Speak English, Who Cares?

America does not have an official language. Many have encouraged congress to pass a law stating that English is the official language. But ironically back in the 1700's many encouraged to ban English. The benefits of not having English as an official language is that around 97% of Americans speak English said by Dennis Barron. He also states that because English is widely spoken now that non speaking immigrants are learning the language rapidly than before. 

But what happens when we encourage people to speak English. What about over languages that are being left behind. While many believe English should be globally known language, other languages will become extinct. Studies have shown that if continue to encourage speakers to leave their native language that at least 6000 of these languages will go extinct by the century. Many blame that globalization causes countries to lose their native language. An endangered language is not just about the language but as well the local culture of it. These languages can help anthropologist find the missing pieces in history. Many of these languages are only spoke and not documents for history purposes. 

For a language to be classified as endangered/ going extinct the language must have been replaced by a modern language like Chinese, English, French, Spanish or Dutch. Some Linguist have placed old English as extinct because many now speak modern English. 

My father's side of the family are known as Otomi people in Mexico. Otomi means "shooter of the bird." Many of the Otomi people live in the eastern part of Hidalgo (where my family is from), they also live in Tlaxcala, Michoacán, and Guanajuato. The Otomi people have their own language called Otomi (known in Spanish) or Hñähñu. Hñähñu is the main language that is spoken by

Otomis. (Or as we call it). The otomi language has three types of language, Northwestern (Hidalgo, Queretaro, Guanajuato), Southwestern (State of Mexico) and Eastern (eastern of Hidalgo, Tlaxcala).  About 290,000 people have identify as being Otomis but that doesn’t secure that they speak the dialect. Otomi was recently recognized by Mexico as a national language by law in 2003 with 61 other languages. Otomi began in the 16th century, it uses some of the Latin alphabet. Otomi is a vulnerable language that needs to still be part of Mexico’s culture. Otomi is a lucky language to have been documented and have books distributed out by the government to involve the locals in Hidalgo to continue to cherish their culture and pass it down to their next generation.

  

This takes place in Danghu, Tasquillo, Hidalgo Mexico on December 24. This is located near where both my grandmothers live. At 8:45 a little girl starts talking in Otomi. At around 9:05 She talks in Spanish. Then afterward there is a small scene of the baby Jesus movie in Otomi with Spanish subtitles. In my best opinion to start at 42 mins. In the beginning they start walking at the edge of town to the church where the school children put up a show of the baby Jesus being born. From then at 42 mins in they start cradling him to sleep at midnight in a blanket. Then they light up the bull afterwards and party.

National Science Foundation

UNESCO

Wiki'

American Language

Otomi People

Otomi Language

Otomi

Britannica