PRESIDENT Donald Trump has designated English as the official language of the United States, aiming to unify a nation characterised by diverse immigration.
According to an executive order published by the White House, it is “long past time” for English to be declared the nation’s official language.
The order revokes a 1990s mandate under President Bill Clinton, which required federal agencies to provide assistance to non-English speakers.
Agencies will still have flexibility in offering help in other languages, with agency heads empowered to determine necessary measures to fulfil their missions and provide services efficiently.
Trump has issued numerous executive orders in his first weeks in office, many of which face legal challenges, particularly those seeking to annul federal funding approved by Congress.
While acknowledging that over 350 languages are spoken in the US, the order asserts that English has been the nation’s language “from the founding of our Republic,” with historic documents such as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution written in English.
US government figures from 2019 reveal that nearly 68 million people speak a language other than English at home, with over 40 million speaking Spanish.
The US linguistic landscape also includes Chinese, Vietnamese, and numerous Native American languages.
-BTS Media
