WI: US choose German as national language

What if in 1776, German was chosen as America's official language instead of English?

Would the US still have been on the allied side during WWI and WWII?
 
That was never in debate, actually, all popular myths to the contrary.
It's just not going to happen short of a POD changeing the settlement of America or ASB intervention.

With a POD in 1776, it's also extremely dubious that there'd even be a WWI or II like OTL.
 
Well, all said so far: first, it's a myth, second, there's no official language.

However, what could be interesting is single states having an official language. What about Pennsylvania deciding in 1776 to adopt German as its official language? Still requires a POD and a change in settlement, but not that much as to have the whole US going German.
 
What if in 1776, German was chosen as America's official language instead of English?

Would the US still have been on the allied side during WWI and WWII?

To echo the above posters...

Firstly, the United States does not have an official language, although certain states do. English is the de facto tongue, because the vast majority of the country speaks it, but there is no legislation to warrant this place.

Second, despite the urban legend floating around that the US considered adopting German as an official language, it never happened. It is a gross exaggeration of an instance when the House of Representatives declined to translate a law into German.

Thirdly, Even assuming that somebody brings this up at the constitutional convention (the continental congress have more pressing matters to attend to), the idea of it being accepted is ridiculous. Why? Because the thirteen colonies were, with the exception of certain areas (such as the region of Pennsylvania settled by Germans), overwhelmingly anglophone. Why are they going to adopt German, of all things, as the official language, especially when most of them don't understand it?
 
What if in 1776, German was chosen as America's official language instead of English?

Would the US still have been on the allied side during WWI and WWII?

Never happened. Now, had the US adopted Yiddish as an official language, well - :D . . . . .
 
*Puffs out chest*

Yep, no official language for the US.

And yes, I do feel proud of myself for repeating what everyone else said. :rolleyes::p:D
 
There are official langauges on the state level, and a couple of those are bilingual; Hawaii and Louisiana me thinks.
 
There are official langauges on the state level, and a couple of those are bilingual; Hawaii and Louisiana me thinks.

Isn't New Mexico bilingual with Spanish as well?


Is it possible that one or more of the states in 1776 adopts a different official language on the state level in 1776? And did they consider "official languages" at all back then?
 
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