Language & Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Language & Culture - Essay Example As the essay stresses language diversity has always existed in America. It has never declared any national language in the last 200 years. Until two decades ago, Americans did not have to provide bilingual ballots, education, publications, and similar services at public expense. To manage diversity many nations had to declare an official language but America did not have to. In the 19th century state laws, constitution and legislative proceedings appeared in languages as diverse as Welsh, Norwegian, Czech, Spanish, French, and German. America has migrants from many countries of the world. Three US States are officially bilingual. Louisiana has English and French, New Mexico (English and Spanish), and Hawaii (English and Hawaiian). This discussion declares that it is impossible to generalize the meaning of an official language. If a small country like Iceland declares an official language it is workable but it is not practical for a country like Canada. Recently the colony of Puerto Rico ended its official bilingualism in favor of Spanish as its sole official language. Japan is not adopting English as the second official language and it fears that it would lose its leading position in the world. It fears losing its culture if English is added as the second official language. Canada is officially bilingual under the Official Languages Act and the Constitution of Canada that require the federal government to deliver services in both official languages, namely English and French. Approximately 25% of Canadians speak French.

The 1920's And the American Dream Speech or Presentation

The 1920's And the American Dream - Speech or Presentation Example In the 1920s, the viewpoint of the American Dream focuses on personal success in life regardless of their origin and social status. According to this perspective, the most important thing is for an individual to work hard in attaining their goals. Reference to this can be drawn from the book â€Å"Advertising the American Dream: Making way for Modernity† by Marchand Roland. In this work, the author gives a description of a character in which case he feels this figure represents the quintessential 1920s person who is living the American Dream. The writer says that this man not only succeeds in the fast-paced, contemporary urban milieu of tall storied structures, taxicabs, and luxury driven people, but also perceives himself well-experienced in the latest moves in fashion, modern lingo as well as popular activities. The book’s relationship to the American Dream is seen in the number of times it talks about the Great Gatsby. On the contrary, any reader of the work cannot d eny the link between the writers definition of the man living the American Dream and the Portrayal of Jay Gatsby, who works his way from a humble background to become a millionaire (Marchand, 99). In the Great Gatsby, the protagonist epitomizes the issue of personal success. We see an individual who is financially successful as well as in the social status, ultimately creating a novel individual out of himself regardless of his underprivileged past life. It is however evident that all the wealth that Gatsby acquires associated with the American Dream eventually lead to its demise. Consumerism and Excess material Wealth The 1920s and the American Dream is marked by consumerism and acquisition of excess material wealth. This identifies the culture of wealthy Americans as seen in Gatsby. At any moment Gatsby finds the opportunity, she displays seen through the lurid style of outfit. She has a huge mansion in which case she organizes frequent parties to show off to the rest of the Ameri can populace how hard working she has become. The American Dream in the 1920s can as well be referred to in terms of Veblen’s work, â€Å"The Theory of the Leisure Class.† He points out that a person gaining and sustaining the admiration of men is not sufficient through controlled wealth and power (Fitzgerald, 140). According to Veblen, the wealth and power should be put into substantiation. Veblen who advocates for the idea of conspicuous consumption that precisely describes the events in the Great Gatsby is attempting to establish that individuals that emanate from humble backgrounds and attain wealth through their hard-work, try to destroy reverence and admiration by showing off through purchases. Houses shown in the Great Gatsby are conceivably the most evident indicators of the inexorable completion to proclaim personal status. This is because a majority of the rich try to outshine each other in the size and amenities of their homes. It can therefore