What Is the Official Language of the United States?

Official Language of the United States: You might assume English is the official language of the United States since it's spoken almost everywhere. But surprisingly, it's not that simple! Let's look at why English is so common, and how many other languages are part of America's rich cultural mix.

What Is the Official Language of the United States?

You would likely assume that the official language of the United States is English. After all, that is the language we hear in schools, on the news, and in most government documents. However, it might surprise you to know that the United States does not have an official language at the national level! That means there is no law that says English must be the only language of the country.

Why Do Most People Speak English? 

English came to America long ago with people who were from Britain. Over hundreds of years, it became the most used language for school, work, and government. Even if there is no official rule to it, most people still use English in their day-to-day lives, and almost all official things like court documents and laws are given in English.

Why Isn't English the Official Language? 

When the United States was founded, the founders wanted to promote freedom, including the freedom to speak whatever language you wanted. To do that, they did not make any language official. This way, the United States could invite everyone from anytime and let them keep their cultures and languages.

What About States?

While the country does not have an official language, 31 states have declared English to be their official language. Hawaii, for example, has, in fact, two state official languages: English and Hawaiian. New Mexico typically utilises both English and Spanish.  

Many cities have signage, forms, and services in other languages for simplicity and ease to help many different people understand. 

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How Many Languages Are Spoken in the U.S.? 

The U.S. is one of the most language-diverse countries in the world. More than 350 languages are spoken in American households! Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Arabic, Tagalog, French and numerous Native American languages are spoken in homes.

Fun Facts About Language in the U.S.

• Spanish, is the second most commonly spoken language in the U.S.

• In the 1700's German almost became the official language of the United States but did not.

• In Louisiana some government documents are still written in French.  

• Every March, the U.S. celebrates Foreign Language Week to honour all the languages.

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