SUMMARY
One Nation – One Language? The English-Only Movement in the United StatesSpeaking English is perceived as essential to American identity. The English language does not, however, have an official status in the United States. As a consequence of the change in the racial and ethnic composition of the US population, in particular the growth of the Hispanic/Latino minority, since the 1980s the country has witnessed the birth and growth of the English-Only movement. The aim of the movement is to give English an official status. Even though no federal regulations have yet been passed, Official English measures have been adopted by many American states.This article presents the English-Only movement within the context of earlier attempts to restrict the use of foreign languages in the US. It also briefly discusses some of the federal, state and local regulations.