Re: CHAT: geographical nomenclature [was Re: Language of Tetril]

Quoting John Cowan <cowan@...>:

> Roger Mills scripsit:
>
> > Way back in the 40s, one of my teachers recounted this exchange,
> > which took
> > place in Boston (Mass.)--
> > She:  "I'm from South Dakota"
> > Bostonian:  "Oh.  What state is that in?"
>
> The (U.S.) state of New Mexico routinely gets inquiries from other
> Americans about passport and visa requirements for visiting it.
> It is also, AFAIK, the only state where both English and Spanish
> are official languges.
Hmm.  I don't think Texas has any official language, but a quick
search of the state Statutes revealed that both English and Spanish
are _de facto_, if perhaps not _de jure_, official languages.  FWIW,
George W. Bush, during the recent election, also fought against those
segments of his party that wanted an English Only ammendment to the
Constitution. (Texas's behavior in this respect is in marked contrast
to California's.)

The State of Hawaii does have two official languages:  English, and
Hawaiian.

=====================================================================
Thomas Wier <trwier@...> <http://home.uchicago.edu/~trwier>

             "...koruphàs hetéras hetére:isi prosápto:n /
Dept. of Linguistics  mú:tho:n mè: teléein atrapòn mían..."
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