United States
Official Languages
English is the de facto language in the United States of America. People that claim English as their mother tongue make up 82% of the population. Along with that, 96% claim that they can speak English well or very well. There is no official language that is at the federal level. Although there is not a declared official language, American English is the primary language and is used primarily in courts and the government. Because of the war against the English in 1780, the American founders did not want to declare English as their official language. Spanish is the second most common language in the country, spoken by over 12% of people. There are some immigrant languages as well. These are Spanish, Chinese, French, German, Tagalog, Vietnamese and Italian. The United States is the fifth largest Spanish speaking country. It is only outnumbered by Mexico, Spain, Argentina and Colombia.
History
Spanish conquerors established the first European colony in what is now Florida. In the 1600-1700’s the Spanish language spread north of Mexico into what is now Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and California. This growth was due to Spanish exploration. Following the United States conquering this region, many of the Spanish speakers remained. In the 20th century, many Latin American students started studying in the United States. By the 1990’s, more than 17 million people in the United States considered Spanish their primary language.
Spanish conquerors established the first European colony in what is now Florida. In the 1600-1700’s the Spanish language spread north of Mexico into what is now Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and California. This growth was due to Spanish exploration. Following the United States conquering this region, many of the Spanish speakers remained. In the 20th century, many Latin American students started studying in the United States. By the 1990’s, more than 17 million people in the United States considered Spanish their primary language.
The English language was first established in the United
States, beginning with the settlement of Jamestown in 1607. Although there were already some Native
Americans speaking Pidgin English, this is the first influence of English from
Europe.
How a person from
here would learn Spanish and how a Spanish speaker would learn this language
Although English and Spanish are both difficult to learn as a second language. There are different reasons that a speaker would find them difficult. For a Spanish speaker learning to speak English they have a difficulty with some of the separable verbs in English like set up, set apart, break up and so on. Another hard part for Spanish speakers is the spelling in English. Pronunciation is a lot different and makes it hard for Spanish speakers to be sure of how to spell words. For an English speaker learning Spanish, they might find difficulty learning the different tenses and moods. Pronunciation in Spanish is usually easier for an English speaker than English pronunciation for Spanish speakers. Another thing that both speakers would find difficult is words that are false friends. There are many words in both languages that seem like they are cognates but often times they are not.
Although English and Spanish are both difficult to learn as a second language. There are different reasons that a speaker would find them difficult. For a Spanish speaker learning to speak English they have a difficulty with some of the separable verbs in English like set up, set apart, break up and so on. Another hard part for Spanish speakers is the spelling in English. Pronunciation is a lot different and makes it hard for Spanish speakers to be sure of how to spell words. For an English speaker learning Spanish, they might find difficulty learning the different tenses and moods. Pronunciation in Spanish is usually easier for an English speaker than English pronunciation for Spanish speakers. Another thing that both speakers would find difficult is words that are false friends. There are many words in both languages that seem like they are cognates but often times they are not.
Interesting Facts
English is a west Germanic language of the Indo European language family which is now widely spoken in 6 continents. The three sign languages in the United States are American Sign Language, Hawaii Pidgin Sign Language, and Plains Indian Sign Language. The 2000 US census provided us with the information that people from German ancestry make up the biggest ethnic group. There are about 337 languages which are spoken or signed in the United States. Of these, 176 are indigenous. Also, 52 languages have become extinct over time. In Hawaii, the official languages are English and Hawaiian. The Louisianian government offers documents in French. Also, New Mexico offers documents in Spanish.
English is a west Germanic language of the Indo European language family which is now widely spoken in 6 continents. The three sign languages in the United States are American Sign Language, Hawaii Pidgin Sign Language, and Plains Indian Sign Language. The 2000 US census provided us with the information that people from German ancestry make up the biggest ethnic group. There are about 337 languages which are spoken or signed in the United States. Of these, 176 are indigenous. Also, 52 languages have become extinct over time. In Hawaii, the official languages are English and Hawaiian. The Louisianian government offers documents in French. Also, New Mexico offers documents in Spanish.
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario