In 1492, Columbus set sail. His voyages were only one piece of a much larger transformation that reshaped Spain — and, eventually, the Americas. That same year, Spain saw the fall of the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada, marking the end of centuries of Muslim rule. Just months later, the Edict of Expulsion forced tens of thousands of Jews to flee their homeland, victims of Spain’s growing obsession with “blood purity.” Conquest, expulsion and colonization defined this pivotal moment in history. And yet, another event of 1492, often overlooked but no less significant, helped shape Spain’s imperial project: the publication of a book.

That book, “Gramática de la lengua castellana” by humanist Antonio de Nebrija, was the first-ever grammar of the Spanish language. In dedicating his work to Queen Isabella I, Nebrija famously declared: “Siempre la lengua fue compañera del imperio.” (“Language has always been a companion of empire.”) His grammar sought to standardize Castilian Spanish, elevating it above Spain’s many regional and minority languages. It was an effort not just to unify Spain internally but to project Spanish dominance.

Standardizing language, however, was never just about communication; it was about power. In the centuries that followed, the policing of the Spanish language became a tool of religious and racial discrimination, via the Inquisition and colonization, and determining who was considered fully Spanish and who was not. Nebrija’s vision of linguistic purity mirrored the nation’s broader anxieties about identity and belonging, a nationalist project that continues to have disturbing relevance today.

Fast forward to March 1 of this year, when a new executive order declared English the official language of the United States. The order proclaimed that “it is in America’s best interest for the federal government to designate one — and only one — official language. Establishing English as the official language will not only streamline communication but also reinforce shared national values.”

This rhetoric of “unity” and “efficiency” echoes the language of past empire-builders, but history suggests a darker reality. Much like Spain’s 1492 linguistic nationalism, English-only policies in the U.S. are less about communication and more about exclusion — about determining who belongs and who does not.

History reveals that dominant sociopolitical ideologies have consistently used language as a cornerstone for constructing national identity: one language, one people, one nation. This has often been enforced through the systematic suppression and erasure of all but the official language(s) from the public domain. This practice creates a significant power imbalance, elevating prestigious languages while marginalizing lesser-known or less prestigious ones.

Yet history also shows that language is not inherently imperial. Spanish has evolved into one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, embracing diverse regional dialects and cultures. Similarly, the United States has always been home to linguistic diversity. Nearly 68 million U.S. residents speak a language other than English at home, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Spanish is the second most common language, and by 2050, the U.S. is projected to have the world’s largest population of Spanish speakers — an estimated 138 million people.

Rather than enforcing linguistic uniformity, we should reflect on the historical role of language in shaping power structures. Instead of reviving old models of exclusion, we should consider what it means to foster a society that values multilingualism and the realities of an evolving national identity. Language has always been a companion of empire, but our powerful embrace of multilingualism in the U.S. is our path forward.

Imposing a single language strips speakers of their individuality. Consequently, language becomes detached from its core role: facilitating communication, transmitting knowledge and wisdom across generations, sharing community stories and fostering bonds with loved ones. At the local level, support initiatives like Multilingual Mainers and Educators for a Multilingual Maine in this work.