Nashville English Initiative: Setting the Record Straight

Official English and Emergency Services

Official English and Emergency Services

Recent news articles about Nashville’s upcoming official English ballot initiative have been filled with predictions of outcomes should the measure pass. Unfortunately, none of these predictions have been supported by the wealth of national and international experience of the actual outcomes official English laws. In the days leading up to the Jan. 22 vote, U.S. English, Inc. will produce briefings highlighting the true facts obscured by some of these unfounded claims.

The legislation in front of the voters is extremely clear, dictating that, “nothing in this measure shall be interpreted to conflict with federal or state law.” The experience of other states and cities with similar official English statutes demonstrates that emergency services would not be affected by this law. 

Sensible exceptions for the use of other languages are at the heart of every official English law. We do not hear stories of American tourists in Japan being unable to receive medical care in English, even though Japanese is the official language of the country. Likewise, there have not been horror stories of non-English speakers being denied courtroom translators in Arizona, which made English its official language in Nov. 2006.  

Passage of the official English measure in Nashville would not affect the provision of translations in hospitals or for criminal defendants, nor would it affect languages spoken in private business, schools, residences or houses of worship. Most notably, the measure would not prevent city employees from offering unofficial guidance in languages other than English. The text of the law specifically refers to “official actions which bind or commit the government.” Taken together with the experience of other official English jurisdictions, “official actions” are interactions such as printed documents and licensing. Most conversations between government employees and the public would not be considered “binding.” 

It is critical to remember that the passage of official English legislation in Nashville would not make the city “English-only,” just as Mexico is not “Spanish-only” and Japan is not “Japanese-only.”