Abstract: Language conflicts arise from the difference and confrontation of language interests. The underlying cause of language conflicts in the U.S. lies in that the dominant group uses language policy as an instrument to assimilate other ethnic groups, to exploit material interests and to preserve its dominant position, and uses it as the proxy for intergroup competition and as mechanisms of social control. This paper, on the basis of institution elements analysis, employs W. Richard Scott's mechanisms of institutionalization, increasing returns-based, increasing commitments-based and increasing objectification to analyze the institutionalized phases of language conflicts in the U.S.