PS: thanks to g1w who found this simpler working version.
bash5$ mmdebstrap stable /dev/null --quiet --aptopt='Acquire::Languages "en"' --essential-hook='find $1/var/lib/apt/lists -name "*Translation*" -print -quit'
/tmp/mmdebstrap.aJtBqVlWIx/var/lib/apt/lists/security.debian.org_debian-security_dists_stable-security_main_i18n_Translation-enI think the longer stuff is needed if you want more than one setting at once, e.g. environment AND en, or zh AND en.
