Our Lingua Franca

“Quite a brouhaha has erupted over the discovery that some are singing the Star-Spangled Banner in Spanish. President Bush promptly expressed his conviction that American patriotism can only be voiced properly in English. Yet it turned out that, during the 2000 campaign, he himself may have sung our anthem in Spanish. Mrs. Bush says she doesn’t object. Expect another chorus of commentary about how Hispanic immigration is destroying the linguistic our heritage.

Buncombe, we say. An influx of Spanish speakers may be changing our language, as words like chipotle, siesta, and buckaroo enter the lexicon. English, however, has survived - nay, has been enriched by - a collision with other languages before, and there’s no need to start a donnybrook or launch a vendetta. Ask your local bagel maker. Previous waves of Italian and Eastern European immigrants learned English. Likewise, data suggest that far from overpowering English-speakers, Hispanic immigrants are saying “adios” to Spanish.”

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