After years of rule under the boot of an administration and party that would rather you have to push 2 for English, Donald Trump has found himself needing to make this proclamation. “English is the official language of the United States.”
The abuses are not limited to the previous administration but many of them. In August 2000, Executive Order 13166 (Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency) created a culture of accommodation that has since—at least it appears that way—undermined the preeminence of English as the language of America. And to be clear, there’s nothing wrong with speaking any other language but no other country on the planet is obligated in any way to retool its culture to make sure you understand or can be understood.
As someone who is still learning English, I marvel at the ability of others to speak two or more languages. It impresses me, and it is appreciated. I would never expect a nation foreign to me to ensure everyone understood my language. I either learn there’s or suffer the consequences.
So I’ve no issue with one of President Trump’s latest EO, which begins,
From the founding of our Republic, English has been used as our national language. Our Nation’s historic governing documents, including the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, have all been written in English. It is therefore long past time that English is declared as the official language of the United States. A nationally designated language is at the core of a unified and cohesive society, and the United States is strengthened by a citizenry that can freely exchange ideas in one shared language.
In welcoming new Americans, a policy of encouraging the learning and adoption of our national language will make the United States a shared home and empower new citizens to achieve the American dream. Speaking English not only opens doors economically, but it helps newcomers engage in their communities, participate in national traditions, and give back to our society. This order recognizes and celebrates the long tradition of multilingual American citizens who have learned English and passed it to their children for generations to come.
To promote unity, cultivate a shared American culture for all citizens, ensure consistency in government operations, and create a pathway to civic engagement, it is in America’s best interest for the Federal Government to designate one — and only one — official language. Establishing English as the official language will not only streamline communication but also reinforce shared national values, and create a more cohesive and efficient society.
The order rescinded EO 13166 [but]
“nothing in this order, however, requires or directs any change in the services provided by any agency. Agency heads should make decisions as they deem necessary to fulfill their respective agencies’ mission and efficiently provide Government services to the American people. Agency heads are not required to amend, remove, or otherwise stop production of documents, products, or other services prepared or offered in languages other than English. “
Why bother, we might ask?
I suspect that there will be other orders to quantify this one. Moving forward, while the old stuff can continue to be produced in whatever languages we’ve been accommodating, new “stuff,” in the interest of cutting unnecessary costs, may only be produced in English. Other changes are at the discretion of agency heads, who—I suspect—will systematically roll back the multi-lingual monster in due course.
Please learn English if you are here legally and would like to stay, with the unstated knowledge that there will always be a need for bilingual speakers.
English, by the way, is the official language of Canada and a handful of African countries (shared with other languages in some of them). And Spanish, a reminder, is the language of another colonial conqueror.
