A Brief History of Language Restrictionism in the United States.

The history of the movement to establish English as the single official language of the United States (official English or English-only movement) is chronicled from the drafting of the Constitutions to the present, with emphasis on developments since the 1980s. Increasing interest in the early 1980s is attributed to political factors and demographic trends that emphasized a renewed commitment to "American" values. Stated and unstated goals of the proposed policy are discussed, and a historical tendency toward "language restrictionism" is traced from the early days of the United States through a number of distinct periods in which immigration rates were elevated. Recent legislative efforts of the English-only movement are detailed, and the role and policies of the political lobbying organization, US English, in this movement are explored. In conclusion, all individuals involved in English language education are encouraged to oppose official English legislation. (Contains 13 references.) (MSE) ******************************************************************************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. * ******************************************************************************** A BRIEF HISTORY OF LANGUAGE RESTRICTIONISM IN THE UNITED STATES' by Thomas Ricento, Ph.D. Introduction PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES 1 INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) The current movement to declare English the official language of the United States began in 1981 when the late Senator S.I. Hayakawa of California introduced a constitutional amendment (S.J. Res. 72) into the US Congress. The proposed amendment was never reported out of committee, but over the next decade, 18 states passed initiatives naming English as their official language. Hayakawa was no doubt a maverick, and dismissed by more "mainstream" politicians, but he helped spark a movement that continues to this day. There are a number of reasons the official English movement picked up steam in the early 1980s. Ronald Reagan was elected President in 1980, ushering in a new era in domestic politics in which the "old," proud America, the "shining city on the hill", would replace an America mired in malaise, still paralyzed by the "Vietnam syndrome." The ethnic revival movement of the 1960s and 1970s, and federal support for so-called bilingual education programs, were being criticized by some in the popular press as divisive, and in the case of bilingual education, unnecessary and expensive. Nothing could be taken for granted anymore, so the argument went, even the preeminent status of the English language. With the dramatic increase in immigrants from Asian and Latin American countries beginning in 1965, many Americans, especially in large cities, felt their way of life was under assault. The sounds of Spanish, Korean, Chinese, Arabic, and many other languages were heard with increasing frequency in American towns and cities; the American border in the southwest was too porous; projections of demographic patterns showed that the older immigrant populations were not replacing themselves as quickly as were the newer, non-European groups. Amidst this uncertainty and relatively rapid increase in immigrant populations, English itEST COPY AVAILABLE 2 1 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. O Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. became a symbol, and its protection a cause around which disgruntled citizens could rally. Certainly, a renewed commitment to "American" values was a central theme of the 1980s; and as in earlier periods of social change and international turmoil, reaffirmation of the status of the English language symbolized a desire to reassert the power of groups who felt their influence, their place, was being eclipsed by uncontrollable forces. During the colonial period, again in the 1830s with the first wave of large-scale European immigration, and during the great wave of European immigration from roughly 1880 to 1920, movements to restrict the public use of non-English languages led to the passage of English-only laws in education, voting, and the judicial system. The period immediately prior to, and during US participation in World War I, saw heightened anti-German hysteria, an assault on German organizations and publications, and an aversion to foreign cultures and ideas, generally. A similar phenomenon occurred during World War II, especially with regard to Japanese and