Opinion: Monolingual versus multilingual

Discover one of the current issues that immigrants face within modern-day American society

Many of the world’s greatest writings were written in English. Famous authors, like William Shakespeare and John Milton, wrote only in English because they lived in England during periods in history in which many people spoke that one language. Historically, the English settlers were able to spread that language throughout the world during times of colonization, and helped contribute to the way people speak in modern-day America. Even though the people who founded America spoke only English, it does not mean that this language should be the only one that is spoken in the United States because of the many people from different cultures in America that make this country a special one filled with diversity. Although they might appear to be a great idea on paper, the “English Only” laws would not fit within a country that values acceptance because those laws could make life harder for immigrants who continue to come to America to search for opportunity.

Even though the people who founded America spoke only English, it does not mean that this language should be the only one that is spoken in the United States because of the many people from different cultures in America that make this country a special one filled with diversity. Although they might appear to be a great idea on paper, the “English Only” laws would not fit within a country that values acceptance because those laws could make life harder for immigrants who continue to come to America to search for opportunity.

First of all, the “English Only” laws are too strict because English is a special language that is difficult to understand. Part of the reason why English is so unique is because it borrows words from other languages. For example, the word “ballet,” which is a type of dance in English, comes from a French word that more or less means the same thing. The fact that the English language borrows words from other languages makes it hard for English learners to understand what English speakers might want to talk about. The people who struggle with this language might not feel comfortable living in America if they were forced to live in a country with “English Only” laws. It would also damage the reputation of white Americans because such laws would make others believe that white English speakers want to be superior to others as well as maintain their power and privilege. Because of these beliefs, it would not be a great idea to have “English Only” laws since they would make life for English learners difficult. Such laws could also lead to miscommunication between immigrants and American citizens because they might end up being lost in translation through their inability to break language barriers.

The people who struggle with this language might not feel comfortable living in America if they were forced to live in a country with “English Only” laws. It would also damage the reputation of white Americans because such laws would make others believe that white English speakers want to be superior to others as well as maintain their power and privilege. Because of these beliefs, it would not be a great idea to have “English Only” laws since they would make life for English learners difficult. Such laws could also lead to miscommunication between immigrants and American citizens because they might end up being lost in translation through their inability to break language barriers.

In contrast to the unpatriotic nature of the “English Only” laws, the people who founded the United States of America wanted to have a country that would allow people to express themselves through freedom of speech. Freedom of speech includes any kind of writing and talking, or in general communication that includes languages that are not English. If people did apply the “English Only” laws throughout the United States, they would go against what the founders of this country believed in when they first came to North America during the 1700s. Having America become a country that speaks only English would make Americans today act very similarly to the people in England who endured historical turmoil, such as the wars over religion. In fact, the people who escaped from England in order to go to America did that in order to gain more freedom.

If the “English Only” laws really did pass in America, then Americans would be copying the white Englishmen from history as well as lowering the amount of freedom that people wanted to have in the past. Therefore, “English Only” laws would only create more problems instead of helping form a country where people are able to express themselves. The “English Only” laws could also potentially lead to further divisions between people in America rather than unite them, which would result in a country that would mirror supremacy instead of equality. If the laws did pass, then the laws would make America a difficult place to live in because the laws would deny freedom and equality to Americans yearning for the right to express themselves.

Additionally, “English Only” laws would prevent social progress as Americans strive to maintain equality in a country that upholds virtue. Colonial America endured numerous hardships as soon as the Europeans immigrated to the New World in an effort to escape tyranny. The Founding Fathers argued that the United States of America should stand upon the virtues of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. As history progressed, Americans really did make a lot of social progress through the chaos and confusion of wars like the American Civil War and World War II. Even after such turmoil, America became the country that it is today because of citizens that agreed with the ideas that established this nation more than two hundred years ago. In contrast to colonial America, modern-day America is filled with people from many different countries, including China, Brazil, Mexico, and dozens of others. Many of the people who come to America might not even know any English. If “English Only” laws really do pass in America, then people from other countries might not want to travel to America at all. That is because “English Only” laws are too harsh on a land based upon freedom as a virtue. Passing the “English Only” laws would actually make Americans take a step backwards in terms of social progress. The “English Only” laws would create not just a language issue, but a humanitarian issue as well.

In the end, the “English Only” laws would make life difficult for people who are not fluent in that language. Language barriers would create tension because if people in America cannot understand each other linguistically, then the objective of having a free country can never be fully realized.  I believe that what must be done now is to allow other languages besides English appear on written documents so that language barriers do not prevent America from being the free country that the Founding Fathers intended it to be. The word “America” often brings to mind to ideas of liberty, equality, and freedom, but the “English Only” laws should not exist in order for people who do not speak English to have an equal opportunity to enjoy what America has to offer to them within a world filled with miscommunication.