Have you ever wondered what the official language in America is? If the answer is English, then this is the incorrect answer because the U.S. does not have an official language (Cremean). Although it may seem unreasonable and strange, there are specific reasons for not making English or any other language have a special status in the country. While some argue that it is merely a matter of time, researchers state that America should not have an official language because otherwise, the States will fail to respect their history and diversity.
The U.S. is a powerful country that has recently tried to increase inclusion and tolerance, eliminating any kinds of discrimination. One would probably agree that it is common for some Americans to shame immigrants and tourists for not speaking English (Kaur). However, this is not right not only from an ethical but also from a legal point of view. Nevertheless, if America decides to choose an official language, then minorities like Hispanics, Arabs, and Asians, as well as any immigrants, will find it more challenging to integrate into society (Cremean). Consequently, the U.S. will lose its status as a tolerant country.
What is more, it is possible to refer to American history to support the main argument of this speech. According to researchers, there have been many attempts to recognize English as the official language (Hunter College). For instance, in 1780, a bill was presented to Congress but failed to pass. Thankfully, “opponents of the bill said it was a threat to individual liberty” (“Why Doesn’t the United States Have an Official Language?”). Moreover, if English became an official language, it would offend allied countries that assisted the States in defeating the British.
To conclude, I can say that America shouldn’t recognize any language, especially English, as official. The listed reasons seem to be rather significant and persuasive. First, such a step would support the discrimination of immigrants and those people who find it difficult to speak other languages. Second, it would deprive America of its liberty and show disrespect to its history.
Works Cited
Cremean, Samantha Yenger. “Why America Should Never Make English Its Official Language.” Medium, 2018.
Hunter College. “Does the United States Need an Official Language?” Max Weber Hunter College. Web.
Kaur, Harmeet. “FYI: English Isn’t the Official Language of the United States.” CNN, 2018.
“Why Doesn’t the United States Have an Official Language?” Acutrans, 2020.