English is the most commonly spoken language in the United States, with over 78% of U.S. citizens speaking English. Due to English’s prevalence in the United States, one would assume that it is the official language of the U.S., so why not make it so? There would be many benefits to acknowledging English as the U.S.’s official language. Although the lack of an official language in the U.S. preserves language diversity and provides jobs for translators and interpreters, English should be declared the official language of the United States because it would encourage national unity and open many more job opportunities for immigrants.
English should become the United States’ official language because it would promote national unity. If everyone
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In the article “Why is Official English Necessary?” by Usenglish, they argue that “providing a common means of communication [...] encourages immigrants to learn English in order to use government services and participate in the democratic process” (Source D). The author highlights that by requiring people to learn English, they will be able to take part in different democratic activities, such as voting or contacting government officials. The participation of minorities in democratic activities is necessary because it allows their voices to be heard. For America to live up to its ideal of equality, everyone’s opinion must be acknowledged. This is only possible if the United States appoints an official language. If everybody in the U.S. speaks English, people will be able to communicate with each other and express opinions on various political topics. In addition, the establishment of English as the official language of the U.S. would “help reverse [the] harmful process” of the “growth of linguistic enclaves” promoted by “multilingual government services” (Source D). In other words, the author believes that by accommodating to non-English speakers,