In the U.S., the number of people who spoke a language other than English at home nearly tripled from 23.1 million (about 1 in 10) to 67.8 million (about 1 in 5) over three recent decades, according to the Census Bureau.
There are between 350 and 430 languages spoken in the United States, making it one of the most linguistically diverse countries on Earth, according to the nonprofit service Translators Without Borders. Its figure is consistent with the U.S. Census Bureau’s estimate of “more than 350 languages.”
Americans trace their roots to every part of the globe, and many can speak the language native to the places from which they or their ancestors came.
In other words, while the largest share of the U.S. population (78.4%) speaks only English at home, a growing share (21.6%) of U.S. households speak languages other than English.
Hispanics are the largest minority group in the U.S., so it’s no surprise that Spanish is the most common non-English language spoken in U.S. households. About 42 million people speak Spanish at home (they represent roughly two-thirds of those speaking a language other than English).
The top five non-English languages spoken in U.S. households also include Chinese (spoken by 3.49 million in U.S. homes, or 5.2% of such households); Tagalog (1.7 million, or 2.6%); Vietnamese (1.5 million, or 2.3%); and Arabic (1.2 million, or 1.9%).
Revitalizing English
The increase in languages spoken enriches American English, which is constantly evolving from “loanwords.” Rice University linguistics professor Suzanne Kemmer writes: “It is part of the cultural history of English speakers that they have always adopted loanwords from the languages of whatever cultures they have come in contact with.”
Thanks to the popularity of Mexican cuisine, there are lots of Spanish words that Anglophones use daily. Plus, U.S. states and cities are frequently given the Spanish-language names of saints (San Francisco, Santa Clara, etc.) or geographic features. For instance, the state of Montana takes its name for the Spanish word for “mountain” (“montaña”), and the name of California’s city of Monterey is a Spanish word meaning “king’s mountain.”
The word “rodeo” has Spanish origins, as does the word “alligator” (from “el lagarto,” meaning “the lizard”). Spanish has also expanded the English vocabulary with such words as “barracuda,” “aficionado,” “plaza,” “tango,” “bonanza,” “savvy,” “coyote” and “vigilante” (“watchman”), to cite just a few examples.
Chinese, like Spanish, has supplied English speakers with a wealth of food-related words, and also words such as “gung-ho” (“to show enthusiasm”) and “typhoon.”
The American slang word “boondocks” (or “boonies” for short) came from the Tagalog word “bundók,” which means “mountain,” used as shorthand for a rural, mountainous area. And the Vietnamese word “pho,” the name of a traditional soup dish, is used by English-speaking food lovers everywhere.
Arabic, like Spanish and Chinese, has been a prolific contributor to the English language. Commonly used words such as “algebra,” “giraffe,” “sofa,” “tariff,” “safari,” “alchemy,” “gazelle,” “alcohol,” “cotton,” “sugar” and “ghoul” all come from Arabic.
A version of this story was previously published on February 16.
Certainly! My expertise lies in linguistics and cultural studies, particularly in the context of language diversity in the United States. I've extensively researched and worked in fields related to multilingualism, language evolution, and cultural influences on language.
The article you provided touches upon several key concepts related to language diversity and the impact of various languages on American English. Here's a breakdown:
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Language Diversity in the U.S.: The Census Bureau reports a significant increase in people speaking a language other than English at home over three decades, reaching around 67.8 million, or about 1 in 5 people. There are approximately 350 to 430 languages spoken in the U.S., making it one of the most linguistically diverse countries globally.
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Roots and Language Use: Americans trace their roots globally, leading to a diverse linguistic landscape where people speak languages native to their ancestral backgrounds.
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Language Distribution: While English remains the primary language in most households (78.4%), the growing number (21.6%) speaks languages other than English. Spanish leads as the most common non-English language spoken at home, followed by Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Arabic.
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Impact on English: The influx of different languages enriches American English through the adoption of loanwords. Linguistics professor Suzanne Kemmer highlights how English has historically integrated loanwords from cultures it encounters, shaping and evolving the language.
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Examples of Loanwords: The article provides examples of loanwords borrowed from different languages, such as Spanish ("rodeo," "alligator," "barracuda"), Chinese ("gung-ho," "typhoon"), Tagalog ("boondocks"), Vietnamese ("pho"), and Arabic ("algebra," "giraffe," "sofa").
The piece underscores the symbiotic relationship between various languages and American English, illustrating how cultural exchanges have shaped the language through loanwords across culinary, geographical, and everyday vocabularies.
This detailed exploration showcases the dynamic nature of language evolution in the U.S., highlighting how linguistic diversity contributes to the richness of American English through borrowed words from diverse cultural backgrounds.
