Language and Citizenship

Language and Citizenship Language and Citizenship Language and Citizenship By Maeve Maddox Most countries have an â€Å"official† language. Several have more than one. Government business and schools are conducted in the official language. Official documents are printed in the official language. Knowledge of the country’s official language is usually one of the stated requirements for citizenship. For example, here are some language requirements I found in naturalization guidelines available on the web: Canada Be able to communicate in one of Canada’s official languages. France Provide proof of adequate knowledge of the French language. Germany Be able to speak German to B1 standard in the Common European Framework of Reference. Mexico Prove knowledge of Spanish and Mexican history. UK Be able to communicate in English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic to an acceptable degree. USA Pass an English test Just how stringently the language requirement is enforced varies from place to place. Knowledge of Japanese is not specifically mentioned in the guidelines I found on line, but because an applicant for citizenship must complete the process entirely in Japanese, it’s unlikely that anyone could achieve citizenship without considerable fluency in the language. The UK has only recently required applicants for citizenship to provide proof they can speak the local language at the B1 level; the outcry against the stiffer requirements is still in progress. A speaker at the B1 level can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. can deal with most situations likely to arise while traveling in an area where the language is spoken. can produce simple connected text on topics that are familiar or of personal interest. can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes and ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans. Under a new rule, Canada now requires something similar to the European B1: â€Å"applicants [for citizenship] must provide objective evidence that they meet the language requirement, achieving the Canadian Language Benchmark/Niveau de compà ©tence linguistique canadien 4 speaking and listening, when they file their application.† The United States government, on the other hand, is not only very generous in providing test waivers, but it doesn’t provide much of a test to those who can’t claim exemption. A new citizen commenting at the Business Week site describes his experience: I prepared for three months for this exam. [] For the reading part of the exam, I was asked to read the following sentence: Today is a sunny day. For the writing part of the exam, I was asked to write the following words: Today is a sunny day. [] I was flat out insulted. It doesn’t seem unreasonable to expect immigrants who plan to spend the rest of their lives in a country to learn to speak the country’s language of government and education. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the General category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Synonyms for â€Å"Leader†Story Writing 101Words That Begin with Q