2023-10-06 12:52:41
The debate over choosing English as the official language of the United States dates back several years. Photo: composition LR/AFP/NTN24
In the United States, English is the language most spoken by the population, but it is not the only one. According to information from the official website of the US Government, the inhabitants of this country communicate in at least 350 languages. This is because the American territory houses citizens from different parts of the world, such as Spain, Mexico, France, Brazil and other nations.
Below, we tell you why English is not the formal language of the United States and various details regarding the languages spoken in the foreign country.
Why is English not the official language of the United States?
Contrary to popular belief, English is not the official language of EE. UU., since this North American country does not officially have any, as stated on the official government portal. This is also due to the fact that neither federal laws nor the United States Constitution specify its official status.
In this sense, each state can regulate a language on its own. In this framework, some of them have recognized English as their official language, in accordance with USA Gov.
The United States does not have an official language. Photo: Impacto Latino
The historical debate of establishing English as an official language in the United States
Throughout its history, authorities, civil organizations and citizens have debated whether to designate English as the official language of the United States. As reported in 2017 by the BBC, those who oppose declaring it official argue that this contradicts the principles of freedom and diversity on which the nation was born in the 18th century.
“I think the fact that English has not been recognized as the official language of EE. UU. It is a testimony to the diversity on which this country was founded,” Dennis Baron, professor of Linguistics at the University of Illinois, told the aforementioned media.
In the United States, the population communicates in more than 350 languages. Photo: The Peruvian
The absence of a formal language has also contributed to the integration of the migrant population that speaks other languages. An example of this is the laws passed since the 1960s that allow citizens to access fundamental documents in a language other than English.
For their part, organizations such as US English have been trying for several years to declare English as the official language of the United States. They argue that, while they want to achieve this, they are also aware that people should be allowed to speak other languages. In addition, they assert that it would have a positive economic impact on the country.
“English is the language of success. It is the language of business, of technology (…) Giving that language to immigrants is a gift,” Matthew Shuman, a member of the aforementioned group, told the BBC in 2017.
What other languages are spoken in the United States?
According to the USA gov page in Spanish, the United States does not have an official language; However, there are some states in that country that indicate English as their language, since it is the most used by their residents. On the other hand, they assured that its inhabitants communicate in more than 350 languages, including Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese and Arabic.
How many people speak English in the United States?
According to the official platform of the United States, 78% of the American population speaks only English. Likewise, it is the most common language used in homes in the North American country.
78% of the United States population speaks only English. Photo: Xataka
What types of English are spoken in the United States?
American English is made up of three groups: northern, southern and central. These have differences in both vocabulary and syntax, pronunciation and morphology.
How to learn English for free?
Thanks to technology, today you can learn English virtually and for free through web applications. The most popular are the following:
VOA Learning English BBC Learning English Duolingo MemriseBabbelELSA Speak
Duolingo is one of the best-known apps for learning English. Photo: Duolingo
What is the basic thing to learn English?
According to several specialists, to learn English quickly and efficiently it is important that people write and concentrate on knowing the basic verbs, such as to be, to get, to have, as well as modal verbs, etc. From there you can try to form sentences and expressions until you achieve mastery of the language.
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