Spanish in the United States as an Example of the Interaction between Language, Politics and Ethnicity

Abstract

The continuous influx of immigrants from Spanish-speaking countries and the concentration of Hispanics/Latinos in certain areas in the United States, all contribute to the use and expansion of the Spanish language in America. Nevertheless, Spanish appears not to be making much impact as would be expected. The reasons for this can be traced to the language politics of the United States, strongly represented in the efforts of the Anti-bilingual Education proponents who, through Pro-English Organisations, have secured to a large extent, the marginalisation of the language of this ethnic group. In addition, the Americanization of the country is a cultural factor which upholds the hegemony of the English language as a standard of American culture and identity. This paper looks at the politics behind the linguistic situation in the United States with particular focus on the interaction of language, politics and ethnicity and its effects on Hispanic identity.