Muhlenberg legend: Difference between revisions
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This is not a popular urban legend. Urban legend will is a sufficient introduction. |
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The '''Muhlenberg legend''' is a |
The '''Muhlenberg legend''' is a [[urban legend]] in the [[United States]] and [[Germany]]. According to the legend, [[Frederick Muhlenberg]], the first ever [[Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives]], kept [[German language|German]] from becoming an official language of the United States. At the heart of this legend is a vote in the [[United States House of Representatives]] in 1794, in which a group of German immigrants asked for the translation of some laws into German. This petition was rejected by a 42 to 41 vote and Muhlenberg was later quoted as having said "the faster the Germans become Americans, the better it will be." The United States has no statutory official language; English has been used as on a ''de facto'' basis, owing to its status as the country's predominant language. At times various states have passed their own official language laws. |
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The same legend also exists with [[Dutch language|Dutch]] instead of German. |
The same legend also exists with [[Dutch language|Dutch]] instead of German. |
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Revision as of 01:32, 12 November 2010
The Muhlenberg legend is a urban legend in the United States and Germany. According to the legend, Frederick Muhlenberg, the first ever Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, kept German from becoming an official language of the United States. At the heart of this legend is a vote in the United States House of Representatives in 1794, in which a group of German immigrants asked for the translation of some laws into German. This petition was rejected by a 42 to 41 vote and Muhlenberg was later quoted as having said "the faster the Germans become Americans, the better it will be." The United States has no statutory official language; English has been used as on a de facto basis, owing to its status as the country's predominant language. At times various states have passed their own official language laws.
The same legend also exists with Dutch instead of German.