Second Language Learning

The Founders and Language

Key figures in the United States who made explicit and influential statements about language are Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Noah Webster. Franklin, Jefferson, and Adams—as signers of the Declaration of Independence—had particular interest in the development of a national identity and, not unwisely, recognized that language was a marker of unity. Franklin was unabashedly anti-German and disdainful of the German spoken by many in his own colony. Franklin ostensibly supported anti-German propaganda. John Adams was absolutely clear about the role of English in relation to nation building. He argued for a language academy to be established by Congress, claiming that a national standard would lead to a positive public good. Webster took up Adams's call in a much more forceful and prophetic way. He argued that an independent nation needed to have its own language and its own set of linguistic standards. He predicted that the languages of others would disappear by the 19th century and that North America would be populated by 100 million individuals, all speaking North American English.

The Founders also spoke about the role of language in education. Franklin, not unexpectedly, disparaged the learning of a language other than English, noting that second language learning was time consuming and that, even when learners set their minds to it, they tended to fail to learn other languages. He argued that a utilitarian approach [Page 1915]to education in contrast to one based in classical languages was more appropriate for building a uniquely U.S. education system. Jefferson disagreed with Franklin regarding the utility of other languages. In contrast to Franklin, Jefferson supported the notion of learning both classical and modern languages and commented on the instrumental need for language and literacy because through language and literacy one could attain scientific knowledge. Jefferson maintained that science provided the entrée into future advancement, and therefore languages other than English were important tools.

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