English ONLY

[Bandit]

Is the American Language different from the English Language and if so in what way? I believe American Language is filled with many foreign words which we now take for granted. Words like Kinder Garten etc.. Do such words make up the English Language as well as the American Language? What shape would the American Language be in if we were to go "English ONLY"? Would we even be able to understand ourselves?

[arcane1]

2. English ONLY would definitely require getting rid of some words

And place names too, I suppose.

And the names of numerous plants and animals.

[freshwest]

3. Some still call English (UK) the bastard tongue, composed of many languages.

This is not just an American thing. I'm not sure where you're going. Both American and British English are still evolving. As far as the 'English Only' crowd like Rick Perry, it's going to be an 'Epic Fail.'

Some schools in the USA don't have any courses in the English language. They're teaching in other languages altogether. It's not sanctified in the US Constitution, either.

[enlightenment]

7. Just out of curiosity,

do you have a citation or link for your comment about schools that do not offer any courses in English? I had not ever heard that.

Thanks.

[arcane1]

9. This might be different than what freshwest is talking about...

but my niece spent her 10th grade in a special Spanish immersion school in Virginia, where all of the courses are taught in Spanish, no English at all. As I recall, it was for students who had advanced Spanish skills and honor roll, etc.

[freshwest]

15. Yes, those are the kinds I am talking about. They're in CT, CA, NY.

Some Spanish, some in Chinese. All voluntary and sought by parents who want their children ready for opportunities.

[enlightenment]

24. Ah - okay.

It sounded like you meant 'regular' schools (public) where the preponderance of non-English speaking students dictated the switch.

I'm familiar with immersion language schools - it's a super idea and a good way to improve the abilities of children (and adults).

[freshwest]

25. I haven't seen it. It's usually a rightwing claim. I can't find proof of that.

I don't think English is in any danger of 'going away.' If it does, our children or grandchildren will be prepared by that time.

[enlightenment]

27. I'm not concerned with English 'going away'

despite all the protestations to the contrary, it still seems to be the lingua franca of choice. That may change eventually, but it won't 'go away', I'm sure.

My favorite quotation about English is this one:

“The problem with defending the purity of the English language is that English is about as pure as a cribhouse whore. We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary” - John Nicoll

English, as you pointed out, has never been pure. Its advantage is in its willingness to borrow, appropriate, and incorporate words from other languages while inventing new words and new definitions. It evolves - and that's what keeps it vibrant.

[freshwest]

28. Excellent post. But the RW has run on the fear of that for a generation.

[Magoo48]

4. Lived in SoCal all my life; a lot of my English is Spanish...

[MichaelMcGuire]

5. All languages

including English take from other languages words e.g shampoo is derived from Hindi word 'champo'.

[KamaAina]

6. At one point, Illinois came close to declaring "American" its official language.

or is that "offical"?

[Sarah Ibarruri]

10. Like everything, languages evolved and continue to evolve. Languages are flexible, not static

All languages added words, and words went in and out of vogue with each age and region. Each English speaking country has its differences in pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary and lexis. Even in sections of our own country, there is differing pronunciation and terminology. For example, what is 'shopping cart; in some areas of our country, becomes 'buggy' in others.

The accent used in various sections of our country is associated with who settled that area. People in the New England area, for example, tend not to pronounce the R a lot, much like the English and Scottish did who first settled those areas.

Further, as time passes and our lifestyles (and problems) change, our language changes accordingly.

Also, because time changes language, if we were to travel back in time in our own country, say, to the 1800s, we'd find the pronunciation and terminology used to be quite different!

We have too many differences for there to be merely one form of correct English.

[MichaelMcGuire]

13. To further

The English language spoken with a Scottish accent (Accent of either Scots or Gaidhlig) i.e. 'Scottish' standard English (SSE) the only difference is in the grammar between English and SSE. Lallans (Lowland Scots) and gaidhlig (Scottish Gaelic) a great deal would have spoken these two languages (Scots and or Gaidhlig) as their native tongue not English. However getting back on topic the biggest influence on UK English is American English.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

14. Very interesting! Thank you. nt

[freshwest]

16. Interesting: 'biggest influence on UK English is American English'

So I guess that's where some of the railing about English spelling comes from. I read years ago that the French were sick of Americanisms and culture overwhelming their language, so they banned some of it.

Although the Norwegians seem to have no problem with English in their culture. My friends in Europe were taught to speak several languages in their early years. Of course they are closer together.

Americans lose out by speaking 'only' English. It's an advantage to be bilingual.

[MichaelMcGuire]

17. I can speak 3

Scots
English with a Scottish accent also known as Scottish English
and to my shame only a little Scottish Gaelic
little French or German I got in high school.


American soft power has great influence

[mwooldri]

18. You're spot on - there's English and english.

English (with the capital E) is the so-called standard, but then the vast majority who say they speak English actually mean english (with a small e) - their own variation, dialect, choice words, slang, and borrowing different words from other languages.

You're right about time: try comparing Geoffrey Chaucer to William Shakespeare, again then to Charles Dickens, and then again to JK Rowling. All of them wrote in english. But all four of the enlishes used are different.

Therefore, standard English changes.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

19. Great explanation! Thank you! Current and old versions of English are so many! nt

[Marrah_G]

20. I think that we do need a basic common language

Whether that be English, Spanish or Mandarin it really doesn't matter, being able to communicate with each other does.

I personally like the way many European countries teach multiple languages at a young age.

Even better would be one universal global language.

I wonder if that day will ever come.

[freshwest]

21. Some claim American English is the language of world commerce, so it may be here now.

People use it without giving up their own culture or language, using it only for trade with other countries.

[Marrah_G]

22. I know its also used by all pilots.

I wish I had an easier times learning languages. Spanish would be very helpful at work. I've looked into rosetta stone but its so darned expensive .

[loyalsister]

23. Depends on how far you want to go

A lot of states, cities, and towns would have to be renamed.
The Native American names
Iowa, The Dakotas.....
Practically the entire southwest.
Las Cruses, Las Vegas, San Diego, San Francisco, Los Angeles

[annabanana]

26. English is a weird language. Part Germanic,

Part Romance, with bits & pieces of just about everything else.

"The problem with defending the purity of the English language is that English is about as pure as a cribhouse whore. We don’t just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary."
--James D. Nicoll