The English-only Question: An Official Language for Americans?Yale University Press, 1990 M01 1 - 226 páginas Should the United States declare English its official language? The "English-only" question, which has plagued American citizens since the founding of the country, has once again become the focus of heated debate, with an English Language Amendment to the Constitution pending in Congress since 1981. In this lively and engrossing book, an often-quoted authority on the English language provides the first comprehensive, historically based discussion of this troubling issue. Dennis Baron dispassionately explores the philosophical, legal, political, educational, and sociological implications of the official-English movement, tracing the history of American attitudes toward English and minority languages during the past two centuries. Baron describes how battles to save English or minority languages have been fought in the press, the schools, the courts, and the legislatures of the country. According to Baron, the impulse to impose English and limit other languages has repeatedly arisen during periods of political or economic ferment, when non-English speakers have been targeted as subversive, unemployable, or otherwise resistant to assimilation. However, says Baron, many supporters of the English Language Amendment are not xenophobic but are people who believe in the ideal of one language for one nation and who argue that mastery of English is the only way to succeed in America. Baron discusses the recent background of the English Language Amendment, explains the arguments on each side, and assesses its future. His book will enable policymakers, voters, legislators, and educators to better understand the complex issues that surround the question of an official language for America. |
Contenido
Language and Liberty | 27 |
3 | 45 |
5 | 99 |
Americanization and the Schools | 133 |
6 | 149 |
Bibliography | 203 |
217 | |
Términos y frases comunes
adults Ameri American English American language American schools anglophone argued assimilation bilingual education British Calvin Veltman century Chinese cited citizens classes common Congress culture debate delegate democracy democratic despite discrimination English Language Amendment English literacy requirement English-first English-only English-speaking ethnic European favor federal foreign language Franklin French German Americans German language glish guage Hispanic Illinois immi immigrants issue Joshua Fishman Kloss language of instruction language policy language rights large numbers learn English legislature linguistic literacy test Louisiana ment Mexican Mexico minority languages minority-language rights minority-language speakers monolingual national language Native American nativist Nebraska non-English-speaking nonanglophones official English official language official-English official-language laws official-language legislation patriotism Pennsylvania percent political population proposed protection public schools Puerto Rico requiring English Senate social Spanish speak English speech state's statehood statutes Supreme Court teach English teachers territory tion tongue U.S. Constitution United vote Webster World York
Referencias a este libro
Routledge Encyclopedia of Translation Studies Mona Baker,Kirsten Malmkjær Sin vista previa disponible - 1998 |