When the West was wild

What is the official language of the USA?

There is a persistent myth that German almost became the official language of the United States. The sentiments against imperialist England and the English language were so strong that supposedly in a vote in 1776 German lost to English by just one vote. This same year the country declared its independence. However, the population of Americans of German descent never exceeded 10%. Furthermore, even to this very day there is no such thing as an official language in the USA. Such legislation is presently pending in the Congress. If enacted, it would designate English as the official language of the U.S. government. You may think: “It is about time!”

Go west

There are expressions in use in the American English that relate to the early days of the nation. One of them is “Go west.” It was used during World War I of the fallen British and Allied soldiers who had died in service in Europe. Death was associated with going west, where the sun died at the end of the day. However, there is another manner in which this expression is used. John Soule wrote in a newspaper editorial in 1851 “Go west, young man, and grow up with the country.” As the young American nation was expanding westwards there was opportunity and adventure to be had for young men of the time. This is the only way the term is used today.”Go west” now means going to a new land in search of better life and new opportunities. And this western migration never stopped. Today California is the most populated state in the USA with 34 million inhabitants.

Indian giver

When I was living in a small, rural town in southern Canada I had Indian friends. They were mainly Mohawks. They teased me about “Indian givers.” This, like many other expressions, must be learned by living in the culture. The interpretation is two-fold: it can mean that the gift giver expects an equivalent for a gift; or that the giver expects to receive his gift back in a while. Some consider this expression racist and inappropriate for use today. Unless you are on good terms with Indians, as I am.