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We have room for but one language in this country, and that is the English language, for we intend to see that the crucible turns our people out as Americans, of American nationality, and not as dwellers in a polyglot boarding house. — Theodore Roosevelt [1] There are 6,909 languages alive in the world today. Seventy-four are indigenous to

The history of the world’s languages is largely a story of loss and decline. At around 8000 BC, linguists estimate that upwards of 20,000 languages may have been in existence. [1] Today the number stands at 6,909 and is declining rapidly. [2] By 2100, it is quite realistic to expect that half of these languages will be gone, their last speakers

“English should be the official language of this country” has become something of a mantra for the Republican Party, uttered to raucous cheers in nearly every Republican debate or speech. Moreover, today several organizations exist to lobby for English as the official language, including U.S. English , ProEnglish , and English First . Though the

Language is a variety of action. Linguists have recognized this fact in its contemporary understanding since at least the 1960s, when J. L. Austin coined the terms “speech acts” and “performative utterances” to refer to the non-declarative functions of language. Various other scholars had also written on the performative nature of language as far