e-ReferenceDesk's College and 50 State Learning Resource Guide

Find Online Colleges

Find Campus Colleges

State Symbols

The official state symbols represent the cultural heritage and natural treasures of each state or the entire United States

South Carolina Symbols

South Carolina State Language

English

Adopted in 1987.

South Carolina adopted the English language is the official language of the State of South Carolina in 1987

5.2 percent of this state's residents speak a language other than English. The most common of these languages are Spanish, French, German, and Tagalog (Philipino). The portion of South Carolinians who speak little or no English has more than tripled since 1990.

South Carolina 2002 Code of Laws
§1-1-696. Official State Language.
The English language is the official language of the State of South Carolina.

§1-1-697. Use of Language Other Than English Prohibited.
Neither this State nor any political subdivision thereof shall require, by law, ordinance, regulation, order, decree, program, or policy, the use of any language other than English; provided, however, that nothing in §§1-1-696 through 1-1-698 shall prohibit a state agency or a political subdivision of the State from requiring an applicant to have certain degrees of knowledge in a foreign language as a condition of employment where appropriate.

§1-1-698. Exceptions to Prohibitions Against Use of Language Other Than English.
Sections 1-1-696 through 1-1-698 do not prohibit any law, ordinance, regulation, order, decree, program, or policy requiring educational instruction in a language other than English for the purpose of making students who use a language other than English proficient in English or making students proficient in a language in addition to English.

State Symbols

State symbols represent things that are special to a particular state.

symbol \ˈsim-bəl\
noun

Etymology:
in sense 1, from Late Latin symbolum, from Late Greek symbolon, from Greek, token, sign; in other senses from Latin symbolum token, sign, symbol, from Greek symbolon, literally, token of identity verified by comparing its other half, from symballein to throw together, compare, from syn- + ballein to throw — more at devil
Date: 15th century

1: Something that represents something else by association, resemblance, or convention, especially a material object used to represent something invisible.