic resources, law and order, etc.
No other factor is more important in furtherance of national unity and a feeling of inclusion by all of its people than that a nation have a single common language.
Bi- or multilingualism is a great advantage for an individual, but as official policy, a great disadvantage for a country. Unlike an individual a country’s multilingualism doesn’t mean that all its citizens are multilingual but that official policy accommodate second (and third) languages, which rather than promoting unity only strengthens divisive tendencies.
That the majority should learn another language to accomodate a minority makes no sense – sociological, economic, or “common”. If a minority aspires to full, participating citizenship in a nation then the burden is not on the majority to accommodate their minority language, but rather on the minority to learn the national language, and by so doing work against the linguistic division that only fosters disunity and separatism.
Much “adieu” about “nada”! Every country has an official language in Spain it is Spanish even though there are other languages or idiomas spoken. In countries below the border the language is some form of “Latino” even though other languages or idiomas are spoken. If you truly want to live & become part of a country the least you can do is learn the language of that country. In the United States it is English.
There is nothing wrong with having a national language. However, being a citizen of the United States implies certain beliefs, morals, and an innate sense of democracy over communism. These characteristics have nothing to do with what langauge you speak. If anything, the US should have two languages, Spanish and English. It seems that American citizens, for the most part, are completely ignorant when it comes to international culture and foreign affairs. Knowing two languages will NEVER hurt you. In fact, it is likely to raise your pay grade and put you ahead in life.
As a native of Arizona, a first generation American, and a Spanish teache–I am disgusted by the passing of this measure. The voters of Arizona are too ignorant and lazy to learn a second language, yet they expect others to do what they will not.
It’s not about learning another language-it’s about keeping the unity in the “United States”. With all due respect to Spanish-speakers, what about the French, German (my heritage), Polish, Chinese, etc. speakers? If everyone wanted to speak their heritage language, no one would understand anyone else. The common language is one factor which unites our coountry and makes communication possible. My grandmother came from Germany, and learned to speak quite passable English. In your family, church, and other close groups, please enjoy your native language, but when you’re in society at large, please follow the tradition of learning the national language.
No one can deny that leaning a second language is completely beneficial for all. Also, no one can deny that we live in a day and age where many, if not most, live paranoid lives with regard to terrorism, safety…etc. Unfortunately, the fact is that most of the fear and paranoia is blamed on the immigrant. Add a touch of prejudice and racism to this reality–can you believe that this still exists?!–and there’s your explanation for such anti-immigrant sentiment.
Our country always responds in this xenophobic way with any wave of immigration. In the late 1800’s when there were many German immigrants coming to New York City many signs were in German and people were railing against that. The same has been true of the Italians, the Jews, various groups of asian immigrants and – guess what? within a generation their children were speaking english and we have all this wonderful literature, plays and movies about the conflicts between 1st generation and their assimilated children. Isn’t America wonderful? I say bring ‘em on. (the immigrants) It’s a constant revitalization for our country.
I am an Arizona voter and, although I did not support this measure, I think I understand why others did… and no, it’s not because they are bigoted jerks. As evidence I cite that we also declined to participate in the national trend of gay-bashing by voting down a constitutional amendment which would have prohibited same-sex marriage. Furthermore if folks don’t like Latinos, AZ would be a poor choice of a state in which to live.
Some years ago Arizona voted to get rid of bilingual education. I did not support that measure either, but the reason it was terminated was that it was not bilingual education; it was Spanish education. Anglos were not particularly welcome. Furthermore kids were indiscriminately assigned to these classes, often based upon surname alone. Attention!!: Many children named Martinez cannot speak Spanish. And many people named Martinez supported this measure to abolish bilingual ed.
Recently it has become more widely known that illegal immigrants in AZ can attend AZ colleges at in-state tuition rates. Hmmm, let’s see now, a kid from Texas must pay the full freight, but an illegal immigrant gets a state subsidy? Eh… no, many people do not like that.
These are the kinds of bureaucratic, bone-headed notions that incite people to overreact with severe measures like these.
And speaking of bone-headed moves — most of us remember several months ago when immigrants around the country rallied to call attention to their numbers and their growing power. Mexican flags predominated at these rallies. Organizers realized only too late what a catastrophically stupid thing this was to do. Very soon the number of Mexican flags diminished and they were always, always, always accompanied by American flags. Alas! The speed of light is 300,000 kilometers per second. People saw… and they did not like it.
A final thought: No measure can pass in Arizona with 3/4 of the vote without at least some Latino support. Virtually everyone in Arizona acknowledges that if you want to get anywhere, you must speak English.
Viva para siempre!
So everyone in the U.S. (or at least border states) should learn 2 languages to accomodate immigrants… so that immigrants won’t have to? That means the only people who won’t have to learn two languages would be immigrants. What nation in the world gives preferential treatment to immigrants? Give me a precedent.
We’re ignorant and lazy because we don’t learn a second language to accomodate immigrants? What does that say about the immigrants who won’t learn a second language?
I just wonder what the law of Mexico is with respect to this.
I don’t know why some people have such self hatred, and a dislike for this country, in ways that violate common sense, but I sure wish they’d stop being hypocrites and leave. Go to one of those wonderful, progressive countries like Mexico where they teach in all sorts of languages. Don’t they?
China started making much more progress after they declared that all business be conducted in Mandarin. It makes economic sense to have one official language. That shouldn’t mean that everyone has to speak English at work, just that all business be conducted in English. For example, if employees are discussing the weather, or sports, or family life, or whatever, they should be able to speak any language they wish. But if a customer comes up and asks for help, that help should be in English. To me, that is what having an official language would mean.
Americans speak English. Additional languages are optional. To not speak English in America is to not be an American.
I live in Panama and am learning Spanish because Spanish is the language of Panama. It is a matter of respect for your new culture.
Mostof us who are learning
Most of us who are learning spanish love the spanish language or the spanish people or the culture or something pertaining to the language. It is the taxes required to hire ESL teachers and establish ESL classrooms that we rail against. Students entering the school system here should enter with at least enough English to participate without extra help. I would expect nothing less if I were entering the school system of another country. I believe that everyone in the United States should learn spanish simply because of the number of spanish speakers that live here. Besides that it’s just plain fun. The Mexican people are wonderful, and they have a glorious history. Asking that their children learn English before entering the school system has nothing to do with their nationality as far as I am concerned.
What the border states seem to continually ignore is that for many mexicans, these states belong to the republic of mexican states,only having been invaded in previous wars by the US. So for the Americans of the united states, i say “get over it”. What they are seeing is evolution in action in much the same way as english terms have evolved in many other parts of the world. In fact with the growth of China and India, and the diminishing role of the US in the world, whos to say that Manderin and Hindi join Castellano as the languages of the future.
Shouldn’t the official language of this land be Cherokee, Navajo, Black Foot, Papago, etc., of course depending on where your ancestors “settled?”
The last thing we need is to make America more homogeneous. I would argue that the people so passionate about an official language are xenophobic and feel threatened by the thought of diversity. At the same time, I don’t want to simplify the business issue. As an employee working for a company with many ties to China and India — thick accents — I can verify that it’s a frustrating issue at times, but nothing that should be quick-fixed on a local, state, or federal level. Ultimately, it makes us all stronger in the long run.
I’m a person of color (Native born American) with a degree and post graduate work in Spanish. I have also studied Portuguese, Italian, French, and Latin. I think the Arizona English only law is racist, xenophobic, and very backward. While I agree that people who come to this country to live and work should learn English, I see no reason why hearing people speaking Spanish, creole, Hindi,Chinese, or any other non-English language should be offensive. I would have no problem with all official documentation and other government transactions be required to be put or said in English. What you might want to do is build bridges into the immigrant non-English speaking communities and set up some sort of translation-interpretation services so that when official state or government business is being done, everyone can understand each other. The main point is communication as I see it. However, I believe because the immigrants coming to this country are not White and God forbid don’t speak the English as their native tongue pose some sort of threat to the 400 years of Anglo-American domination that we have had in this country. Listen up folks, English has been the dominant language in this country for 400 years, I doubt that 30 million Latinos have the power to change that. By the way Cajuns in Louisiana have been speaking and singing in FRENCH for generations yet doing that whole time no one to my knowledge suggested that English be the official language of that state. Hmmm, interesting isn’t it?
That said, I do believe it is disrespectful to NOT learn the common language of a region you inhabit or a business where a language is understood to be standard. The inherent disrespect should be justification enough for learning — since when has forcing people to do anything ever worked?
It is a reaction to the illegals. Those who are legal, whatever their national origin, have always tried to preserve their native tongue. Rarely, however, has this lasted beyond that first generation of immigrants. Making English the official language does not make a foreign language illegal nor does it forbid preservation of one’s cultural heritage. It does, however, strive for harmony and cohesion in the practical everyday workings of society.
I have been bilingual all my life. I teach Spanish and i feel that’s it’s very important that students learn a second language. I have also learned a third language and feel that all of our students would benefit from speaking English and Spanish. They are the future of America and they will be able to use any second language they learn now. the world is getting smaller and they need to communicate with all kinds of people. Of course, English is a common language but that proposal sound racial to me.
Spanish is already this country’s second language irregardless of any laws or statues to the contrary. I think it should be embraced and taught alongside English in our schools rather than rejected by the egalitarians.
I am an anglophone who was born in the US,
as my foremothers (and fathers) were for at least four generations. I am also an illegal, immigrant. None of my ancestors have written permission to settle on the land of any one of 180 plus Indian Tribes native to North America.
The United States is de facto bilingual.
We should all learn both. I am trying,
and my 23 month grandaughter attends
two-way bilingual preschool.
A typical attitude was a co-worker who
almost screamed at me “It’s OUR country’
She meant that everyone should learn her
only language. Much of this xenophobia
and raceism, comes from people who used
to say African Americans should be forever subservient or return to Africa.
Even President Lincoln said so. But today that attitude is so unacceptable
that the hate for dark skin is displaced
toward Spanish.
Some politicians would cut off all health and education to Iberoamericao/a
undocumented immigrants. They seem to
think kids being illeterate or dying from lack of health care will get them
a few votes and drive Iberoamericanos/as
away
My great grandparents spoke German at work and at home. They also spoke French and a little Russian. What do you call a person who speaks three languages? trilingual. Two languages? biligual. Can only speak one language? An American. Wake up America. Aprende Espanol.
This has nothing to do with banning Spanish. I would oppose such a move. But the United States is an English culture, just as Mexico and Bolivia are Spanish cultures. Cultural identity is absolutely vital to hold a nation together. It isn’t that English is superior to Spanish. It is simply that we all need to be able to speak the same language in order to understand each other. For the same reason, if I relocated to a Hispanic country (Costa Rica comes rapidly to mind!) I would want to learn Spanish, since that’s the language there. It’s that simple.
All of the debates over Official English and border fences are a canard. Search “NAFTA Superhighway” and you will see what the future has in store for the USA as part of the North American Union. Knowing Spanish will be quite useful and indeed necessary for many.
I can understand those who are concerned about illegal immigration in the USA. I think that the way the U.S. and Mexican governments have handled the issue (not to mention the historical basis for the migratory movements in the first place). is the source of many of the problems and social tension that we see today. It is an issue with many social, economic, and political implications. However, I believe that establishing a relationship between illegal immigration and civil servants’ use of foreign language is falsely connecting two issues that are actually irrelevant to one another.
Those who support the measure, in my belief, are allowing their ideals and convictions about adapting to a culture to overshadow a sense of practicality. For the record, many non-English speakers are not illegal, and not necessarily low-class and uneducated. Just to give a few Spanish-speaking examples, there are many refugees and asylum-seekers from Cuba and Colombia in the USA, who by definition, they hold legal status. Puerto Ricans and some Southern Texans are both native Spanish-speakers and also American citizens. There are legal Mexican nationals in the U.S. as well, some of whom are on guest worker programs. Spanish is an official language of New Mexico. So Spanish is already an official language in parts of our country, and is the native language of some natives of this country. There can be no question that those people deserve to be here, because this is their country as well.
But let’s say that weren’t the case. Let’s say that Arizona’s large non-English speaking population was exclusively composed of illegal immigrants who did manual labor and did not learn English. It would still be practical for the official bodies to communicate with them in their language within their capabilities, using interpreters if necessary. For example, if health authorities completely ignored complete sections of any possibility, that would increase the possibility of risks to the entire public health passing undetected. That would effect the entire population. Just like children who try to make the sun disappear by holding up their thumbs, ignoring non-English speakers won’t make them go away. If anything, it exacerbates social divisions rather than lessen them. We need to recognize that unless some mass deportation takes place (highly unlikely), non-English speakers are living their lives in U.S. society. That is a fact and we have to deal with it, just as we deal with any other fact.
Some of you talked about a common language being necessary for common understanding. Let’s imagine a group of people, one of whom is an English-speaker and the rest who are non-native speakers of English, trying to make some important decision. (This is a scenario described in the documentary The Whisperers, about interpreters).
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Unless those non-English speakers are truly bilingual, the type of bilingualism that only comes after sustained education and contact in both languages, they will all express themselves more simply in English. Their speech is more simple, but the issues they’re discussing are quite complex. And because no one understands completely the cultural context of anyone else, or because they are not listening to their native language, they really don’t completely understand what everyone else is saying. Everyone may pick out the general lines (it’s simplified), but important details will be missed out. What is understood may actually be very small. That would greatly compromise whatever important decision is being made. This would be the norm if most important or official encounters between people went as described above, because very few people ever get to that bilingual level, unless they grow up in a bilingual environment and are bilingually educated, or are hardcore language nerds, like some of us on this forum probably are. This is the reason that organizations like the EU Parliament and other organizations use interpreters, because the cost of an interpreter is off-set by the cost that would be incurred by future meetings to clarify what was misunderstood, or by diffusing some unwitting diplomatic incident.
It’s the same I imagine, for the state employees that speak to their constituents in Spanish. Governments do not just provide services; they also get information from citizens (in the general sense of the word). These employees speak to their constituents in Spanish, or hire an interpreter, because it simply avoids some of the problems of not understanding and not being understood. In the best case, these problems can be a waste valuable time and money. In the worse of cases, they may put someone’s life at risk, as in my health care authority example.
I don’t think illegal immigration is a positive phenomenon, not for native-borns, and not for the immigrants themselves. It puts the immigrants in a vulnerable, no-end situation, it deprives the state of tax dollars, and it is a recipe for resentment from everyone, because it encourages abuses of the system on both sides. It is not feasible for Mexico to maintain its social stratification and it is even less feasible for the U.S. to simply absorb the entire Mexican working class. This, however, has nothing to do with speaking a foreign language as a government worker. As a country, we need to have the same common sense that we did when Plain English statutes were enacted to rid many administrative documents and communications of impenetrable legalese. It’s simply a good idea if governments can communicate with people in a way they can understand. Mutual understanding is an absolutely vital part of being a unified people.
I agree that we Americans should speak or attempt to speak the languages of the countries we travel to. Sometimes my fellow Americans embarrass me. I speak five language myself. Some of them I speak quite well. I am just a simple American and Arizona resident but I believe that English should be our official language. Let the immigrants learn just like my ancestors did.
I believe that arizona is correct in passing such a law. The people that are migrating here need to put forth more effort into learning english. Even here in the northeast there is a growing number of spanish speaking people and it seems to create a barrier out in public. To some extent they isolate themselves and are therefore more or less not treated as equals at times. This is sad because many of them have come here seeking a better life. How soon most of us forget our ansestors may have done the same thing in the past. Many of them came from different cultures and had to adapt by learning english here in the US. I know that the english language isn’t easy to learn and many times over it throws in some strange rule that only applies to one word, but we all need to be able to communicate with each other to some extent. Being in my mid-forties it isn’t easy to learn a new language but I’m trying to learn a little spanish when I have time. I’m not at a conversational level yet and understanding it spoken from someone isn’t easy. I think that the immigrants should try to meet us halfway. Even broken english can be made sense of if we have the patience instead of ridicule.
I had a Spanish teacher from a Latin American country who thought it was odd that the US did not have an official language. She said most countries do. From that perspective, I have no problem with this country having an official language.
At the same time, I believe in learning other languages. I speak French and have been taking Spanish classes for a few years. Being multi-lingual in a global world is a good thing.
Declaring English as the official language is completely reasonable and in no way prejudices against those speaking a foreign toung. Our schools should not be expected to support other languages. Our law enforcement, health and rescue forces should not be expected to support other toungs. The responsibility to learn another language should properly lie with the immigrant.
Cheers,
Jack
I have worked elections for several years, and our ballots here in Central California are in English and Spanish. Interpretive service (via phone) is also available for other languages. To become a citizen, an immigrant must learn English. However, the ballots are written in “legalize” and are difficult for even native born Americans to understand. Providing a translation simply smooths the voting path, and takes noting away from the non-Spanish voters. Why are people so selfish to keep a real help away from others? I have been in Europe, and found myself appreciating signs in “my” language, even though I can speak a smattering of Russian, French, and Spanish. This is a stupid solution to something that shouldn’t be a problem, and will make life a lot more difficult for innocent tongue-tied English as a second language speakers.
Ensure national unity? I think we gave up on that a long time ago, when we first put ourselves into categories… black and white, free and slave, immigrant and citizen… there has always been an “us and them.” Before we start worring about a “national language,” perhaps we sould worry about how we are caring for and teaching our children. Here I am, stuggling to teach my students that fighting, name-calling and “mud-slinging” are not the right ways to resolve conflicts, while the politicions, our ultimate role-models, are doing just that, day and night, on television. I teach Spanish. I also teach ethics, conflict resolution, responsibility, reading, writing, note-taking, generosity, compassion, listening, turn-taking, conversational etiquette, manners, penmanship, study skills, good hygiene, critical thinking…. I could go on and on. Now why should I be the only one in this society teaching our youth about being human? Isn’t it us, after all, all of us, that create the “national unity?” If we need to ensure something, we need to start with our children, not our language!
IMHO it’s ridiculously stupid to start trying to legislate the languages that people speak with each other– public servants or otherwise. This is something Americans are always mocking the French for doing, yet we’re just as guilty.
For one thing, in the Southwest, Spanish already has a kind of special protected status owing to a long series of customs, laws and treaty arrangements dating back to the Mexican War. California, Texas and New Mexico have this tradition, but so does Arizona. It’s useless to whine and rail against this– it’s pretty much integral to the region and was one of the conditions enabling the US to annex the territory without forcing rivers of blood to flow from bitter guerrilla warfare, similar to the cultural and language guarantees the US offered to the people of Puerto Rico. Bickering about this now just smacks of that creeping fear of brown people that transfixed California in the 1990’s.
Second, these official English laws are useless– they basically have no practical effect. California passed an official English law in the 1980’s for similar reasons– the Anglos found that those brown people were becoming too numerous, and attacked their culture– yet as a practical *and* legal matter, public and private institutions make regular use of Spanish as a matter of pure necessity, which the courts have consistently allowed. Hospitals, offices, parks, schools and other institutions consistently allow and encourage the use of Spanish, since the use of a given language for communication and (in the Southwest) Spanish for public use, is a constant feature of the landscape.
This language legislation is almost worse than useless– it’s like desperately fighting a losing battle against the tide or a cataract of falling water. The Southwest has long been a bilingual, bicultural region, and that aspect is merely reasserting itself now. Nothing special about it, and frankly, it should probably be welcomed– in the brutal history of the US Southwest, perhaps the best compromise is for the many peoples, cultures and languages of that region to coexist and enrich each other.
Rich wrote:
“People should be accomodating in learning the language of their host country, not demanding that their hosts learn their language.”
Rich, things aren’t nearly so simple in the Southwest. For one thing, the United States does not have a national or official language and never has had it. This dates all the way back to the American Revolution, when the Founding Fathers recognized (rightfully) that to ensure some semblance of peace with the native Americans who were the indigenous peoples of the US Continent, the native American languages had to be protected against an official declaration of English (or Dutch, or German) at the expense of Spanish. So Jefferson, Washington and the other Founding Fathers refrained from declaring English or any other language as official.
That tradition continues today. For the same reasons as those in the late 1700’s– protection of the native American languages and cultures– neither English nor any other language will ever be the official, exclusive language of the USA.
This gets still more complicated in the US Southwest, since almost all this territory was annexed by the US following a very brutal, bloody and bitter war between the US and Mexico from 1846-1848. The United States took almost half of Mexico’s territory– and its most resource-rich territory at that. To forestall angry Mexican guerrilla war, riots and bloody reprisal attacks, a long series of US treaties, laws, agreements and common law customs made guarantees protecting the property rights, culture and, yes, use of Spanish language in public places, to accommodate the Latino population. Some of these laws and promises were reprehensibly broken, but by and large, these guarantees were observed, and they enabled California, Arizona and the rest of the Southwest to evolve peacefully from 1848.
These sorts of idiotic, mean-spirited attacks on the culture and language of a group of people in this region, which became American in the fires of an incredibly bloody and bitter war, reopen some very nasty old wounds and are not a good idea. Furthermore, as noted, they’re useless– California went through the same process 15-20 years ago, and yet this did nothing to stop the increasing Latino presence in the state, nor did it forestall the rapid growth and strengthening of the Latino culture or the need for Spanish.
In fact, Spanish has become all but essential to survive financially in California.
Si no hablas espanol en ese estado o en Arizona, Ud. va a sufrir una miseria tan grande, porque todos los empleadores ahorita exigen que los empleados hablen espanol para adelantarse en sus carieras!
Rather than enacting dumb laws that fruitfully and futilely try to ban Spanish in public places, maybe we should instead be improving the methods and facilities available to teach both Spanish and English to those who lack either in Arizona. That would be a much more enlightened approach here.
Dee wrote:
“Shouldn’t the official language of this land be Cherokee, Navajo, Black Foot, Papago, etc., of course depending on where your ancestors “settled?”
Jim Lawson wrote:
“I am an anglophone who was born in the US,
as my foremothers (and fathers) were for at least four generations. I am also an illegal, immigrant. None of my ancestors have written permission to settle on the land of any one of 180 plus Indian Tribes native to North America.
The United States is de facto bilingual.
We should all learn both. I am trying,
and my 23 month grandaughter attends
two-way bilingual preschool.”
Excellent points, both of you! Without even delving into any of the political morass, all my nieces and nephews are attending two-way schools into high school, for sheer economic reasons above all else– this is the future of the USA here in a global economy, and trying to fight this is like trying to fight a waterfall as its flows.
Spanish isn’t that hard to learn. Y tambien es una idioma muy bonita *y* muy exacto! Solo aprendelo, entonces Ud. va a disfrutar muchas ventajas!
Marilyn Murphy wrote:
“If you truly want to live & become part of a country the least you can do is learn the language of that country. In the United States it is English.”
First of all, Marilyn, in Spain, the official language is not only Spanish– Catalan, Galician and Basque are also official languages. Second, as noted above, in the US the official language is not, and never has been English. Native American languages and Spanish have long been present alongside English since the nation’s founding, and have been recognized as such.
Wulf Kroekel wrote:
“Americans speak English. Additional languages are optional. To not speak English in America is to not be an American.”
Wulf, millions of Puerto Ricans don’t speak English and yet they’re still Americans. Millions of native Americans, Hawaiians and Alaskan and Pacific Islanders don’t speak it, and yet are considered American. Millions of people in the Southwest don’t speak it and yet are still Americans.
All these people speak languages that were present in this territory at the founding of the USA, and their languages therefore have official protection for use in public places. They have a right to use them as such and be considered Americans just the same.
We need a common language, if we are to remain a united country.
My father came here from Germany. He continued to speak German, but he also learned English. He did not demand that other people learn to speak German, so they could communicate with him.
“We need a common language, if we are to remain a united country.”
Well, Herbert, Switzerland has 4 official languages yet has among the strongest unity of any country. India has dozens and yet has strong unity.
The importance of a single language to a country as a unifier is vastly overrated– other factors, such as a common history, common ideals, acceptance of Constitutional norms and shared political participation are far more important.
Again, in the Southwest as well as in Florida– for legal and official reasons as well as practical ones, stemming from the series of treaties and laws signed since the Mexican War, for the Southwest– Spanish has equality with English, and so in those regions in particular, Spanish and English are both common languages.
Again, I have to laugh sometimes at these complaints about Spanish, since it’s so easy to learn. We’re lucky that our second common language is Spanish instead of, say, something like Korean, which would be more difficult, and it’s sheer laziness to complain so much when it’s so easy to acquire it. Y es una idioma muy bonita y util!
Herbert, FWIW, I’m not in any way trying to put down other languages besides English and Spanish here. German is a fabulous language as well, and if anything is the language of the people who, per capita, have contributed more to our modern world, especially our technology and our scientific community, than any other. (I say this as a proud Scotch-Irishman.) I think that you should feel proud to speak German yourself and enrich yourself with Germany’s culture, and to make sure that your kids and other family members speak German as well.
I’m just referring to the public sphere here, and for historical reasons, Spanish is one of the founder’s languages of the USA, along with English and the native American languages– it was established and official in US territory when it first became US territory. So it has those special protections, and in a very large portion of the US, it has to be learned. For practical reasons, it’s useful everywhere.
I think that a person should speak the language of the country they choose to live in, at least at their place of their employment. What a person does or says in their own home is their own business. If their own country was so great then why did they leave it in the first place. You can’t have your cake and eat it too. You should adapt to where you live.
I am bilingual and all my life I have had to use my knowledge. What if we, Americans, go to one of the Latin American countries and they ban ENGLISH completely…would that be fair…and how about the other languages our great country has – FRENCH, GERMAN, GREEK…and those languages banned, also? I believe someone is scared and basically it is the cowards way. This great country was built and made and is still made up of many cultures and nationalities…it will not work….the percentage is too high and I believe it will not change.
I think there’s a fundamental difference in the people commenting here and the average American. (I don’t know why and I’m not saying we’re better!) But for various reasons, we’re interested in and open to other languages and cultures to a far greater degree than the majority of our compatriots, and I don’t see that changing any time soon. My Spanish is bad but I’ve loved speaking it since my first class in 7th grade. It’s sad to me, but I think suggesting that middle America strive to become bilingual in the next couple generations is as unrealistic as insisting that everyone who immigrates here speak good English first.
I am native born USA, native born speaker of English. I studied Spanish in High School and in college. I am fluent in both languages and today teach Spanish in a retirement community. I also tutor immigrants learning English. Many of the underlying demands to make English official derive from the fear that English will be threatened. English has nothing to fear. My opinion is that all is well and that the USA should remain linquistically neutral and allow the natural process of acculturation and language learning to follow its course as it has for generations of immigrants.
if you speak three languages you’re “tri-lingual” – two languages – “bilingual” – if you only speak one language – you’re American
Multiple language use in one nation is the result of God’s judgment against that nation. In the Tower of Babel, God divided the people by causing them to speak multiple languages. The same is happening in America today. We are under God’s judgment for our rampant, self-serving, sinful lifestyles, and God is dividing us for it.
I am a blonde, native english speaker, but whenever I am in a government office (I live in Utah), I speak Spanish. People are happy to serve me and take my money, all in Spanish, even though Utah passed an English-only law several years ago. This is my personal protest. If all of us who speak Spanish do this, the law will be changed!
P.S. I also tutor ESL and believe that we need to help people in this country learn English. I propose that bank tellers, etc. put up signs that say, in addition to “se habla espanol,” “I am patient with English learners.” Many English learners do NOT practice their English in public because people laugh at them.
Just underscores the xenobia that’s encompassing this country today.
For business and official purposes, it is understandable to make English the official language. Yet when you make the law so that no other language can be spoken–anywhere–this is interfering with one’s civil rights to do as he/she pleases outside of work and in their free time.
I would have to see the specific letter of the law. Bottom line: if you’re a U.S. business or government (state or federal) entity, then yes, English has to be the dominant language. But if you make it so that English can be THE only language spoken, that’s unconstitutional.
IF its so important to speak Spanish, then go back to Mexico.
All mexicans are not nice, loving, wonderful people. Look at the crime statistics in heavily populated latino areas.
As far as Arizona, New Mexico, Texas ,etc being part of MExico, why not give the entire country back to the Native Americans.
At th rate this country is going downhill, in a few years, we will all have to be quadlingual, in English, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, etc.
Has anyone applied for a good job lately? You have to speak Spanish to land an interview. Why can’t these people learn English, I could care less what they speak at home. America has been hoodwinked.
In lots of countries, people only speak one language, so stop beating up on the average joe who only speaks English.
While on the subject, why aren’t people fighting for the rights of hatians who want to immigrate. Maybe its because they are black. What if this country allowed them to immigrate like Mexicans, would we them be forced to learn French.
I’m a 48 yr.old native born, English speaking female returning to the local university to get a degree in spanish. For 7 years I have studied spanish and it is difficult, but not impossible to learn another language. The catch is, NOBODY can learn another language overnight and passing a law isn’t going to change that fact. In my history of Spain class, we learned that under the dictatorship of Francisco Franco, all languages but castellano were prohibited. That didn’t stop people from speaking gallego in Galicia, euskera in País Vasco, catalán in Cataluña, etc. Now these Spanish states have these other languages as “official languages” in addition to castellano. Also, I did a major term paper last fall addressing English as an official language in the USA. Before the paper I was ambivalent but frankly, after researching the English-only movement (check the website for US English) I was appalled to learn that the vast majority of the proponents of this movement are avowed racists that rail against anyone that isn’t WASP. Dr. John Tanton, founder of U.S. English stated, “As whites see their power and control over their lives declining, will they simply go into the night? Or will there be an explosion? To govern is to populate. In this society where the majority rules, does this hold? Will the present majority peaceably hand over its political power to a group that is simply more fertile?” Also, when I researched the way the native American Indians were punished for using their native languages until their languages were almost stamped out, I realized there is something profoundly wrong with trying to eradicate a culture by prohibiting a language. Interestingly enough, there are linguists struggling to preserve those same languages now. The movie Windtalkers (I think that was the name) demonstrated how useful it can be to preserve other languages. If someone can speak arabic languages now, they can make BIG bucks working for the government in intellegence. I personally believe that if the US required the teaching of a 2nd language – ANY second language- starting at the pre-K level, our children would score higher on tests and would be better able to function on a global level. Forcing English only ain’t gonna solve any language issue.
COMMENT FROM DOWN-UNDER!
We’ve got the same problem here, but in a different context. The foreign invaders, of whom I’m a descendant, were British, and most of us expect new arrivals to learn English as spoken in Australia (in many ways quite different from American English) as fast as possible, but it’s not an “official” language.
We do better than many as a multicultural nation, but we are not perfect, any more than the US is!
The key word is “tolerance”, not for the religious fanatics, but for the elderly and other “culturally challenged”. Political correctness has unfortunately reached our shores!
Smart spammers can find my e-mail address through eBay!
Mick.
Against ESL classes? You’re against people learning English? How about the legal immigrants?
It will continue to be necessary to speak English in the United States to function normally, with or without legislation. English as an official language is a waste of time.
I am am immigrant from a non-Spanish speking country, but I teach Spanish. I speak quite a few languages, but I strongly believe that English should be the official language of the United States. People can speak any language they want at home, in their social surroundings, but it is upsetting when I hear Spanish being singled out as the “second” language of the nation. I don’t want to press any numbers when I make a business call. This is the United States of America, and here we have a common language that unites us all. I say no foreign languages in any officlal venues.
An act of desperation…
Every day we the Latinos multiply, so in a lapse of fifteen to twenty year we will be mayority within the minorities an perhaps within the nation. This elite(in government)are dreaming that just by imposisng that law they will stop Latinos population. They are only re-stating how they still live in the pilgrims times or 1900’s immigration years. They wish, Latinos stop reproduction and other going back to thier native countries. It won’t happen. They the (elite) must learn from Canada and European countries and take pride of a nation with youngster graduating with two or more languages domain.
This is getting to be such a stupid argument. America, land of the free, of all places should just let the market decide. If you do not want to do business in spanish, fine! I’m sure someone else will and you’ll miss out. The same goes the other way of course. lets just see what comes of it.
Viva los gringos!
The idiocy of bureaucrats never ceases to amaze me! Of course our “official” language should be English. However, barring people from using an alternate language in needed situations is ridiculous! Healthcare settings have signs on the wall (in many different languages) stating the ability to have interpreters available to patients as needed, and oftentimes, children of immigrants translate for physicians. There is NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS!! Is this going to be stopped as well? What then happens to fair and equal healthcare treatment for all???? In my healthcare experience,there is a much higher percentage of Asian populace and the older Indian populace of AZ do not speak English than Hispanic. Targeting the HIspanics because of their language is just not right, and makes me question why they are being separated out from all of our other non-native-English speaking peoples.
The Arizona law is what happens when
monolingual IGNORAMUSES get a little
power and feel compelled to foist it on the populace. This law is based upon a xenophobic misconception of some kind of fantasy called “linguistic unity” which NEVER existed in this country or in any OTHER country on the planet!
1. Most countries of the world, including are own, are POLYGLOT nations.
Multiple language use within a nation
is fairly COMMON PRACTICE among humans.
Canada, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Belgium are polyglot nations, as are Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya and Cameroun and the subcontinent of India.
Prior to the European conquest of the New World, THOUSANDS of languages were
spoken by the indigenous inhabitants of
the “Americas.” Many of these languages
are STILL in use by First Nation peoples of North, Central and South America and the Caribbean.
2. Having one common language has never been any barometer of “unity” in ANY culture, in ANY civilization, at ANY time in history. Humans regularly de-humanize, rape, kill, cheat, commit adultery, kidnap, sexually molest children/adolescents, politically disenfranchise, go to war against, subject to servitude and practice tyranny upon fellow humans
in their own families, their own communities and their own nations–who speak their SAME LANGUAGE!
3. My polyglot African ancestors arrived here via slaveships and were forced to learn lower-class forms of English from illiterate, uneducated plantation overseers, none of whom spoke “the King’s English”.
Slavery, segregation and Jim Crow laws
were legislated and enforced by English-speaking Americans upon OTHER English-speaking Americans. Speaking English–even if it IS polished and grammatically perfect with a Northeastern inflection!–did not and does not protect any African-american
(or other non-Euro-American)from systemic discrimination in employment, housing or education. So much for “linguistic unity.”
4. Americans who think others “ought to learn our language” should take a closer look at how Americans overseas
behave! There are HUNDREDS of ex-patriate websites and community organizations that exist for the THOUSANDS of English-speaking Americans
(and Britons)who choose to create their own little linguistic ghettos–euphemistically named “expatriate communities” or “American enclaves”–wherever they live in Asia, Europe, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and in island nations. Should these
communities “respect the country they live in” by giving up their English-language newspapers, institutions and
communitiy life?
5. If you speak English, you are SIMULTANEOUSLY speaking any number of other languages–within the same sentence!–including Italian, Spanish, French, German, several indigenous New World languages, Slavic languages, Hindi, Arabic, West and Central African languages, and Hebrew. I guess the Arizona legislators haven’t figured out
that English is a syncretistic language that has absorbed–and CONTINUES to absorb–words from just about any and every place on the planet.
6. Upper-class wealthy folks have ALWAYS educated their young in other languages from an early age. If the US public school systems could adopt the best features of OTHER school systems in the world–including foreign language education from pre-school through adult ages–we wouldn’t need
uneducated monolingual “legislators” who can’t figure out that “Arizona” is not an English name!
Here are some facts that should be sent to the Arizona legislature:
1. At least 27 states of the USA have
names derived from indigenous languages.
There are four states with names derived from Spanish. The origin of the word “Arizona” is disputed, but believed to be O’odham for “little spring.”
2. The state of New Mexico recognizes
two “official languages”–English and Spanish. Puerto Rico is a Spanish-speaking possession of the United States. An article about the state of
languages in the United States:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_in_the_United_States
3. Here is an excellent book:
LINGUISTIC GENOCIDE IN EDUCATION: Worldwide Diversity and Human Rights?
Tove Skuttnab-Kangas. LEA, Inc., 2000.
ISBN 0805834680
4. An excellent argument for the multilingual advantage:
http://www.cilt.org.uk/pdf/pubs/positiviely_plurilingual.pdf
I am from North Carolina, and we have the fastest growing population of spanish in the country. They are a lovely people. Other than politicians, most people in the United States, I don’t think give that much thought to the question of english as our offical language. They should learn english as best they can for their own good. I know that I have been studing spanish for the past four years and wish I had started at a age where it might have come easier. I am in my seventies.
English is the official language for government and since government is for the people, the people’s language must be understood by the government. Spanish can be a second language, officially recognized in states with hispanic population. Whether recognized or not, Spanglish will prevail in practice.
Some people assume that when they hear two people speaking Spanish on the street that they can’t speak English. The fact of the matter is that two people who speak the same native language will almost always be most comfortable speaking it together. When I speak Spanish with my fellow native English speaking Americans it’s awkward and we eventually revert back to English.
I have also never met anyone who lives here who opposes learning English. Every person who comes to this country knows how many more doors will open for them if they know English. What people don’t consider is how difficult it is to learn a second language to the point of fluency, especially if you happen to be facing other challenges like extreme poverty, lack of health care, inappropriate housing, lack of child care, etc. etc.
Lastly, history teaches us that cultures and countries are forever changing. Language affects culture and culture affects language. English and Spanish have changed since coming into contact with each other. Language is constantly adapting to cultural influences. We must also adapt instead of stubbornly hanging on to a racist and false notion of unity and patriotism. If the influence of Latinos in the US results in the majority of people one day speaking Spanish, then so be it…At least it won’t have happened as a result of a violent colonial invasion like it did for the majority of Spanish speakers.
Just give it time, people. Just give it time. Sooner or later, depending on where you go, Spanish and English will embrace each other and eventually we will all speak that fond language we know as Spanglish. You sabes what I’m tratando to decir? Spanglish es un antigua language, it was almost perdido, but with these blessed imigrantes, and the mezcla that our páis is now facing, Espinglés will vivir once otra vez.
I have just signed up for a Spanish class at the local community college.
“Nuff said”
1. There have always been non-English speakers in the US. The US has no official language- it is unconstitutional. Providing legal counsel in Spanish, or Chamorro, or Navajo might cost the US taxpayer. So do stealth bombers and cluster bombs. But educating and serving the health, safety and justice needs of immigrants is not ‘preferential treatment’. It is equal opportunity, and it is the law. ‘English Only’ would be preferential, as is obvious from the name.
2. USA and EUM have a shared past and shared future. Attempts at ethnic separation and domination are echoes of our racist history and artifical, futile, tribal reactions to inevitable globalization- which in our local region means Latinization, and for Mexico Anglicaization. Spanglish. As many posters point out, money talks; and if being bilingual helps commerce, those who adapt will profit and those who don’t can try to put an English-only fence around their trailer park- except that might violate Fair Housing laws.
3. New immigrants will not arrive already speaking English. Where would they have learned it? Many have noted, the vast majority of immigrants want to and try to learn English; and their kids almost universally learn it. A few vitriolic posters (look it up, and brush up on your spelling while you’re at it) clearly have no idea how long it takes to become fluent in a new language.
4. We have always been and will always be a nation of immigrants. The proportion of immigrants in the US is lower than it was in the 20’s. They didn’t get a great reception either. But now they are brown, they can drive back to visit the motherland, and they have civil rights that protect them from much of the exploitation earlier immigrants had to accept as part of the bargain. That is what this is about- the reluctance to grant equal rights to brown people. The ear of losing the unearned power of ethnicity and language derived from one’s birth.
5. Learning the host country language is a matter of respect as well as practicality, which is why most everyone tries (elderly and expats excluded). Learning the language of the majority makes sense. That is why Anglos might want to learn Spanish- by the Census, we will have a bilingual majority in the US soon. It will be disrespectful and disadvantageous to sit out half the conversation.
If it were easy to learn a second language as an adult, then all the Lantinos in the USA would speak English fluently. The problem is that language is most easily learned in childhood, and as one ages it becomes increasingly difficult. Then some people have a facility for language and others don’t. The real issue is whether the government should spend money publishing and providing services in the non-native language. I’m an American living in Argentine. No services are provided in English and there are no government publications in English. It is the same way in all Latin countries. They don’t have government services or publications in English. Only Spanish. Why should the USA be any different? To become a citizen in Argentina you have to go before a judge and show that you are fluent in Spanish. In New Zealand, a person cannot even become a legal resident without being fluent in English. Why should it be any different in the USA?
The other thing we don’t tend to realize is the the Age of Immigration is over. The USA now is the third largest country by population. 300 million people. Only China and India have more people. Do we really need more immigrants? People come to the USA because it offers better opportunity, more freedom, etc. But, the time when the USA needed more people to fuel its labor force is long gone. With globalization many high paying jobs are leaving the USA, leaving fewer jobs for citizens. Like the exodus of manufacturing during the last 20 years, so much so that the US now only manufactures something like 15% of what it buys, well, those jobs are gone forever. At some point there will not be enough good paying jobs for the citizens. This is starting to happen now. The pendulum of jobs and immigration is starting to swing the other way, and this I believe is what is causing the backlash against Spanish speaking immigrants. There is not room anymore for more immigrants, especially if they don’t want to integrate into the main culture.
I am sorry, I feel like I am a prisioner in my own country. I can not even order my food, because someone does not understanding me. “All I wanted was a SUbway sandwich.” I feel that if anyone goes to another country, they should learn the primary language without forgetting there own. What is so hard about learning America’s language. I was forced to learn French in a week because some were not tolerating english in their home land. I don’t cry and pout, becasue I couldn’t survive if I didn’t learn the language. DO NOT change the U.S.A. into your country, instead learn our culture and If you decided to come here, you have decided to change something. I am tired and feed up, once I find and Advocate group for Pro-English, I will join. (Fustrated Designer)
English is the language of the United States.
I am married to a Colombian national and she
speaks english of which she has learned much
from being here.She speaks spanish to family
back home,and here when necessary.My Spanish isn’t that good but I can get by.However,if
any one that wants to live and work here needs
to speak english or go back.Purto Ricans are
the worst about this than any I have seen so
far.Tey have even tried to change the name of Orlando to Little San Juan by vote,so far
no go,thank god.Out ot 700+ thousand in Orlando we have more than 450 thousand ricans.
With the influx and take over attitude of Portoricans,I am just sick of spanish. I am
married to a colombian,and when she speaks spanish to her family it doesn’t bother me,
and even she can’t stand the rican spanish.
They are loud,disrespectful and the crime
numbers anywhere will show wht the spanish
have brought to all of us.I say send all
the illegals back or exterminate the problem.
I have one even better. How’s about when your family is told that you’re dead because they can’t decifer the differnce between passed out or passed away. That’s typical Miami communication. That’s why Miami hires in important positions that’s crutial to the elderly. What a shame.
I took my granddaughter to the DR….picked up a magazine to read while i waited …hmm in spanish ..picked up another one ..hmm in spanish …etc..etc..couldnt find one in english..nurse comes out asks the recepionist for a english book for a 4 year old …they had a hard time finding one …i felt like an outsider in my own country …NO that is not acceptable ..if you come to live ..then you speak the language that i speak …no im not to lazy to learn a new one …im just to freaking busy ..and its not that important to me to take time away from my children when there really is no need for it ….
Mr. Vento can keep his sign, and I can spend my money elsewhere.
I like the trade-off.
In Canada, a small minority of people speak French, but Canada is bilingual. I am a Canadian Spanish teacher who is also a Certified English teacher. I grewup with the belief(50+years ago) that one must be bilingualat the LEAST. Growing up in the States, the English language ability of most is horrific, mostly because the have never studied another language. Education now finally requires Foreign Language study to graduate and get into College. It is not just the discipline of study but the openness to other Cultures that has been lacking in Americans for so long. Now we have a majority of native-Spanish speaking kids in most cities in the US, and it should be up to the situation, never mandated. I am Blonde and have always treasured the responses and excitement of people finding out I speak Spanish. Traveling more than 25 yearss ago in Spain was such a treasure, but now, besides trying to teach Urban HS kids to Speak Spanish, and ultimately improve their English, is a daily challenge. But now it is real because they hear it daily in the Streets, on TV, and even in their neighborhoods. I went to Cuba 10 years ago and thought it would be open to the US by now, but look how long that grudge has lasted. Education ispower, and the US has lost so much of their with Bush an his war. mb
It makes my blood boil seein my language put down because of mexicans etc.Not only mexicans speak(they butcher it) Spanish you are missin out on a beautiful language and on great people.
In my opinion English should be the one and only language in which state business should be conducted. Spanish (or any other language) should be used only in emergency situations such in hospitals or with the police and obviously in teaching situations. When we lose our common language we lose our unity. Remember, united we stand. Divided we fall.