Tongue Tied

Language is the currency of communication in which we buy time and sell our ideas. It is the glue of society, and no matter what language you speak, it keeps you connected to those around you. Yet, while speech is the thread that holds us together, it can also be the brick wall that separates me from the people around me. As mentioned in “In Plain English”, English is a universal language in the US, as well as in many other countries around the world. In France, who’s national language is obviously French, students are required to take an English language course in school. It is a common tongue throughout the world, and yet the United States has not made it the official language of the country. To some, this may be confusing, as pretty much everyone in the country either speaks or understands it to a certain degree. America is a hodgepodge of people from all walks of life, and the languages spoken within our country alone represent the world as a whole. By making English our official language, we strip the nation of culture and diversity and take a sense of home from those not born here. English itself varies from region to region within this country. The way it is spoken around the US makes it almost like a chameleon; spoken English changes with its environment. As someone who was born on the east coast, where you typically will hear of a New Jersey, Boston, or New York language, that slight twang to the way the words are spoken sounds like home to me.  When I suddenly became immersed in a world full of people saying “ope!” and “pop” instead of soda (it’s called soda, not pop, by the way), the way I said certain words was ridiculed by people whose words sounded almost foreign to me. Language is an ever-changing river, it flows from region to region, connecting us all with tributaries that make up the great ocean that is America. With its differences, it can cause a divide that is etched into the earth, but with its value and necessity, it creates a steadfast bond that holds us all close.