Record Number of Americans Studying Foreign Languages

U.S. English chairman calls for more English classes in a nation of language learners

WASHINGTON, D.C. – While the world increasingly operates in English, recent data from the Modern Language Association (MLA) shows that a record number of American college students are embracing the opportunities afforded to them by learning a foreign language. The study of enrollments in college foreign language classes found that 1.4 million students studied a language other than English, the highest number ever recorded and a 18 percent increase from 1998.

According to the MLA, enrollments increased in every language, including 92 percent for Arabic, 59 percent for Biblical Hebrew, 29 percent for Italian and 21 percent for Japanese. More than one-half of students learning a foreign language were studying Spanish, followed in popularity by French and German. In all, more than one-in-12 students were taking a foreign language course in fall 2002, the highest percentage in three decades.

U.S. English, Inc. Chairman Mauro E. Mujica, who speaks three languages fluently and has studied several more, said that the data represents part of what makes America great. “The presence of other languages has always been a hallmark of our diverse society,” said Mujica. “Nearly 20 percent of our citizens speak a language other than English at home, and millions more people speak English at home but can speak a foreign tongue as well.”

Mujica expressed hope that the numbers would sway government officials to offer more opportunities to learn languages, especially programs that teach English. “Newcomers to our nation are as interested in learning English as we are in learning their languages,” he explained. “Yet because of haphazard and shortsighted government policies, 21.3 million people in the United States cannot fully participate in society due to limited English proficiency. A common language policy such as the one in H.R. 997 is a critical first step toward ensuring success for speakers of many different languages.”

H.R. 997, legislation that would establish English as the official language of the United States, was introduced by Rep. Steve King in February. The “English Language Unity Act” already has the support of 102 bi-partisan co-sponsors, making it one the most widely-supported bills in the 108th Congress.

U.S. English, Inc. is the nation's oldest and largest non-partisan citizens' action group dedicated to preserving the unifying role of the English language in the United States. Founded in 1983 by the late Sen. S.I. Hayakawa of California, U.S. English, Inc. (www.us-english.org) now has more than 2 million members.