Language is, according to Merriam Webster Dictionary, “a systematic means of communicating ideas or feelings by the use of conventionalized signs, sounds, gestures, or marks having understood meanings.” Basically it is the key to living your life. It is so important not only because we use it to get things we want but for expressing our deepest feelings and thoughts; language is like a portal to our hearts. There are many different languages throughout the world. Each nation has its own language, some are similar to others. Yet, even though they are similar that doesn’t mean they are the same; each person must learn another language in order to communicate with other people. What if there is a nation that does NOT have a national language is most spoken through out the nation?

Our nation does not have a national language. The United States Congress has been debating this issue for a very long time; they simply don’t agree with each other. It is a very sensitive issue, because it is very controversial. Some want a national language, others don’t. The ones, who do prefer the national language to be English, do so because it is the language mostly spoken and written through out the nation. Another problem that the Congress faces is the issue of how is the law is going to be implicated. How is the Congress going to enforce people to learn English and use it? The answer they have come up with is teaching the younger generation. As the children grow up with English in their lives, they will get accustomed to it; therefore, they will use it more often.

The people who support English as the national language created a thesis that would help them rebut arguments: They believe that it is in the nation’s best interest to have a national language not only because it makes it easier for everyone to communicate, it brings national unity. When we really think about it…does bring national unity? Imagine living in a nation where no one understands each other because of the language that they speak. That can cause many problems such as racism, sectionalism, hatred, superiority and so much more.

If it were up to me, I would allow English to be the national language. It does provide lots of benefits for people and it will help them out. It isn’t easy living in a country where only few people (if any) understand you. People have feelings, thoughts, and ideas that they want to share, but how are they going to share it if they aren’t understood? It makes it much harder for them to move ahead in life and accomplish things in this particular nation. There are people who come to this nation without knowing English and it is very hard for them to achieve things until they learn the language. Such a person is Richard Rodriguez.

Richard Rodriguez is a Mexican immigrant who moved to the United States as a child. He suffered so much as a child because he did not know English. Even though English isn’t the national language it is the most largely spoken language in the United States. As Rodriguez noticed that he had to learn English in order to live a “normal” life, he developed ideas about the differences between the public language and the “intimate language.” As he learned English he became less fluent in his Spanish. He didn’t completely realize this until he was an adult; he already had his life built with many accomplishments. Rodriguez wasn’t happy though, because he thought that the English language took over his intimate language and now he had to build that “relationship” back. He described himself (as a child): “I was a bilingual child, a certain kind – socially disadvantaged – the son of two working class parents, both Mexican immigrants.” Rodriguez saw himself as one that could not be with the others; he was an outcast to the gringos. He always felt that in order to “fit in” and go some where in life he had to learn English.

What would Richard Rodriguez responses be to the question: Should the English language be the national language? Should there even be a national language? In my viewpoint of Rodriguez would most probably say that English shouldn’t be the national language, because there shouldn’t be a national language in the first place. He would probably support that statement by stating that a national language can confuse the mind of the people. By that he would mean even though the people are moving ahead in their lives they are forgetting about their old traditional lives.

In my opinion, I believe that language should be legislated. It will end suffering for many people in the nation who need an education. If they are taught the English language they can get ahead in their lives and earn a better living for themselves and their families. Sure there are people who disagree with that, but there are people who have accomplished learning English and using it everyday and still know their native language. These people learned how to balance their native language and national language. Therefore it is possible to have English as our legislated national language.

Work Cited

Rodriguez, Richard. “Aria: Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood.” 50 essays. Kedra and Denise B. Wydra, and Karen S. Henry. 75 Arlington Street, Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s. 2004. 292-315. Print.

“Language”. Merriam- Webster Dictionary and Thesaurus. Merriam Webster Inc. 2010. December 20, 2010. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/language

LeFleur, Kedra. 50 essay; A Portable Anthropology. 75 Arlington Street, Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s. 2004. Print.