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The USA does not have an official language, but English is the most commonly spoken language and is used by government and federal agencies. The English spoken in the USA is similar to that spoken in the British Isles, but there are some significant differences, mainly with respect to spelling, pronunciation, and certain colloquialisms (or “slang”).

Next to English, the next most common language spoken in America at this time is Spanish. Spanish is so widely spoken that most government documents are now available in both English and Spanish. Because of the influx in Spanish-speaking immigrants, there is a high demand within certain industries for workers who have at least an elementary knowledge of Spanish.

Students in American schools are often urged to take 4-5 years of a foreign language. French, Spanish, and German constitute the most commonly studied “other languages” in the United States, but Mandarin and Japanese are becoming increasingly popular, particularly on the west coast (Washington, Oregon, and California) and in Hawaii, where there are large Asian communities. While some people do still study Greek and Latin, these “dead” languages are viewed entirely differently and not really as foreign language studies.

There is a large public education system in the USA. Education is mandatory, whether it takes place privately (home schooling or private tutors), through private schools, public schools, or any combination thereof. Thanks to this public policy the literacy rate in the USA is high. Because America is such a melting pot of cultures, with a large number of residents whose first language is not English, nearly every public school offers English as a Second Language (ESL) classes alongside the standard curriculum. Many community colleges also offer ESL classes for older students.

There are international schools in most major cities in the USA, where two or three languages are available for the delivery of education. Depending upon your requirements, you may not be satisfied with the most commonly taught “other languages” in American schools: French, Spanish, and German. Hindi or Arabic or modern Greek are much harder to come by and will usually require private tutors.

There are hundreds of English language schools located throughout the US To find a school in your area, visit www.languageschoolsguide.com/UnitedStates.cfm, www.languageschools.com, or www.englishinusa.com.

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Expat Focus would like to acknowledge the kind help given by Kirstie Wilson of British Business Connection in compiling this guide.

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