Official State Languages
| State | Name | Designated as | Year |
| Alabama | English | Official language of the state of Alabam ... | 1990 |
| Alaska | English | Official language of the State of Alaska | 1998 |
| Arizona | English | Official language of the state of Arizon ... | 2006 |
| Place | English official | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Yes | since 1990 |
| Alaska | Yes | |
| Arizona | Yes | since 2006, 1988 law ruled unconstitutional |
| Arkansas | Yes | since 1987 |
Does the United States need an official language?
Does the United States need an official language? The United States has never had an official language. 32 states have made laws giving official status to English, but there is no such law on the federal level. And yet we’ve all heard the argument, “This is America—speak English.” In fact, there are as many as 350 different languages ...
What are the 6 official languages of the United States?
Most common languages
- English only – 239 million
- Spanish – 41 million
- Chinese (including Mandarin, Cantonese and Hokkien ) – 3.5 million
- Tagalog (including Filipino ) – 1.7 million
- Vietnamese – 1.5 million
- Arabic – 1.2 million
- French – 1.2 million
- Korean – 1.1 million
- Russian – 0.94 million
- German – 0.92 million
Does the United States have an official language?
The United States has no official language. English is spoken by the overwhelming majority of Americans. Spanish is the second-most spoken language in the US after English. At least 350 languages are spoken in the US today. It is generally known that the overwhelming majority of people in the United States speak English.
What countries have English as an official language?
- #1 United States of America. The United States of America is the world's largest English-speaking country.
- #2 India. India is next on the list, with 125 million English speakers.
- #3 Pakistan. Surprised?
- #4 Philippines.
- #5 Nigeria.
- #6 United Kingdom.
- (Bonus) Countries with the Highest English Proficiency.
- #1 Netherlands.
Do any states have an official language?
A number of states have established English as the only official language on a state level, while other states recognise English alongside native languages. 30 US states have made English the only official language, while Hawaii recognises Hawaiian alongside English and Alaska has many official native languages.
What states have 2 official languages?
One state (Hawai'i) is officially bilingual, and three states (Louisiana, Maine, and New Mexico) have facto bilingual policies. Languages other than English spoken in the U.S.
Why USA doesn't have official language?
In fact, the US has no official language. “The Founding Fathers didn't see a need to declare one,” Dr. Wayne Wright, a professor of language and literacy at Purdue University, told CNN. “English was pretty much the dominant language of the United States at the time so there really wasn't a need to protect it.
Do any states have English only laws?
In 1998 Arizona adopted a constitutional provision making English the state's official language and requiring that “[t]his State and all political subdivisions of this State shall act in English and no other language.” Maria-Kelley Yniguez, an insurance claims adjustor for the Arizona Department of Administration, ...
Which language is most spoken in the world 2022?
EnglishOnline language tool Babbel reports that English is the most spoken language in the world, with a number of speakers totaling more than 1.4 billion in 2022, according to Statistic & Data.
Is Tennessee an English Only state?
English is hereby established as the official and legal language of Tennessee.
Why do Americans only speak English?
U.S. identity, unlike that of other countries, is not rooted in ethnicity or race, and some Americans believe that national unity requires a national language. They see English as a national unifying bond.
Why did America choose English?
The use of English in the United States is a result of British colonization of the Americas. The first wave of English-speaking settlers arrived in North America during the early 17th century, followed by further migrations in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Which country has no official language?
Some countries, such as the United States, have no official national language but do have areas where an official language has been adopted. Still other countries have no official languages at all. These include Australia, Eritrea, Luxembourg, Sweden and Tuvalu.
Is it a law to speak English in America?
There is no legal recognition of English as a national language in the U.S., and the issue of whether privately imposed English-only rules, particularly in the workplace, are discriminatory (and hence violative of civil rights laws) is a source of much contention.
How many states recognize English as the official language?
31 statesAlthough there are no laws stating that English is the official language at the federal level, 31 states have their own laws proclaiming it as the official language on the state level, which usually just means it has to be used for government communications.
Is Hawaii the only state with two official languages?
Hawaii is the only US state to have two official languages, yet they are far from equal – and the one that was there first gets the worst deal. Forty years ago this year, Olelo Hawai'i (the native Hawaiian language) was officially incorporated into the state constitution as the state language, alongside English.
Is Hawaii the only state with two official languages?
Hawaii is the only US state to have two official languages, yet they are far from equal – and the one that was there first gets the worst deal. Forty years ago this year, Olelo Hawai'i (the native Hawaiian language) was officially incorporated into the state constitution as the state language, alongside English.
Is Florida a bilingual state?
Florida is a diverse multilingual and multicultural state. It has a rich history of Spanish, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Vietnamese, and Native People languages, among many others, spoken and used regularly in the state.
Is New Mexico officially bilingual?
New Mexico is the first state in the US to have a bilingual multicultural education law, passing the Bilingual Multicultural Education Act of 1973. The law was expanded in 2004 and stands as an exceptional national model for state legislation.
What is the second language of Louisiana?
Louisiana is a state that thinks and speaks in at least seven languages: English, French, French Creole, Spanish, Italian, Vietnamese, Hungarian, and Croatian. To these we can add many dialects of French, Spanish, and English.
What states are considering making English their official language?
The states currently considering legislation that would make English their official language are Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. h/t Stateline. Today's Headlines.
What is the official language of Illinois?
In Illinois, for example, its English law states simply, “The official language of the state of Illinois is English .”
What language is used in Missouri?
In Missouri, it’s even more vague, more of an observation than a designation: “The general assembly recognizes that English is the most common language used in Missouri and recognizes that fluency in English is necessary for full integration into our common American culture.”
Which states require ballots to be written in English?
Most states go further, with additional guidelines, like Tennessee, which mandates that, “All communications and publications, including ballots, produced by governmental entities in Tennessee shall be conducted in English unless the nature of the course would require otherwise.”
How can English laws save states money?
English laws can save states money by only requiring they print documents in one language, she said, and it “adds an incentive for people who don’t know English to learn the language.”
Which states have other languages?
Three states have other official languages in addition to English. Hawaii recognized Hawaiian Pidgin English as an official language in 2015. Since then, South Dakota made Sioux an official language, and Alaska added more than 20 indigenous languages. 4.
How many states have English as their official language?
Over half the states in the U.S. have made English an official language. Although there are no laws stating that English is the official language at the federal level, 31 states have their own laws proclaiming it as the official language on the state level, which usually just means it has to be used for government communications.
How many languages are spoken in the US?
There may be no official language, but there are at least 350 different languages spoken in the United States. After English, the top five in terms of native speakers are Spanish, Chinese (including Cantonese, Mandarin and other varieties), French (and French Creole), Tagalog and Vietnamese. Note: this list is likely to change after the 2020 Census.
Is German an official language?
And one more thing: German was never under consideration to be an official language. There’s a compelling story that German was once “one vote away” from becoming the official language of the United States, but it’s a myth. In 1795, there was a vote on whether to print the federal laws in both German and English.
Is it a crime to speak German?
During and after World War I, when anti-German sentiment was high in the United States, parts of the Midwest made it a crime to speak German and other foreign languages in public. And there were several other periods when speaking a foreign language in the United States was considered dangerous.
Is English the official language of the United States?
It’s true, there’s no official language of the United States at the federal level. The debate about whether or not to adopt an official language has been going on since at least the 1750s. Still, the vast majority of people in the United States speak English (about 300 million ), which makes it the country’s de facto (in practice, instead of in law) official language.
What is the official language of the United States?
The United States has no official Language spoken by its people. Most of the States use English as their official language. Although other states recognize other languages, they do so alongside English language.The Primary Language for executive orders, federal court rulings, legislation, treaties, regulations and all the official pronouncements is English. However documents like ballots are done in multiple languages for the non-English in some areas. English classes are done in schools at each grade level and also in dual language and bilingual learning situations. English compositions are mandatory in colleges and universities to satisfy associates’ and bachelor’s degree.
What is the most common language spoken in the United States?
English is the most commonly used language. American English is in fact the national language of the United States. The second most spoken language is Spanish. Others languages spoken in the United States include French, German, Tagalog, Chinese, Hawaiian, Arabic, and American Sign Language. American Sign Language is the most common sign language.
What languages do Austronesian people speak?
Austronesian languages spoken in the US include Hawaiian, the official state language of Hawaii, as well as Samoan, Cha morro in the Mariana Islands, and Carolinian in the Northern Marianas.
What sign language did the Native Americans use?
Native American Sign Language. Plains Indian Sign Language, Plains Sign Talk, or Plains Standard was the primary sign language used by the deaf among the Native Americans. It hosted the Navajo Sign Language and the Plateau Sign Language around Columbia Plateau under its umbrella.
How are the other languages learned?
All the other languages apart from English, French, Spanish, Navajo, and German are learned through some form of education or from immigrant ancestors who came after independence time. The Muhlenberg legend, a known urban legend, claimed that German was about to become the United States official language but only lost by a single vote.
How many languages does Alaska speak?
Alaska, on the other hand, has made official twenty native languages and English. English was the primary language until 1923 when the first of the English-only laws were ruled unconstitutional.
Do ballots have multiple languages?
However documents like ballots are done in multiple languages for the non-English in some areas . English classes are done in schools at each grade level and also in dual language and bilingual learning situations.
How many languages are spoken in the US?
English is spoken by the overwhelming majority of Americans. Spanish is the second-most spoken language in the US after English. At least 350 languages are spoken in the US today. It is generally known that the overwhelming majority of people in ...
What is the second most spoken language in the US?
Spanish is the second most spoken language in the US after English, and other languages with millions of speakers include Chinese, Tagalog (the national dialect of the Philippines), Vietnamese, and French (including French Creole).
How many languages were spoken in the United States before the Europeans arrived?
What became the United States was multilingual long before the country was founded. In fact, before the arrival of Europeans in North America, at least 300 languages were spoken by Indigenous peoples in what is now the US and Canada.
How many people speak English in the US?
Today, the US is home to approximately 331 million people, of which 300 million, or roughly 90% of the population, speak English. But millions of Americans also speak other languages. In fact, the US is home to speakers of at least 350 languages in total. Spanish is the second most spoken language in the US after English, and other languages with millions of speakers include Chinese, Tagalog (the national dialect of the Philippines), Vietnamese, and French (including French Creole).
Why did the founding fathers not believe in the English language?
The founding fathers also did not believe that the English language needed any protection under the law. As the US expanded its territory and welcomed new immigrants, more languages became part of the fabric of American culture.
What is the "Speak English" movement?
The "Speak English" movement associates the English language with American patriotism. Image credit: Sean K/Shutterstock. It was the 20th century that saw the most widespread efforts to discourage the use of non-English languages in the US.
What language did the Europeans bring to the US?
When Europeans began arriving and settling in what became the US, they of course brought their mother tongues with them. A Spanish sign in Phoenix, Arizona, US. Spanish is the second-most spoken country in the US. Image credit: Rebekah Zemansky/Shutterstock. On the eve of American independence in 1776, English was the most dominant language in ...
How many states have English as their official language?
The United States has never had an official language at the federal level. However, 32 states of the United States, in some cases as part of what has been called the English-only movement, have adopted legislation granting official status to English. Out of 50 states, 30 have established English as the only official language, while Hawaii recognizes both English and Hawaiian as official, and Alaska has made some 20 native languages official, along with English; for example, Alaska provides voting information in English, Iñupiaq, Central Yup'ik, Gwich'in, Siberian Yupik, Koyukon, and Tagalog. On July 1, 2019, a law went into effect making Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota the official indigenous languages of South Dakota. From 1923 to 1969, the state of Illinois recognized its official language as "American".
What is the most common language spoken in the United States?
Although the United States does not have an official language, the most commonly used language is English (specifically, American English ), which is the de facto national language, and the only one spoken at home by approximately 78% of the U.S. population.
How many people speak Dakota?
Dakota is a Siouan language with 18,000 speakers in the US alone (22,000 including speakers in Canada), not counting 6,000 speakers of the closely related Lakota. Most speakers live in the states of North Dakota and South Dakota.
What languages are used in Arizona?
Languages such as Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Tagalog, Persian, Russian, Vietnamese, and Thai appear in official state documents, and the Department of Motor Vehicles publishes in nine languages. The issue of multilingualism also applies in the states of Arizona and Texas.
Where are Hindi and Urdu spoken?
Hindi and Urdu are widely spoken among the Indian who hails from Northern India and Pakistani communities in the United States as a first or second language. Speakers are concentrated in states with large South Asian populations, including California, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Texas and Virginia.
Where did the Plains sign language originate?
A sign-language trade pidgin, known as Plains Indian Sign Language, Plains Standard or Plains Sign Talk, arose among the Native Americans of the plains. Each signing nation had a separate signed version of their oral language, that was used by the hearing, and these were not mutually intelligible. Plains Standard was used to communicate between these nations. It seems to have started in Texas and then spread north, through the Great Plains, as far as British Columbia. There are still a few users today, especially among the Crow, Cheyenne, and Arapaho. Unlike other sign languages developed by hearing people, it shares the spatial grammar of deaf sign languages. Through intergenerational transmission, Plains Sign Talk became a working language still in use today in some Deaf First Nations or Native American communities.
Where is the Navajo language spoken?
Navajo is an Athabaskan language of the Na-Dené family, with 178,000 speakers, primarily in the states of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. Altogether, Navajo speakers make up more than 50% of all Native American language speakers in the United States.
Which countries have de facto official languages?
This is a ranking of languages by number of sovereign countries in which they are de jure or de facto official. United States, India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Philippines, United Kingdom. (See the full list) France, DRC, Canada, Madagascar.
What is the difference between regional and official language?
Official language: one designated as having a unique legal status in the state, typically , the language used in a nation's legislative bodies, and often , official government business. Regional language: one designated as having official status limited to a specific area, administrative division, or territory of the state ...
What is a national language?
National language: one that uniquely represents the national identity of a state, nation, and/or country and so designated by a country's government; some are technically minority languages (on this page a national language will be followed by parentheses that identify it as a national language status).
When did Malaysia become the official language?
Section 2 of that article allowed English to be used officially until otherwise provided by Parliament. In 1967, the Parliament of Malaysia passed the National Language Act, making Malay the official language of Malaysia. The act does, however, allow the use of English for some official purposes.
When was Latvian established as the official language?
S2CID 145660793. In 1992, following further amendments to this directive, Latvian was established as the only official language. It took Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development seven more years before the State language law was adopted in 1999, with further amendments in the years 2000, 2001 and 2002.
