English spoken here -- and most everywhere

For years, there has been an effort to make English the official language of the United States. For all practical purposes, it already is. But sizable increases in immigrants in recent years have resulted in government directives to cater to dozens of other languages.

Now a curious development is unfolding. Great Britain, the land of our mother tongue, has had a law for years requiring immigrants to learn English, Welsh or Gaelic before obtaining citizenship, but the law has rarely been enforced. Home Secretary David Blunkett is proposing a clampdown that includes enforcing the law.

Few immigrants who seek British citizenship would opt for Welsh or Gaelic. It will be interesting to see how the new emphasis on learning an official language will turn out.

At the same time, travelers from English-speaking countries who travel almost anywhere in the world are always surprised at how many people elsewhere learn English as a second language. It's curious so many foreigners think it's important to speak English while the issue of an official language remains such a hot button in the United States.