Date: Thu, 14 Sep 1995 23:42:47 -0400
From: Logical Language Group <lojbab@ACCESS.DIGEX.NET>
Message-Id: <199509150342.XAA23608@access1.digex.net>
To: Dan_McGinn-Combs.DBS@DBSNOTES.DBSOFTWARE.COM
Subject: Re: CONLANG: fighting fanaticism
Cc: conlang@diku.dk
Sender: owner-conlang@diku.dk
Precedence: bulk
Reply-To: Logical Language Group <lojbab@ACCESS.DIGEX.NET>
Status: OR

>There are, of course, a number of advocates in the United States who believe 
>that everyone in this country should speak English.  There are a number of 
>"English Only" laws either which are under consideration or which have
>passed.  
>Georgia has a law of this type, attempting to limit the need for Spanish and
>SE  Asian language proficiencies throughout schools, government and public
>notices.
>
>This appears to be Natural Language fanatacism to me!

I'm not inclined to label this fanaticism, though I don't support English-only
laws either.  The arguments posed usually are red herrings - there are really
only two reasons behind the English only movement

The first is economic.  It costs money - usually tax money - but often business
money, to support speakers of other languages.  Economic conservatives tend
to not want governement to be spending money on social services in the first
place, and this is a place they can draw the line.  In addition, shutting out
non-english speakers caters to the blue collar worker who faces job competition.

The second is xenophobia.  the US, especially in times when it is most open
to immigration, rises in xenophobia.  English-only speakers don't like the idea
that the person next to them is speaking in a language they don't understand.
I think even Miss manners has said that one should not conduct a conversation
in a language not known to all present.  Not speaking English is therefore
considered "rude".  The side argument is that these people will either learn
English before coming here or they will stay at home (wishful thinking).
But the bottom line is that there is an English-speaking WASP "Amercian
culture" that the english-only types feel will be under attack and perhaps
destroiyed or changed beyond recognition if multilingual society persists.

needless to say, this is another instance of an unstated assumption that the
Sapir-Whorf hypothesis is true.

lojbab