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America the polyglot: 10 (other) languages spoken in the U.S.

Many Americans might not know this, but until recently, American English was not the official language of the United States of America . It was, however, the de facto language of the country , meaning that its historical use and importance made it the official language, even if Congress had never issued legislation on this issue. In the U.S., English is the language of the foundational documents, such as the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution, the language of communication, education, administration, and paperwork. But is it the only language that is spoken in daily life? Let’s have a look at 10 other languages that are widely spoken in the U.S.

Spanish

Image: Amit Ovadia

The fact that Spanish is the second most spoken language in the U.S. comes as no surprise if we consider that at least 18 of the current 50 states were once part of the Spanish Empire. This, combined with migration from other Hispanic territories, means that around 40 million people speak Spanish at home in the U.S., nearly 13% of the population.

Native Spanish speakers in the U.S. have developed their distinct dialectal variants, such as New Mexican Spanish in the states of New Mexico and Colorado, Puerto Rican Spanish , or Spanglish .

French

French is, after Spanish, the most taught foreign language in schools. But did you know that more than a million Americans speak French at home ? Historical events such as the Louisiana Purchase or the French and Indian War in Canada meant that native French speakers migrated to the U.S. or became American when French-speaking territories were incorporated.

Nowadays, the French language presents three main dialectal groups in the U.S. , mainly located in Louisiana and the New England region. So, if you were planning a holiday in NOLA or Lewiston, you might want to brush up on your ouis , bonjours , and mercis .

Navajo

Compared with other languages on this list, the Navajo speaker population might seem small, with around 170,000 native speakers . However, it is the most widely spoken Native American language , with most of its speakers located in the Southwestern U.S.

Navajo is famous for its use as a code during World War II . Its complex grammar and the fact that, at the time, it wasn’t a written language, significantly reduced the chances of enemy forces deciphering transmissions, and even native Navajo speakers wouldn’t have been able to understand the code used.

Chinese

When we think about Chinese immigration into the U.S., we sometimes forget that China is a multicultural, multiethnic country, and that not all Chinese immigrants spoke the same language or came from the same region.

It is reported that more than 3 million people in the U.S. speak a Chinese language at home, with Mandarin, Cantonese, and Hokkien accounting for the majority of those speakers.

German

Although more than a million Americans speak German at home , nearly half of them would have issues communicating with a German person. This is because there are several variants of German spoken in the U.S., such as the Pennsylvania Dutch, the Plautdietsch, or the Alsatian , mainly spoken by Amish or Mennonite communities, or the Yiddish , widely spoken in Jewish communities.

Standard German is the second most spoken language in North Dakota , while Texas German , a U.S. variant, is still spoken in the state of Texas by the descendants of 19th-century German settlers.

Hawaiian

Hawaiian is recognized as one of the official languages of the state of Hawaii , but is classified as an endangered language . It is estimated that only 2000 of its 30,000 speakers learned it as a first language. In the late 19th Century, Hawaiian was banned from schools , which significantly reduced the number of speakers, but conservation efforts over the past decades have proven successful in revitalizing the language .

Hawaiian Pidgin , an English-based creole language , is also spoken by more than half a million Hawaiians and has been influenced by languages such as Portuguese, Cantonese, Japanese, Okinawan, and Korean .

Italian

Italians are one of the most notorious U.S. communities of immigrant descent, with their way of speaking being one of the main traits associated with Italian-Americans . But nowadays, of the more than 15 million Italian-Americans, only 700,000 are fluent in standard Italian .

Many Americans of Italian descent speak a pidgin (a simplified language that results from the contact of two groups) that mixes English, standard Italian, and regional Italian dialects , with words like mootsarell’ (from mozzarella ), gabagool’ (from capocollo ), or latte (from caffelatte ). Something to think about next time someone orders a pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks.

Vietnamese

You might not know this, but despite Vietnamese immigration being relatively recent compared to other Southeast Asian communities, Vietnamese is the sixth most spoken language in the U.S . This is a result of a conscious effort by the Vietnamese community to maintain the language and pass it down to new generations.

Before the start of the Vietnam War, it was estimated that only 3,000 people of Vietnamese descent lived in the U.S. Currently, around 2.3 million individuals identify as Vietnamese-American, 1.5 million of them being fluent speakers of the language .

American Sign Language (ASL)

When we say ‘languages other than English’, most of the time we are not thinking of sign languages . For many people, sign language is a variant of a spoken language, but sign languages have their own grammar, syntax, and rules that make them full-fledged languages.

It is estimated that American Sign Language (distinct and separate from the sign languages of some other anglophone countries) has between 250,000 to half a million native speakers , with thousands more as second-language users.

Arabic

The presence of the Arabic language in the U.S. dates back hundreds of years, with records of Arabic speakers from the 17th Century . Arab-Americans are estimated to be more than 3 million, of diverse backgrounds, with ties to at least 22 Arabic-speaking countries .

Following historic events in the past decades, many Arab-Americans have stopped using the language or teaching it to their children to avoid prejudice or stigma . Nonetheless, Arabic is still one of the most spoken languages at home for U.S. citizens , with more than a million users.

1

Arizona skips Daylight Saving Time

Image: Christoph von Gellhorn

This is partly true because most of the state doesn’t bother with Daylight Saving Time . They stopped changing the clocks back in 1967. The exception is the Navajo Nation, which stretches into Utah and New Mexico and keeps DST so all its communities stay on the same schedule. Now, as for the smaller Hopi reservation, inside the Navajo Nation, it sticks with Arizona time… Yes, quite confusing if you’re not a local.

2

Georgia isn’t really the Peach State

Image: Jessica Furtney

Georgia loves its peaches, sure, but the state’s top fruit money-maker is actually blueberries . In recent years, blueberries have brought in several times more cash for farmers than peaches. Meanwhile, California grows far more peaches than Georgia ever has. The nickname stuck from the old days when Georgia peaches were famous for their flavor, not their volume. So while the pride is real, the peaches aren’t quite the powerhouse people may think.

3

Nevada didn’t record the hottest US temperature

Image: tommao wang

You probably think of Nevada’s desert heat as unmatched, but the all-time record belongs to California’s Death Valley . In July 1913, it hit a mind-melting 134 degrees Fahrenheit, the hottest temperature not only in America but the hottest ever recorded on Earth!

4

Minnesota doesn’t have the most lakes

Image: Tom Conway

Minnesota proudly calls itself the "Land of 10,000 Lakes," but that’s selling itself short… The real number is closer to 12,000. However, Alaska wins this battle . The state has more than 3 million lakes over five acres in size. In fact, Alaska contains over 40 percent of the nation’s surface water. If you love fishing, kayaking, or just staring at a quiet stretch of water, the true lake capital of America is far up north.

5

Pineapples aren’t native to Hawaii

Image: Christian Joudrey

Pineapples are everywhere in Hawaiian imagery, but the plant actually comes from South America , mainly Paraguay and southern Brazil. Spanish explorers likely brought them to Hawaii in the 1500s after spreading them across the Pacific to places like the Philippines and Guam. Hawaii’s climate turned out to be perfect for growing them and by the 1900s, the islands were producing so many pineapples that the fruit became a symbol of Hawaii itself.

6

Maine isn’t the country’s easternmost point

Image: Chris Henry

If you’re a Geography geek, you’ll love this one. You might picture Maine’s rocky coast as the eastern tip of America, but the actual easternmost point is thousands of miles away, on Alaska’s Semisopochnoi Island in the Aleutians. How is that possible? Well, that’s because it crosses the 180th meridian, putting it in the Eastern Hemisphere. That means part of Alaska technically sits farther east than anywhere in Maine.

7

The biggest US earthquake didn’t happen in California

Image: Lala Miklós

California has suffered some big earthquakes in its history, but the most powerful earthquake in America struck Alaska in 1964 . It hit Prince William Sound with a magnitude of 9.2. It was so strong it shook the ground for four and a half minutes and triggered massive tsunamis. In today’s dollars, the damage would total more than $2 billion. Alaska sits on a collision zone of tectonic plates, making it one of the world’s most seismically active regions.

8

The Everglades isn’t America’s biggest swamp

Image: Joshua J. Cotten

A lot of people picture the Florida Everglades when they think of swamps, but technically, the Everglades isn’t a swamp at all. The real title of the largest swamp in the United States goes to Louisiana’s Atchafalaya Basin , which spans about 1.4 million acres. This swamp has a vast mix of cypress forests, bayous, and marshes, and it’s more than twice as productive as the Everglades when it comes to wildlife and plant life.

9

Big cities aren’t always capitals

Image: Mackenzie Cruz

It surprises people how often the biggest city isn’t the state capital . New York City? Not the capital… Albany is. Chicago? Nope, that honor goes to Springfield. Pennsylvania’s capital isn’t Philly or Pittsburgh, it’s Harrisburg. Even California’s capital isn’t L.A. or San Francisco, it’s actually Sacramento. Out of fifty states, only seventeen have their most populous city as the capital.

10

Alaska isn’t divided into counties

Image: Rod Long

Alaska likes to do things its own way. Instead of counties, it’s split into boroughs , and a massive area known as the Unorganized Borough has no local government at all. People out there don’t pay property taxes, but that freedom comes with challenges, limited services, fewer job options, and tough living conditions.

1

Prank calls

Image: Happysurd Photography

With smartphones taking over, the classic prank call is slowly fading away. Back in the day, dialing a random number to play a harmless joke and share a laugh with friends was a common pastime. Today, with caller ID and mobile phones everywhere, executing those little tricks has become more complicated.

2

Block parties

Image: Yifan Gu

We used to know all our neighbors, and that sense of community was deep. Today, things have changed. With growing cities and people moving more often, your neighbors might be gone before you even learn their names. On top of that, our lives are busier than ever, and closing off a street for a party isn’t as simple as it once was. With these new dynamics, the once-beloved block party has become a rare thing, mostly surviving in small towns or communities. Remember the last time you went to one?

3

Ding-dong ditch

Image: Waldemar Brandt

Remember when kids could safely roam the streets for hours? The good old days! Wandering around your neighborhood or even a different one, there was always someone who came up with the idea: ringing a doorbell and running away. It might have been a little annoying for the person who opened the door, but it was all in good fun.

4

Fruit baskets

Image: Nick Fewings

Our mothers and grandmothers knew that when it came to celebrations, anniversaries, holidays, or any special occasion, a beautifully arranged fruit basket was always a thoughtful gift. This simple gesture showed care and dedication, but today, it’s slowly disappearing. Why? The convenience of online shopping and the trend toward more personalized presents have made this classic gift increasingly rare.

5

Christmas cards

Image: Richard Bell

If you’re like us and just love greeting cards, you’ve probably noticed that fewer people are taking the time to go to the store, pick the perfect card, write a message, and send it off. While traditional greeting cards and Christmas cards are slowly being replaced by digital alternatives, there will always be those of us who appreciate this lovely ritual.

6

School reunions

Image: RUT MIIT

Reunions with former classmates tend to divide people: some look forward to them with excitement, while others would rather skip them altogether. We won’t ask which side you’re on, but there’s no denying that these gatherings are becoming rarer. While a few devoted groups still make an effort to keep it alive year after year, this custom doesn’t seem to be among the younger generations’ priorities.

7

Bake sales

Image: John Dancy

Whether at school, church, or in the neighborhood, who didn’t take part in a bake sale as a kid? However, in today’s fast-paced world, finding time to bake delicious cookies has become a rare treat. This classic way of raising money for a shared cause hasn’t vanished, but it’s definitely losing steam. With virtual wallets and social media, fundraising looks very different today.

8

Black Friday

Image: Markus Spiske

Black Friday, as we once knew it, is evolving into something new. Those endless lines outside stores are now much shorter, thanks to the rise of online shopping. In addition, with the increase in per capita consumption, Black Friday is no longer confined to the day after Thanksgiving; it now stretches across the entire week, and in many cases, the whole month.

9

Appointment TV

Image: Vitaly Gariev

We’ve all gotten used to on-demand content, which lets us watch, rewind, and replay whenever we like. While this convenience is great, it has slowly replaced the old habit of appointment TV, those moments when families or neighbors would gather in their living rooms at a set time to watch a big game, a premiere, or the season finale, sharing a sense of community that’s not so common today.

10

Private fireworks

Image: Leo Okuyama

As the years have passed, we’ve learned more about the risks of fireworks: How they can frighten pets, harm the environment, and cause serious injuries in both children and adults. We can’t deny that lighting fireworks in the backyard with the family is a magical moment, but these days, that tradition has mostly moved to large events in stadiums or music festivals, where trained professionals handle the show.