English is the most commonly spoken language in the United States. However, it’s not the nation’s official language. Throughout the globe, roughly 180 countries have an official language—out of those countries, 80 of them have designated more than one language as official. This isn’t dependent on what a majority of people in the state, country, or region speak. Instead, it depends on what the government or administration has determined in that regard.
There are many benefits to having an official language. It can help unify a country or region and make it easier for the government to communicate with its citizens. It can also be useful for business and trade. However, there are some drawbacks in making this designation. It can exclude minority groups who don’t speak the dominant language, and it can create divisions within a society.
In the United States, there has been debate over whether English should be designated as the official language. Currently, there is no federal law that declares English as such. Some states have done this, but it isn’t mandated at the federal level.
The U.S. has long been considered a melting pot of people, cultures, and languages. In this country, there are over 350 languages spoken in addition to over 20 American English dialects. Since the 1700s, there have been debates over what the official language of the U.S. should be. Yet, the country has opted not to do this at the national level. Despite this, 31 states in the U.S. have taken this step. Is now a good time for the U.S. to revisit the conversation on this topic? Keep reading HERE for some insight into the linguistic melting pot in the U.S.
If your business has a need to effectively communicate across cultures, languages, and dialects, contact us today to see how TrueLanguage can help you localize your communications.
