Many may be surprised to learn that English was not the official language of the United States until earlier this month when President Donald Trump signed an executive order formally declaring it as such. The initial reaction of Northeastern University experts was that the order wasn’t necessary — because English is already the dominant language in the United States. “The way many people in this country engage in their day-to-day lives, they recognize the value of knowing English,” said Adam Cooper, a teaching professor of linguistics at Northeastern. The executive order says the official designation will create “a unified and cohesive society” with a “shared language” and will help new Americans assimilate.
Experts say the executive order has limited power, but declaring an official language grants it legal status and makes it the standard for government business. It may also restrict access to forms and services for non-English speakers. Many countries have designated national languages with many having more than one, according to Boris Yelin, an associate teaching professor of Spanish and Portuguese at Northeastern. There’s a number of reasons why a country might designate an official language. The designation of a national or official language can be used as an oppressive tool, Yelin said, like in Spain when General Francisco Franco banned the use of regional languages between 1939 and 1975.
