Essay on English-Only Movement
An Argumentation on the Bilingual education and English-only Movement
The question of whether the U.S should have an official language and whether bilingual language education can be accepted is highly controversial. Hispanic concentrated areas like California, the Southwest and Florida are especially troubled by the proposed English-only movements. People stands for English-only movement claims that linguistic divisions is harmful to political unity, while single official language can provide the chance to the narrow down the distances between the rich and the poor. On the other hand, disbelievers of English-only movements are worrying about the violation of civil liberties which are people’s rights stated in the Constitution Amendment.
As an overseas student studying in the U.S, I totally disagree with bilingual education, and I am fully for the English-only movements in the United State of American.
In 1981, Hayakawa, Republican Senator from California, proposed to congress a constitutional amendment that claiming if there is an “Official Language” of the U.S, it should be English. I was known to the public as English Language Amendment (ELA), which has brought many controversies nation wildly since then. The proposal aimed to forbade both the federal government and any state from making or enforcing any law other than in English. Bilingual education should only be “transitional”, and anyone who wants to become an U.S citizen should learn and speak English. Hayakawa’s 1981 resolution was a milestone on the road of U.S official language disputes, also known as English-only movements.
Early English-only movements, started in the early 20’s, advocated English as a common and unifying language and is the only official language of the U.S. Since the U.S was the biggest immigration inbound country in the world, commonly used language included English, German, Spanish, and Italian. For the consideration of political unity, the states voted for English
The question of whether the U.S should have an official language and whether bilingual language education can be accepted is highly controversial. Hispanic concentrated areas like California, the Southwest and Florida are especially troubled by the proposed English-only movements. People stands for English-only movement claims that linguistic divisions is harmful to political unity, while single official language can provide the chance to the narrow down the distances between the rich and the poor. On the other hand, disbelievers of English-only movements are worrying about the violation of civil liberties which are people’s rights stated in the Constitution Amendment.
As an overseas student studying in the U.S, I totally disagree with bilingual education, and I am fully for the English-only movements in the United State of American.
In 1981, Hayakawa, Republican Senator from California, proposed to congress a constitutional amendment that claiming if there is an “Official Language” of the U.S, it should be English. I was known to the public as English Language Amendment (ELA), which has brought many controversies nation wildly since then. The proposal aimed to forbade both the federal government and any state from making or enforcing any law other than in English. Bilingual education should only be “transitional”, and anyone who wants to become an U.S citizen should learn and speak English. Hayakawa’s 1981 resolution was a milestone on the road of U.S official language disputes, also known as English-only movements.
Early English-only movements, started in the early 20’s, advocated English as a common and unifying language and is the only official language of the U.S. Since the U.S was the biggest immigration inbound country in the world, commonly used language included English, German, Spanish, and Italian. For the consideration of political unity, the states voted for English