Is English the language used on the Enterprise and the Federation?

Question

In Episode 4 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, a character asked another character to rephrase something in English. I thought the standard language used in the Federation is called Galactic Basic or something similar. Has any other Star Trek series established that English is the language used throughout the Federation? If not, then this is another canon violation by the makers of the modern Star Trek.

Answer 1

The Memory Beta page for 'Federation Standard' (also known as 'Earth Basic') states that it seems to be English, or a derivative of it.

Federation Standard seems to be English or a derivative of English, given the English writings seen on the hulls of Federation starships. It is likely that Standard is simply English with a small amount of loanwords and invented words to fill lexical gaps present in English.

There's a fair bit of evidence that this is true in the official canon. For example, in the pilot episode of Star Trek: Enterprise, Hoshi said something to T'Pol in Vulcan, and T'Pol informed her that she was instructed to speak in English during her assignment on the NX-01.

HOSHI [speaking Vulcan]: Ponfo mirann.

T'POL: I was instructed to speak English during this voyage, and I'd appreciate it if you'd respect that.

_{Star Trek: Enterprise - S01E01 - "Broken Bow"}

In an episode of Star Trek: The Original Series, Spock mentioned that the Universal Translator translates other languages into English.

(Spock is working on the Universal Translator. It is basically a metal tube nearly a foot long, that can be held in the hand.)

COCHRANE: What's the theory behind this device?

KIRK: There are certain universal ideas and concepts common to all intelligent life. This device instantaneously compares the frequency of brainwave patterns, selects those ideas and concepts it recognises, and then provides the necessary grammar.

SPOCK: Then it translates its findings into English.

COCHRANE: You mean it speaks?

KIRK: With a voice or the approximation of whatever the creature is on the sending end. Not one hundred percent efficient, but nothing ever is.

_{Star Trek: The Original Series - S02E02 - "Metamorphosis"}

And in an episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Sisko and Bashir were stranded in early 21st century San Francisco without their combadges, and had no trouble communicating with the locals.

BASHIR: Do you know what happened to our comm. badges?

SISKO: They were probably stolen while we were unconscious. This is not the Earth we're used to, Doctor. That's still at least a century away.

_{Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - S03E11 - "Past Tense, Part I"}

It was also indicated that English was the primary language spoken in San Francisco at that time.

VIN: Please fill out these forms. Answer all questions to the best of your ability. If you cannot speak English an interpreter will be provided. If you cannot read, questions will be given to you verbally. If there is any part of this form you do not understand, ask one of our staff for assistance. Now sit down, shut up, and fill out the forms. And if you've got any problems, don't come to me with them.

_{Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - S03E11 - "Past Tense, Part I"}

Answer 2

Galactic Basic is from Star Wars. Star Trek (or at least the Federation) uses either English or Federation Standard as the standard.

English was a Human language. It was a major operating language for Starfleet, and was spoken widely throughout the Federation.

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In fact, "New Eden" suggests that English and Federation Standard are esentially [sic] synonymous: an isolated group of Humans descending from 21st century Americans are identified as speaking Federation Standard. In "There Is A Tide...", the English-language text of the armistice offered by Osyraa is captioned on-screen as Federation Standard.

Some examples from various series:

From 1992 to 1996, Khan Noonien Singh was the absolute ruler of a quarter of Earth's Human population, from the Subcontinent to the Middle East. English was spoken in several of his subject countries, and in others seized by his fellow supermen in 1993. (TOS: "Space Seed")

In 2024, individuals that were submitted to the Sanctuary Districts were given questionnaires and told to answer all of the questions to the best of their ability. They were told that if they could not speak English an interpreter would be provided, and if they could not read, the questions would be given to them verbally. (DS9: "Past Tense, Part I")

On the maiden mission of the UESPA/Starfleet Enterprise NX-01, when linguist Hoshi Sato was discomforted by the sequencing of the deflector at warp 4.4, she snapped at T'Pol "ponfo mirann!" (Vulcan for "go to hell!"); T'Pol replied coldly, "I was instructed to speak English on this voyage and I'd appreciate it if you'd respect that." (ENT: "Broken Bow")

....

In 2270, Nyota Uhura described the English language as "universal". (TAS: "The Counter-Clock Incident")

When the crew of the USS Enterprise-D pulled up the Treaty of Armens, it included both the English language version alongside the Sheliak language version. (TNG: "The Ensigns of Command")

English was still in use in the 33rd century in some capacity by the V'draysh. The word "Warning" would be displayed on V'draysh escape pods in a state of danger. (ST: "Calypso")