English-only
One language permitted
English-only refers to policies, practices, or movements that promote the exclusive use of English in specific contexts, often at the expense of other languages.
Historically, English-only laws in the U.S. have been tied to debates over immigration and assimilation, with some states enacting legislation to make English the official language for government functions.
English-only education policies have been criticized for marginalizing non-English-speaking students, particularly in bilingual or multilingual communities.
The term can also describe workplaces or social settings where speaking languages other than English is discouraged or prohibited.
The company adopted an English-only policy for all internal communications.
- monolingualismOne-language fluency only
- official languageState-sanctioned communication method
- endangered languagesSpeech nearing extinction
- language rightsLegal protections for native tongues
- immersion programsLearning through complete environment exposure
lingua franca · cultural assimilation · sink or swim · code-switching · standardized testing · national language · cross-cultural communication · melting pot · identity politics · teacher training · bilingual education · mother tongue · native speaker · language barrier · lost in translation · immigration policy · voter ID laws
- language policylanguage laws, language politics, official language, official languages, language education
English-onlymultilingual
Knowing multiple languages
polyglot · bilingual · plurilingual · trilingual · multilanguage
English, Englishness, Angles, Anglican, Anglicism, Anglo, Anglophone, only, lone