We Must Stop Relying on the Safety Net”

U.S. English, Inc. Chairman calls for less reliance on translators, more emphasis on English learning opportunities

Washington, D.C. – U.S. English, Inc. Chairman Mauro E. Mujica issued a stern warning to those who believe that the United States doesn’t need to work toward an official language. “Anyone who believes that our nation can survive by translating all of our documents into the 300-plus languages spoken in this country is sadly mistaken,” said Mujica. “We need to be cognizant of the translation costs we are incurring as well as the financial and social costs of possible errors.”

Recent surveys have found an increased need for translated documents, headlined by Census data which found that nearly 1-in-12 Americans is limited English proficient. A survey of 592 limited English proficient people by Transperfect Translations found that almost one in ten gave a child an incorrect dose of medication due to poor translation. Additionally, more than 25 percent reported guessing at the proper dosage because of language problems and nearly one-fifth of respondents mentioned performing an activity they shouldn’t have while on their medication.

This summer, Grantmakers in Health, an organization dedicated to improving the nation’s well being, cited language barriers as one of the largest obstacles to medical care. The language barrier was also found to drive up costs, as providers tended to order additional tests and procedures for fear of missing a diagnosis. In all, doctor visits that involved a language barrier were on average $38 more expensive and lasted 20 minutes longer than those without language barriers.

“There will always be a market for translators in the United States,” Mujica explained. “But our government needs to stop relying on this safety net to provide for our residents. By establishing an official English policy, we can place our efforts into teaching our common language, benefiting newcomers and the nation.”

Citing U.S. Department of Education Statistics showing that English proficient workers earn nearly twice as much as non-English proficient workers, Mujica added, “When considering the importance of the English language today, the Chinese proverb about fishing comes to mind. Our elected officials need to remember that if you give a man a translated document, you offer him a momentary crutch, but if you teach him English, you offer him the opportunity to succeed forever.”

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.usenglish.org) now has more than 1.8 million members.