USA AS A UNIQUE MODEL OF A FLEXIBLE AND LIBERAL LANGUAGE POLICY IN THE WORLD
USA AS A UNIQUE MODEL OF A FLEXIBLE AND LIBERAL LANGUAGE POLICY IN THE WORLD

Summary/Abstract: Having a closer look as to how languages are used in the United States, it does give you a clear glimpse that does not match many other countries in the world. The USA does not have an official national language policy, a perfect example proving that languages are to be used in both official and unofficial ways, exclusively according to the demographic picture of its citizens and the regions they dwell. In the USA, language policies, implicit or explicit, are used to influence and control social behavior and communication, and the U.S. is a good example to this. This paper aims to make a comparison between the case of Macedonia and the USA, seen from the legal perspective. If the USA does not prohibit states from having one or another official language, in Macedonia, it is the Constitution which does not clearly state the use of Albanian as an official language, equivalent to the Macedonian. Furthermore, the majority of the U.S. states have designed English their official language; on the other hand, in New Mexico the Common Wealth of Puerto Rico and Hawaii both English and Spanish are designated as co-official languages. Then why Macedonia can’t do the same by designing Albanian as a official language as well? Should the current government as well as the one to come after the elections in December, profit from this approach, helping them solve the problem for good? If so, the Language Policy model in the USA can be a good example for the case, tracing the path of stable future for this tiny and politically troubled country of Macedonia, and getting it stabilized and firm on its way towards the European Integrations and NATO.

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