Sarah Palin became famous with her comment, ”when you’re here [in America], let’s speak American… Let’s speak English, that’s a unifying aspect of the nation, it is the language that is understood by all.” What does “speaking American” mean in 2015? The geeky part within me couldn’t help but wonder how we look in numbers.
Looking at the data from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, the percentage of those who speak a language other than English has consistently increased since 2007. Living in Los Angeles, it’s not uncommon to hear people speaking a language other than English on the street. I see billboards in Spanish, Chinese, Korean, or Japanese, advertising from State Farm to Toyota. The categories are as diverse as the population.
Maybe “speaking American” is not a matter of language. Maybe it’s broader than that. Language shapes the way you think, the way you identify yourself, the way your emotions trigger actions and decisions.
What does it mean for your business?
