What language did the founding fathers want for the official American

[Cleita]

language? Here is something to think about.

On August 1st, 1996, the House of Representatives passed legislation making English the official language of the United States. Supporters of the measure say that English forms the glue that keeps America together. They deplore the dollars wasted translating English into other languages. And they fear a horde of illegal aliens adamantly refusing to acquire the most powerful language on earth.

On the other hand, opponents of official English remind us that without legislation we have managed to get over ninety-seven percent of the residents of this country to speak the national language. No country with an official language law even comes close. Opponents also point out that today’s non-English-speaking immigrants are picking up English faster than earlier generations of immigrants did, so instead of official English, they favor “English Plus,” encouraging everyone to speak both English and another language.

I would like to offer a modest proposal to resolve the language impasse in Congress. Don’t make English official, ban it instead.

That may sound too radical, but proposals to ban English first surfaced in the heady days after the American Revolution. Anti-British sentiment was so strong in the new United States that a few super-patriots wanted to get rid of English altogether. They suggested replacing English with Hebrew, thought by many in the eighteenth century to be the world’s first language, the one spoken in the garden of Eden. French was also considered, because it was thought at the time, and especially by the French, to be the language of pure reason. And of course there was Greek, the language of Athens, the world’s first democracy. It’s not clear how serious any of these proposals were, though Roger Sherman of Connecticut supposedly remarked that it would be better to keep English for ourselves and make the British speak Greek.

More at http://www.pbs.org/speak/seatosea/officialamerican/banenglish/

Of course I don't want to ban English. I just thought it interesting that the founding fathers weren't fond of English as an official language.

[Erika]

1. Ah, what happened to the Indians we stole the country from?

Did they forget to demand the language we should speak? At some point, you have to hit reality and truth. We decimated them, and this might very well happen to us.

[Cleita]

2. Aren't there four basic Amerind languages that all the rest

are derived from? It seems they should be the official languages if there is to be such a thing.

[Erika]

3. I do not know. n/t

[caledesi]

5. I know Ben Franklin wanted German to be our language. nt

[Cleita]

6. That would be appropriate for our new fascist government today.

Since English is partially derived from a Germanic language, it will probably do.

[babylonsister]

4. I have two life experiences I'd like to share. One,

and this was about 10 years ago, I was lucky enough to spend time in Israel, a few times, and people speak English and one or two other languages, or only English, and so what.
Two: when I was 17, I was an au pair in Paris. Whee! But! The kids I met spoke English as their lifestyles and education depended on it. The European people had the right attitude and mode. What are we foresaking by denying language, culture, everything in the 'fight' to tamp down languages? I think it's another sick aspect of what's happening to our country.