Adams K., Brink D. (eds.) Perspectives on Official English - The Campaign for English As the Official Language of the USA

Berlin, New York: Mouton de Gruyter, 1990. — X, 365 p. — (Contributions to the Sociology of Language Series, Volume 57).A result of a 1987 conference on Official English and the Border States in Tempe, Arizona, this volume contains 25 articles by linguists, social scientists, lawyers, a judge, a U.S. Senator, and a member of the Board of Directors of U.S. English. One of the objectives of the conference and of this volume was to "give all sides an opportunity to express their views, in the hope of bringing some light to the heat that will doubtless be generated during the future battles that are bound to occur as U.S. English continues its campaign".In 1986, California voters passed an amendment directing the state legislature and state officials to take steps to "ensure that the status of English as the common language... is preserved and enhanced." Since that time, what has come to be known as the "Official Language Movement" has attracted rapidly increasing attention in the political, educational and, inevitably, scholarly domains. Perspectives on Official English is one such reflection of this attention. It contains 25 articles divided into five sections, bracketed by an Introduction (pp. 1-6), Appendices, References, List of Contributors and Index (pp. 307-365). The titles of the sections give a good indication of the book's contents: Theoretical Perspectives of Language Policy (one paper); International Perspectives on Language Policy (five); Perspectives on the Success of the Official English Campaign (six); Language Patterns in the United States: The Southwestern Perspective (seven); and Legal Perspectives on Language Policy (six). Each section is itself briefly introduced by the editors, who outline the major issues that are subsequently explored in more detail. The Appendices offer various legal documents relevant to US practice or proposals in the federal, Arizona, California and Florida jurisdictions, as well as historical documents concerning New Mexico and Arizona, and data concerning language use and ethnicity.The book is divided into five sections, each with its own short introduction. Section 1 contains a theoretical framework for examining official languages and language policy from a global perspective (Ruiz). In section 2, "International Perspectives on Language Policy," papers on language policy in Canada (Magnet), Ireland (Hudson-Edwards), the Soviet Union (Limage), and Malaysia (Davey) challenge many of the assumptions of official English proponents. Section 3, "Perspectives on the Success of the Official English Campaign," opens with a paper laying out the arguments for official English (Diamond), followed by a rebuttal (Nunberg). Discussion in the remaining papers (Woolard; Dyste; Castro, Haun, & Roca; and Zentella) of voter attitudes during various official English legislative campaigns provides a basis for comparison of ethnic and regional differences of opinion. In the section on language patterns in the Southwest (section 4), a demographic history of that region (Adams) is followed by a refutation of claims that immigrants are refusing to learn English (Amastae), a justification for the English Proficiency Act (Bingaman), and an argument for the importance of first language development in the acquisition of academic language proficiency in a second language (Brandt). There are also two papers (Benall & McCarty and Zepeda) on language policy and Native American languages. The six papers by specialists in constitutional law (section 5, "Legal Perspectives on Language Policy") discuss rights of English speakers (Zall & Stein), individual rights (Magnet), educational flexibility (Moran), and the courts' interpretation of the unstated intent of official English legislation (Fidel). Two papers argue the constitutionality of language rights and language legislation (Weinstein & Trasvina). The book has an index, over 340 references, and five appendices, including a Federal Official English Proposal, and census data on language use and ethnicity.Although language policy has historically not been a matter of great public concern in the United States, the last few years have witnessed a growing interest in this topic.1 In spite of brief periods of controversy and active policy-making, from the mid-19th century until recently a strong sense existed in the U.S. that non-English speaking people should and would — ultimately — speak English and that even those language enclaves which did establish themselves would die out in a few generations. As a result, little official concern for, or attention to, linguistic minorities seemed necessary. During that era, America was a "melting pot," and immigrant populations were typically anxious to become americanized in one or two generations. Government involvement in this process was seen to be unnecessary.In the last quarter-century, however, the notion of America as melting pot has been challenged, as many groups have become frustrated by the failure of their attempts to achieve assimilation and economic equity. Parallel to this growing frustration has been a positive trend of seeing ethnic and cultural diversity as valid and valuable goals for American society. But cultural diversity includes linguistic diversity: The preservation of minority cultures and the protection of their rights often cannot be achieved without the existence of policies and programs designed to protect the linguistic rights of those minority groups. Accordingly, recent federal policy affecting minority rights, such as the 1975 amendment to the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, has tended to include provisions allowing the use of languages other than English in official domains.Thus, a body of language policies has evolved piecemeal, based on the goal of protecting cultural diversity, with little attention paid to the question of what the optimal overall language policy for this country ought to be. At the same time as cultural diversity became an accepted element in the framing of government language policies, a variety of factors began to challenge the confidence and sense of security of mainstream America. Included among these factors were the very implementation of these policies, continued discontent among ethnic minorities, and internal dissension over the justice of our foreign policy.These factors have brought an immediacy to the issue of melting pot vs. cultural diversity, as has another factor: The growing perception that the United States is somehow threatened by foreign elements. Americans observe foreign countries influencing American economic policy; foreigners in ever-increasing numbers buying American real estate and business enterprises; terrorist acts being directed at Americans and American property; and immigrants — especially from Central America — continuing to arrive at record levels. In response to this perception of linguistic instability, a number of groups have sprung up advocating the establishment of legislation which will insure the status of English as the national language of the United States by declaring it the official language of the country.In any event, Perspectives on Official English may profitably be read by all of those involved, either abstractly or more directly, in discussions as to whether individual and/or societal multilingualism are precious resources or impediments to progress. Certainly, individuals and organizations involved in the "language lobby" must be made aware of the major discussions concerning language policy and language planning that can remove impediments to effective understanding in often very emotionally charged contexts. This book is a good place to begin, particularly since the dispassionate analyses is provides clearly favour a tolerantly multilingual approach.Preface
IntroductionTheoretical Perspectives on Language Policy
Introduction
Official Languages and Language PlanningInternational Perspectives on Language Policy
Introduction
Una Lingua, Una Patria?: Is Monolingualism Beneficial or Harmful to a Nation's Unity?
Canadian Perspectives on Official English
Language Policy and Linguistic Tolerance in Ireland
Language Policies in Western Europe and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
The Legislation of Bahasa Malaysia as the Official Language of MalaysiaPerspectives on the Success of the Official English Campaign
Introduction
English — the Official Language of California, 1983-1988
Testimony before the State Legislature on California Proposition 63
Voting Rights, Liberal Voters and the Official English Movement: An Analysis of Campaign Rhetoric in San Francisco's Proposition "O"
The Popularity of California's Proposition 63: An Analysis
The Official English Movement in Florida
Who Supports Official English, and Why?: The Influence of Social Variables and Questionnaire MethodologyLanguage Patterns in the United States: The Southwestern Perspective
Introduction
Ethnic and Linguistic Minorities in the Southwest: an Overview
Official English and the Learning of English
On the English Proficiency Act
The Official English Movement and the Role of First Languages
Official English and the Urge to Legislate
The Navajo Language Today
American Indian Language PolicyLegal Perspectives on Language Policy
Introduction
Legal Background and History of the English Language Movement
Is Language Choice a Constitutional Right?: Outline of a Constitutional Analysis
Bilingualism and the Constitution
Language and the Law in the Classroom: Bilingual Education and the Official English Initiative
Language Rights as Collective Rights
On Walling In and Walling OutAppendicies
Amendments, Initiatives, Resolutions
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
Congressional Hearings on Statehood for New Mexico and Arizona
Constitution of the State of New Mexico
Representative Data on Language Use and EthnicityReferences
List of Contributors
Index