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Looking back through history, it's amazing the majority of Americans only speak English. In other countries, such as England, different languages are spread throughout, and the distances of the different languages are minimal. Considering how vast the US is and the fact that it originated from immigrants, it's a miracle there aren't many different languages spoken from state to state. Although there are hundreds of dialects, they all come from a form of English. Somehow, English has survived, and with its ability to adapt and assimilate, it is here to stay; however, it does not mean other languages should be ignored.

By not giving our children the advantage of learning another language at a young age, we are taking away an advantage most foreigners have. Once a second language is learned by the age of 11, the child will always be open to learning other languages. Instead, we allow that language window to slam shut forever and insist on teaching high school students Spanish. A few will actually get it, but most will do whatever they have to do to get by and graduate. After graduation, everything they learned is forgotten. On the job application, they must check English only, while the man who just received his citizenship checks bilingual. Who will get the job?

While the country cries out for the immigrants to learn English, we are doing an injustice to our children. Forcing illegal or legal immigrants to learn English isn't going to solve the problem. While the parents may have a hard time coping with the language, the children will be bombarded with English when they attend school. These children will be the ones sought after for those jobs that require a person to be bilingual. Eventually, the older generations will disappear, and these bilingual children will raise families who speak mostly English, but also know Spanish. In the end, English will still dominate.

That domination becomes overbearing on children born and raised in America. It provides no incentive for the children to become bilingual. Becoming bilingual will not eradicate English, but it will keep that language window open past the age of 11. Once opened, it can never close. Perhaps if we had all had the advantage of becoming bilingual before the age of 11, we wouldn't be so scared our national language is going to change-not that the US has an OFFICIAL national language. On the other hand, Africa has eleven official national languages. English is one of them! What are Americans so afraid of?

It's time to stop the paranoia. Latin became extinct because it could not adapt and assimilate. English does it all the time. Have you eaten a "taco," "burrito," or "gordito" lately? Have you driven an "automobile?" Have you read any good "literature?" Have you had to go to "court" lately? Most people don't think about the fact that many of our words were not originally English words. During the Norman Conquest, English was invaded with a multitude of French words. Today, English is assimilating multitudes of Spanish words. We don't think about it-it just happens. English is NOT an endangered language.

So, let's be rational. Let's provide our children with an advantage. Let's make it mandatory for a second language to be taught in our elementary schools. Let's keep that language window open. Future generations will thank us for it.

Learn more about this author, Moira Bryant.
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