Does English need protection in the USA?

Wednesday, June 28, 2006

By Tom Fudge and KPBS Public Broadcasting

Audio

Aired 4/19/09

A bill, passed by the U.S. Senate last month, would make English the national language of the United States. Whether it is practical or symbolic, the bill has raised anew the question of whether the English language needs to be protected by the force of immigration.

Guests:

  • Richard Lederer . Co-host of "A Way with Words" on KPBS. A Way with Words airs Saturdays at noon and Sunday at 10 a.m.
  • Rob Toonkel . Director of Communications for U.S. English, Inc, a group that's dedicated to preserving what it calls the unifying role of the English language in the United States.
  • James Crawford . Director of the Institute for Language and Education Policy. He's written several books on language and bilingual educational, including Hold Your Tongue: Bilingualism and the politics of English-only .

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