IIP Publications

Why Do Many Americans Speak Only English?—You Asked Series

Why Do Many Americans Speak Only English?—You Asked Series

Most Americans don’t have strong incentives to learn a foreign language. Because U.S. identity is not rooted in a single ethnicity or race, some Americans believe national unity requires a national language and see English as a unifying bond. Also, millions of Americans live in states that do not border any non-English-speaking countries or populations. The fact that English is predominantly used in international trade, in many professions and on the Internet further lessens Americans’ incentive to learn other languages.

(Pamphlet, 2 pgs.)

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