ProEnglish quotes

Quotables

Language is perhaps the strongest, perhaps most enduring link which unites men
             - Alexis deTocqueville, "Democracy in America"

Providence has been pleased to give us this one connected country, to one united people, speaking the same language.
             - John Jay, "The Federalist Papers"

A country must have one official language, if men are to understand each other
             - Ayn Rand, philosopher

Defend our liberties and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought hither out of many kindred and tongues.
             - President Thomas Jefferson

We have but one language here, and that is the English language, and we intend to see that the crucible turns our people out as Americans.
             - President Theodore Roosevelt

The mission of the United States is one of benevolent assimilation.
             - President William McKinley

The ultimate way to bring this nation to ruin, or preventing all possibility of it continuing to be a nation at all, would be to permit it to become a tangle of squabbling nationalities. We have but one flag; we must also learn one language, and that language is English.
             - President Theodore Roosevelt

And while you bring all countries with you, you come with the purpose of leaving all other countries behind you - bringing what is best of their spirit, but not looking over your shoulders and seeking to perpetuate what you intended to leave behind in them.
             - President Woodrow Wilson

"[W]hen men cannot communicate their thoughts to each other, simply because of difference of language, all the similarity of their common human nature is of no avail to unite them in fellowship."
             - The City of God, St. Augustine, circa 420 A.D.

The gift of a common tongue is a priceless inheritance.
             - British Prime Minister Winston Churchill

Why in the world anyone in America is allowing any language other than English to be his first, I don't know.
             - British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher

English is the key to full participation in the opportunities of American life.
             - Unites States Senator S.I. Hayakawa

Our common language is . . . English. And our common task is to ensure that our non-English-speaking children learn this common language.
             - Secretary of Education William J. Bennett, compiler of "The Book of Virtues"

Whenever a teachers' convention meets and tries to find out how it can cure the ills of society, there is simply one answer; the school has but one way to cure the ills of society and that is by making men intelligent. To make men intelligent, the school has again but one way, and that is, first and last, to teach them to read, write and count. And if the school fails to do that, and tries beyond that to do something for which a school is not adapted, it not only fails in its own function, but it fails in all other attempted functions. Because no school as such can organize industry, or settle the matter of wage and income, can found homes or furnish parents, can establish justice or make a civilized world.
             - W. E. B. DuBois, sociologist, educator and civil rights activist

But when states are acquired in a country differing in language, customs, or laws, there are difficulties, and good fortune and great energy are needed to hold them. - Macchiavelli, "The Prince"

One does not inhabit a country; one inhabits a language. That is our country, our fatherland -- and no other.
             - Emile Cioran, author

On the lighter side:
If the King's English was good enough for Jesus, it's good enough for me.
             - Texan Governor "Ma" Ferguson

We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary.
              - Booker T. Washington educator, social reformer

That woman speaks 19 languages and can't say "no" in any of them
              - Dorothy Parker


Action Urge Congress to defend English Model official English statute Donate Current Legislation State Profile Issues Official English Bilingual Education English on the Job Citizenship and Immigration Bilingual Ballots Puerto Rican Statehood Ending E.O. 13166, the "Multilingual Mandate" Contact us: 1601 N. Kent St. Suite 1100 Arlington, VA 22209 ph: (703) 816-8821		Quotables Language is perhaps the strongest, perhaps most enduring link which unites men - Alexis deTocqueville, "Democracy in America" Providence has been pleased to give us this one connected country, to one united people, speaking the same language. - John Jay, "The Federalist Papers" A country must have one official language, if men are to understand each other - Ayn Rand, philosopher Defend our liberties and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought hither out of many kindred and tongues. - President Thomas Jefferson We have but one language here, and that is the English language, and we intend to see that the crucible turns our people out as Americans. - President Theodore Roosevelt The mission of the United States is one of benevolent assimilation. - President William McKinley The ultimate way to bring this nation to ruin, or preventing all possibility of it continuing to be a nation at all, would be to permit it to become a tangle of squabbling nationalities. We have but one flag; we must also learn one language, and that language is English. - President Theodore Roosevelt And while you bring all countries with you, you come with the purpose of leaving all other countries behind you - bringing what is best of their spirit, but not looking over your shoulders and seeking to perpetuate what you intended to leave behind in them. - President Woodrow Wilson "[W]hen men cannot communicate their thoughts to each other, simply because of difference of language, all the similarity of their common human nature is of no avail to unite them in fellowship." - The City of God, St. Augustine, circa 420 A.D. The gift of a common tongue is a priceless inheritance. - British Prime Minister Winston Churchill Why in the world anyone in America is allowing any language other than English to be his first, I don't know. - British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher English is the key to full participation in the opportunities of American life. - Unites States Senator S.I. Hayakawa Our common language is . . . English. And our common task is to ensure that our non-English-speaking children learn this common language. - Secretary of Education William J. Bennett, compiler of "The Book of Virtues" Whenever a teachers' convention meets and tries to find out how it can cure the ills of society, there is simply one answer; the school has but one way to cure the ills of society and that is by making men intelligent. To make men intelligent, the school has again but one way, and that is, first and last, to teach them to read, write and count. And if the school fails to do that, and tries beyond that to do something for which a school is not adapted, it not only fails in its own function, but it fails in all other attempted functions. Because no school as such can organize industry, or settle the matter of wage and income, can found homes or furnish parents, can establish justice or make a civilized world. - W. E. B. DuBois, sociologist, educator and civil rights activist But when states are acquired in a country differing in language, customs, or laws, there are difficulties, and good fortune and great energy are needed to hold them. - Macchiavelli, "The Prince" One does not inhabit a country; one inhabits a language. That is our country, our fatherland -- and no other. - Emile Cioran, author On the lighter side: If the King's English was good enough for Jesus, it's good enough for me. - Texan Governor "Ma" Ferguson We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary. - Booker T. Washington educator, social reformer That woman speaks 19 languages and can't say "no" in any of them - Dorothy Parker