W. Va. makes English Official Language

Yesterday, the state of West Virginia made English it's official language. Read about it here: W. Va. Makes English It's Official Language

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Two days after the end of the legislative session, state lawmakers are discovering something few were aware of: They voted to make English the official language of West Virginia.

The language amendment was quietly inserted into a bill addressing the number of members that cities can appoint to boards of parks and recreation. Among mundane details about record-keeping, the amendment adds the provision that "English shall be the official language of the State of West Virginia."

I'm 100% for having English as the official language of the U.S., and I'm glad someone has taken the first step to make it possible. The only problem with this is the way the law was made, by sneaking it in under everyone's nose. It's got to start somewhere, though.

This is a step in the right direction.
I wonder if any other states will follow.


[edit on 13-4-2005 by Aelita]

I don't see any benefit to english as the official language. It means that all government documents are published in english only.

Thats not very helpful.

Classes are still taught in mixed languages or whatever. Its not going to lower the percentage of the population that speaks spanish either.

Well having all government documents in English would certainly increase the efficiency of the government. Do they actually have government documents not in English?! I've always thought that the US should force everybody to know how to write and speak in English... It would increase the efficiency of everything, and since the country was founded by English speakers, it only makes sense.

- Attero

Official and national is two different things, English has been official language in many other states, what it has die so far in congress is making the language national.

Due to the mix of nationalities that makes our country, is like Christianity one think is be the majority religion and another one been the national religion.

It will never happen.

In California, we (the voters) made English the official language years ago. However, it didn't do a lick of good and was deemed 'unconstitutional' so nothing will ever come of it.

I love California but I'm fed up with the voters being ignored. We voted for English to be the official language and it got ignored. We voted against same sex marriages and that nut job in San Fran performed gay marriage ceremonies anyway. Both issues passed by a landslide and yet somehow the voters voices got drowned out by the minority groups who can conveniently scream 'discrimination' whenever they don't get their way.

It's so frustrating.

Jemison

Originally posted by Jemison
In California, we (the voters) made English the official language years ago. However, it didn't do a lick of good and was deemed 'unconstitutional' so nothing will ever come of it.

I love California but I'm fed up with the voters being ignored. We voted for English to be the official language and it got ignored. We voted against same sex marriages and that nut job in San Fran performed gay marriage ceremonies anyway. Both issues passed by a landslide and yet somehow the voters voices got drowned out by the minority groups who can conveniently scream 'discrimination' whenever they don't get their way.

It's so frustrating.

Jemison

Maybe It Got Ignored Due To The Fact That California Is Literally Being Overrun By Mexicans....And I Mean That In A Good Way. If Everything Was In English Then Their Would Be A Lot Of Strugglying Immigrants

Regardless of the bad feelings about Spanish take over US, well............is true, they were here before the English pilgrim and the are now here again.

Despite all of these restrictions on immigration, the United States Census Bureau has predicted that by the year 2050 22.5 percent of all Americans will be of Hispanic origin. With such a significant segment of the population speaking a second language, bilingualism will most likely become an even more common phenomenon in many states.

www.umich.edu...

Hispanic Americans are Americans of Spanish-speaking descent. Many Hispanic Americans are the descendants of Mexican people who lived in the Southwest when it became part of the United States. Almost all other Hispanic Americans or their ancestors migrated to the United States from Latin America. The three largest Hispanic groups in the United States are Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, and Cuban Americans. As a group, Hispanic Americans represent a mixture of several ethnic backgrounds, including European, American Indian, and African.

So I suggest being careful because Hispanics are the fastest growing minority in the US.As Spanish-speakers, they form the largest language minority in the United States

www2.worldbook.com.../cinco&page=html/hispanic.htm&direct=yes


The best thing to do is to get used to it and go alone with it, we are here to stay.

Regardless of the bad feelings about Spanish take over US, well............is true, they were here before the English pilgrim and the are now here again.

This type of mentality scares me. I don't think you meant it in the way I'm talking about, but there are plenty of illegals here in Southern California that think they are entitled to be here and that we OWE them. I'm afraid that at some point it will turn into a conflict similiar to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. It's just nuts.

So I suggest being careful because Hispanics are the fastest growing minority in the US.As Spanish-speakers, they form the largest language minority in the United States

I'm not following. What is it that I should be careful of?

English should have been made the official language of the U.S. years ago, long before we let the illegal immigrants become such a huge problem. I have NO problem with immigrants, but anyone that is here illegally should be deported.

Jemison

I'm of Spanish decent and I see no harm to making english the official language, but you would still need to make forms and signs in diffrent languages it's a public safety issue at it's core. Do you really want people driving around this country (a lot of them here legally before somebody throws that in) not understanding the road signs and such. And spanish is here to stay unless you people start going all SS on us and I dont even think that would really work. I think they should up the standards for becoming a citizen, even a elementary level of english should be a prerequisite to becoming one. I not sure what it is now but it's definitely not enough. Permanant residents here should also be made a learn a certain amount of english in order in order to maintain their permanant status. I dont know how practical it would be though in the real world though. My grandparents came here in the late 60 early 70s and they spent most of that time living here and they learn enough to at least be able to communicate in english when they have to, my mother came here when she was 15 or so and learned english.

So in short they should gradually make English requirements higher here but if you go to only english in shot you are gonna great a hell of a lot more problems than we have now.

I agree that English is the largely spoken language in the US, but actually it was Spanish conquistadors that found the new world.

My mentality is very clear, people are making a big deal of the migrants that are in the US, but the truth is that they have been here since the new world was discovered.

And the comparison of "Palestine and Israel" makes not sense taking in consideration that Mexican immigrants are Catholic worshipers not muslin.

So perhaps misinformation since 9/11 is making now, Mexicans to be of a dangerous races that worship a pagan God.

Sorry the same way that that line makes no sense the "Palestine and Israel" makes not sense either.

US is a melting pot of nationalities and races, is not such thing as a natural American anymore, we all came from somewhere.


[edit on 13-4-2005 by marg6043]

Maybe I'm just being shortsighted but what exactly does making english the official language accomplish? It just seems like pointless legislation in my opinion.

Actually what it aims to is for funds that are allocated for bilingual programs to be used for something else in the state level, and force the federal Government to allocate grants to cover for those programs.

When I started to work for the country as a translator working with Spanish children I was under a federal grant, but the state got greedy so they make the federal government to handle the grants to them, and I became a state employee rather than a federal employee.

At the end It did not work for me because I was payed more under the federal grant as a consultant than as a regular teacher in the county I became a Spanish teacher .

There's no reason to make English the official language. Everything's in English anyway. Besides it makes us unique.

And to those complaing about Mexican immigrants....history just repeats itself doesn't it? No one ever learns:

en.wikipedia.org...

Good Deal!

Hope the rest of the states follow in making English the official language. This is long overdue. Most European immigrants realized they needed to adapt and learn the language...and did so. The immigrants today want the government to cater to them. This type of catering doesn't happen when English speaking Americans visit a foreign country and I wouldn't expect it.
Learn the language.

Good for you W. Virginia!

Originally posted by ms_Bhavn
Good Deal!

Hope the rest of the states follow in making English the official language. This is long overdue. Most European immigrants realized they needed to adapt and learn the language...and did so. The immigrants today want the government to cater to them. This type of catering doesn't happen when English speaking Americans visit a foreign country and I wouldn't expect it.
Learn the language.

Good for you W. Virginia!

English is available in alot of other countries in the world (american tourist money garantees it) in DR where my family came from English is basically a second langauge taught in most schools with german and french in a lot smaller numbers. I said it before english should be recognized as the official language and in order to become a citizen or permant resident you MUST be able to speak a certain amount of english (a lot more than you are required now). If you go cold turkey over night to english onlly your going to create a hell of a lot more chaos than what you currently have, and this isn't just about spanish you know, there are chinatowns that have been here since the late 1800s and still havent assimilated completely so it's not like it's only spanish speaking people who have fail to assimilate. And so many different spanish speaking groups are coming here that it's going to change whole cultural status quo here to some degree the only other ethnic group to have come here in such numbers where probably the Irish in the 1800s which werent all that different from the anglo-saxon decendents here already.

Oblivions Void

I understand. I don't think there is going to be a spanish or any other language stop cold turkey. Every country has an official language and English was always this country's language. There is nothing wrong with speaking other languages. One language unites a country. Canada is divided between two languages. I don't think Americans want this language division here.... I know I don't.

My grandparents on my fathers side came here from Europe. They learned English although their homeland language was spoke in the home. My dad had a time when he started school ...this is when he learned English. But learned quickly and they all adapted well. He would have faired better had English been spoken more often in his home. I live in Texas and many Spanish speaking families don't speak English in the homes so when their children go to school their grades suffer because they are not proficient in English. Same as with my Dad.

I cant believe people are actually talking about this.

So what!!!!!!!!!!! It is not like gov. documents are not written in English anyway. And I don't even understand what msbhavn just said. What is your point?

Are you saying that English should be the only language spoken because it will make everyone have better grades? I am bi-lingual, and I'd rather be that then have an "a" as opposed to a "b". You need to clarify and prove a point.

People can speak whatever the hell they want, as long as street signs and official documents are in English. And i don't think we need to worry about language division in this country. There are no indications that this country is moving towards that kind of split. (Such as Canada)

Originally posted by marg6043
I agree that English is the largely spoken language in the US, but actually it was Spanish conquistadors that found the new world.

My mentality is very clear, people are making a big deal of the migrants that are in the US, but the truth is that they have been here since the new world was discovered.
[edit on 13-4-2005 by marg6043]

Just because someone from Spain discovered the Americas doesn't mean that we're obliged to speak Spanish. Spanish explorers settled the southernmost parts of North America, and most of Central and South America, and people there speak Spanish, except for Brazil and French Guiana. Explorers from England settled most of North America, and we speak English, because of our roots in England.

The reason people are making a big deal out of hispanic immagrants is because they don't mix in with mainstream american culture, and threaten to severly split america in half, culture-wise.

Originally posted by FlinxAnd to those complaing about Mexican immigrants....history just repeats itself doesn't it? No one ever learns:

I'm all for multiculturalism, my GF is hispanic and her whole family speaks fluent English as well. But as for the history of conquest repeating itself, I'm sure you know that the Spaniards and Mexicans conquered/stole from and killed the Native American peoples to get that land pictured on your map. It was their's centuries before any Spaniard or Englishmen's.

As far as the people who come to this country from another land and who refer to themselves as Hungarian/Italian/Mexican/Russian or whatever instead of American and will not learn English or accept American customs, could this be a problem in the future?

Since they tend to group together in one area could this lead to a Quebec style state within the US? In the "Little Italys" that my grandparents grew up in the parents usually didn't speak English but encouraged their children to learn and become "Americanized". Although they did this most kept their customs which they passed on and I still hold till this day, but many people that I see in my area pass on their feeling that they are not American to their children, does anyone think this may be a problem in the future or will they eventually become homoginized like our ancestors?








[edit on 13-4-2005 by Veltro]