Talk:Languages of the United States
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Extended-confirmed-protected edit request on 5 March 2025
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The official language of the United states is English not None made official by President Donald J. Trump on March, 1 2025 Via executive order https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/designating-english-as-the-official-language-of-the-united-states/ here is the source for the official executive order on the Whitehouse's official website I hereby request that the edit that i had reversed be made back to saying English is the the official language of the United States as per President Donald J. Trumps executive order Broomsquire (talk) 16:53, 5 March 2025 (UTC)
Not done for now: Please note (and perhaps participate in) the above discussions to gain consensus first. LizardJr8 (talk) 17:35, 5 March 2025 (UTC)
- It doesn't matter if there is a consensus or not the president signed it into law therefore it is law Broomsquire (talk) 13:37, 17 March 2025 (UTC)
- The office of the president lacks the constitutional power to create laws. The office of the president can ratify laws proposed by Congress. What the executive order did was not sign an official language into law, but established a policy for the executive branch. Unless and until Congress passes legislation in line with the executive order, it has, in fact, not been signed into law. This is why there is a discussion above, and the general consensus is that we need to be very clear about stating this distinction to avoid confusion like yours. TWorkman (talk) 15:14, 17 March 2025 (UTC)
- I get where you're coming from, but let's clear a few things up. While it’s true the U.S. doesn’t have an official language at the federal level according to Congress, executive orders are far from “royal decrees.” They are legitimate tools that a sitting President uses to manage the federal government and its operations. The executive order declaring English the official language of the U.S. is a directive with real consequences for how the federal government communicates and functions.
- You’re right that laws require Congress, but executive orders aren’t just some arbitrary whim—they carry legal weight within the executive branch. Ignoring this fact and dismissing the order as a "narcissistic decree" isn’t really an accurate reflection of how U.S. governance works. Wikipedia has a responsibility to reflect the real, current state of U.S. policy, whether it comes from Congress or the executive branch.
- By not acknowledging this executive order, Wikipedia risks presenting itself as out of touch with the legal landscape. If the goal is to remain a neutral, up-to-date resource, it’s important to reflect this change—even if you don't like it. Ignoring it only weakens Wikipedia's credibility and neutrality. 4.1.221.78 (talk) 00:31, 28 March 2025 (UTC)
- Not once have I dismissed the executive order as a "narcissistic decree", nor have I referred to it as a "royal decree". You yourself agree that "it’s true the U.S. doesn’t have an official language at the federal level according to Congress", which means that the United States law has not declared an official language.
- What the executive order has done is officially declare the de facto language, a fact which the article already reflects. Likewise, the article also reflects the passing of the executive order, while explaining its influence and maintaining the distinction. How exactly has this article not acknowledged the executive order, despite including information about its signing and an explanation of its rule in cementing English as the de facto language of the United States? TWorkman (talk) 13:35, 28 March 2025 (UTC)
- Executive orders aren't "passed". What the article fails to mention is that the President lacks the Constitutional power to declare English to be the official language. Jibal (talk) 16:27, 16 June 2025 (UTC)
- This is confused. Executive orders are managerial tools over the functioning of the executive branch of the U.S. government, which is tasked with carrying out the laws passed by Congress; they are not monarchal decrees. The President has no Constitutional authority to declare an official language. Jibal (talk) 16:42, 16 June 2025 (UTC)
the president signed it into law
- No he didn't. Please learn what that phrase means. Jibal (talk) 16:24, 16 June 2025 (UTC)
- The office of the president lacks the constitutional power to create laws. The office of the president can ratify laws proposed by Congress. What the executive order did was not sign an official language into law, but established a policy for the executive branch. Unless and until Congress passes legislation in line with the executive order, it has, in fact, not been signed into law. This is why there is a discussion above, and the general consensus is that we need to be very clear about stating this distinction to avoid confusion like yours. TWorkman (talk) 15:14, 17 March 2025 (UTC)
- It doesn't matter if there is a consensus or not the president signed it into law therefore it is law Broomsquire (talk) 13:37, 17 March 2025 (UTC)
- The United States has no official language. Laws must be passed by an act of congress, not a narcissistic man child issuing royal decrees like a king. 71.51.187.175 (talk) 01:39, 18 March 2025 (UTC)
- The article has since changed to show English as the official language, per the RFC which closed today. -- Beland (talk) 00:02, 10 April 2025 (UTC)
- Like how some organizations refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America even though it isn't? The article was changed to be wrong. Executive orders are managerial tools over the functioning of the executive branch of the U.S. government, which is tasked with carrying out the laws passed by Congress; they are not monarchal decrees. The President has no Constitutional authority to declare an official language. Jibal (talk) 16:36, 16 June 2025 (UTC)
- These arguments were made in the RFC and did not get consensus. If you want to dispute the outcome of an RFC, the right process is Wikipedia:Closure review, or waiting a year or two and holding another RFC to see if consensus has changed. -- Beland (talk) 02:34, 17 June 2025 (UTC)
- Like how some organizations refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America even though it isn't? The article was changed to be wrong. Executive orders are managerial tools over the functioning of the executive branch of the U.S. government, which is tasked with carrying out the laws passed by Congress; they are not monarchal decrees. The President has no Constitutional authority to declare an official language. Jibal (talk) 16:36, 16 June 2025 (UTC)
- The article has since changed to show English as the official language, per the RFC which closed today. -- Beland (talk) 00:02, 10 April 2025 (UTC)
Get your facts straight, the United States does not have an official language.
[edit]It is a well-known fact that the United States does not have an official language. I always knew that Wikipedia is not a reliable source, but I didn’t think they would blatantly share false information. 2600:387:B:7:0:0:0:7F (talk) 22:05, 16 April 2025 (UTC)
- see Executive Order 14224, as of now united states does have an official language Untamed1910 (talk) 22:46, 16 April 2025 (UTC)
- Executive orders are managerial tools over the functioning of the executive branch of the U.S. government, which is tasked with carrying out the laws passed by Congress; they are not monarchal decrees. The President has no Constitutional authority to declare an official language. Jibal (talk) 16:38, 16 June 2025 (UTC)
- We recently had discussions on whether or not to add English as the U.S.'s official language. Many editors wanted a more nuanced approach than broadly claiming that English is now the official language (such as saying that English is only official for the executive branch); but sources on the topic (which were mostly, if not all, WP:BREAKING coverage related to the order, and breaking coverage sometimes has inaccuracies), almost all agreed that English was fully the U.S.'s official language. GN22 (talk) 19:14, 19 April 2025 (UTC)
- And yet it is factually wrong. Executive orders are managerial tools over the functioning of the executive branch of the U.S. government, which is tasked with carrying out the laws passed by Congress; they are not monarchal decrees. The President has no Constitutional authority to declare an official language. Jibal (talk) 16:39, 16 June 2025 (UTC)
- These arguments were already made in the RFC and did not get consensus. -- Beland (talk) 02:38, 17 June 2025 (UTC)
- And yet it is factually wrong. Executive orders are managerial tools over the functioning of the executive branch of the U.S. government, which is tasked with carrying out the laws passed by Congress; they are not monarchal decrees. The President has no Constitutional authority to declare an official language. Jibal (talk) 16:39, 16 June 2025 (UTC)
South Dakota: Official Status of Sioux
[edit]South Dakota designated Sioux the state's "official indigenous language," not the official language. Is there any evidence of widespread use / availability of state government services in Sioux? As far as I can tell "official indigenous language" is more of a ceremonial designation, like the official flower or the official tartan, not an official language in the usual sense. Jbt89 (talk) 23:58, 19 April 2025 (UTC)