Noah Webster: The definition of Yankee know-how

[snopes]

Were it not for Noah Webster Jr., the farm boy from West Hartford, Conn., Americans might all be reading their newspapers from back to front today.

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/...0,596880.story

[Richard W]

In contrast to most European countries, where regional dialects hold considerable sway, the United States has never been divided by language.

I thought that whole Spanish business was quite a sore point politically... (Not to mention any indigenous languages that are too marginalised to make it to "divisive" status.) I suppose they mean that all the English speakers speak the same type of English? Well, except for the people who speak those "ebonic" dialects anyway, which presumably don't count either.

[DevilBunny]

It's been a fair old while since the UK was 'divided by language', too. Divided by nationalism, regionalism and classism, sure, but they can all communicate.

[snopes]

Originally Posted by Richard W

I thought that whole Spanish business was quite a sore point politically

Ah, but Americans aren't opposed to the Spanish language; they just don't like the sort of people who speak it.