The United States is, famously, a melting pot. In so many ways. We have come to this country in droves since the late 1500s.
The first permanent English settlement in North America was established in 1607 by the London Company. It was granted a charter by King James I of England in 1606. I’m not sure what gave him the right. But. The settlement was named Jamestown and was located in the Chesapeake Bay area. Before then, this was the land of the Native Americans.
Since that time, many languages have made their way here. We have become a linguistic melting pot over the years. Today, as many as 350 to 430 different languages are being used across the United States.
Of course, English understandably comes out on top nationwide. Almost four-fifths of Americans reported in the last census that they only speak English at home.
In that way, “English” is America’s official de facto language (though, oddly, no standard has ever been legally or formally recognized in the United States).
After that, Spanish is America’s second most widely spoken language. Espanol is used in 62 percent of non-English speaking households, giving America the world’s second-largest Spanish-speaking population after Mexico.
But what are the numbers if we take English and Spanish out of the game? What if we take a look at how the other 400 or so languages of the United States are used?
Well. A recent study has done precisely that. They looked at the whole country to see how people talked.
When looking at this data state by state, it was German that was found to come in third place across the United States. Yep. Auf Deutsch. It’s ranked as the most spoken language after English and Spanish in no less than 13 different states. That’s big because it far outnumbers the likes of French (in seven), Chinese (in six), Arabic (in four), and Vietnamese (in three).
So. I only speak one language, truly. English.
I know some German, and I’m always trying to learn Spanish.
Maybe someday, I’ll bump my linguistics up to three.
But for now?
First Lesson.
“Hello. How are you? My name is Polly. Shiela is a girl. A boy waves. I eat apples.”
Lesson Two, tomorrow.
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“Speak only if it improves upon the silence.” – Mahatma Gandhi
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“Words are free. It’s how you use them that may cost you.” – Kipling Williams
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“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” – George Bernard Shaw
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German is number three. Stated plainly. Guten Tag!
