What does ‘official language’ status really mean?
The task: research on the topic of ‘official languages’ and try to find out what the promotion of a language into an official language role really means for everyday life activities. If English is designated as an official language of a particular country or state, what language rights and obligations do people have?
There are four parts to the assignment.
Part I. Official languages and their use in two different states in the USA
Find out as much information as you can about the designation of official languages in two states in the USA: California and Hawaii. The official language of California is English. The two official languages of Hawaii are English and Hawaiian. How is California affected by having English as its sole official language? What activities have to be carried out in English by law? In Hawaii, are the two official languages equally privileged – do people in Hawaii have the right and opportunity to use Hawaiian in the same activities that English can be used? Are they equally balanced official languages?
Part II. Official languages and their use in two different countries
Find out as much information as you can about the designation of official languages in two countries (pick two of the following three): Canada, Switzerland, New Zealand. Find out what the official languages of two of these countries are and how they can or must be used in different domains of life (e.g. government administration, education, political discussion, law courts and other areas of life).
Part III. English as the (future) official language of the USA.
If English ever became the official language of the USA, how might this change our daily lives? You can start your investigation by accessing the internet sites of US English (www.usenglish.org) to gather more current information on the campaign to make English official in different states and in different areas of life. Also access the website of the Institute for Language and Education Policy (http://www.elladvocates.org/), for discussion of language issues in the USA from a very different perspective, supporting the maintenance of heritage languages and bilingual education.
What are the arguments for and against making English the official language of the USA? What is your view on this issue?
Part IV. Summary: Does official language status always mean the same thing?
Summarize and compare what you have learned about official languages. Does the recognition of a language as ‘official’ always have the same consequences for real-world activities? What parts of our life can or must be carried out using an official language? Is this the same for different states and countries, and would the potential recognition of English as the official language of the USA make it like the official languages in other countries?
Value of the assignment: 10% of final grade
Minimum suggested length: Seven double-spaced pages (not including references). No maximum length (feel free to include as much information as seems relevant).
Individual work: For the final project, you should each carry out and write up your own research (i.e. no group work for this project).
Format: essay format
References: please make sure to add references for all the information you find out, in any reference style.
APA
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