Is Spanish in the US to stay?
11 August 2005
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Spanish in the United States is an amazing story. The U.S. is now the fifth largest Spanish-speaking country in the world. New York has as many Puerto Ricans as San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico. Miami is the second-largest Cuban city; Los Angeles the second largest Mexican city.
But what's the future of Spanish in this country? Going by history, it should follow the script of other languages that have come, and gone -- or gradually lost speakers -- during more than three centuries of immigration. Think of Italian, Dutch or Polish. Dozens of languages have landed on our shores, only to fade away in a generation or two. Will Spanish go the way of other immigrant languages -- or will it find a way to survive?
As a general rule, immigrants to this country strongly prefer their native language over English. This certainly applies to the millions of foreign-born Latinos now in the US. But with each successive generation of Latinos, Spanish use declines sharply. By the third generation, few Latinos remain proficient in the language of their parents and grandparents. They overwhelmingly prefer English.
Latino youth abandon Spanish to fit in, or attain the social status of English. And practically speaking, some worry that Spanish will interfere with their ability to speak English, and their ability to make a good living. So it's only a matter of time before Spanish fades away. Or is it?
So far, the generational loss of speakers has been offset by a steady flow of new immigrants from Latin America—up to a million a year. But even if immigration declines as some experts predict, the sheer number of speakers in the country give Spanish the advantage of critical mass -- far larger than any other immigration in history -- which will give it staying power. At the moment there are over 40 million Hispanics in the U.S., found in every state of the union. There are also places in the country -- think of Texas, Arizona, and Colorado -- where Spanish has traditionally been spoken by natives, not just recent immigrants. And let’s not forget non-Latinos who are fluent in Spanish for many reasons.
But the future of U.S. Spanish doesn't depend just on external factors like social pressures, economic incentives, and demographics. It may also be related to how it develops as a language. Impressive as the numbers are, there's also an astonishing variety of accents, usage and dialects, as Spanish-speaking immigrants come from places ranging from Buenos Aires to Tijuana. There's been nothing like it in the history of the Spanish-speaking world.
Spanish is being negotiated and reinvented day by day, in part because of the mixing of dialects; in part because it's incorporating elements of English. A U.S. mixture of Spanish and English is evolving, often referred to as "Spanglish." Think of "Yo quiero Taco Bell," or "Hasta la vista, Baby." Spanglish is both popular and contagious, even spreading to other Spanish-speaking countries.
Spanish in the U.S. is mutating, adapting to its linguistic environment -- and therefore more likely to thrive. My guess is that Spanish will indeed survive. But it won't be the traditional Spanish of Mexico or, for that matter, any other country you know. Three generations from now it will be a new blend, still understandable by people in Spanish-speaking countries, but something different, enriched by the influence of English and the mixture of dialects that flow into it.
Whatever new shape it takes, we should recognize that Spanish is no longer a foreign language in the United States. New Mexico has acknowledged that by making the state officially bilingual in Spanish and English. The rest of the country, while not doing so officially, is rapidly adapting to the fact that Spanish is now -- together with English -- one of the country's national languages.
That's the linguistic thought for today, which comes from Dr. Maria Carreira, professor of Spanish at Cal State Long Beach. And this is the Five-Minute Linguist at the College of Charleston, in cooperation with the National Museum of Language. If you have a question about language, visit us at www.cofc.edu/linguist. And in the meantime, keep in mind that wherever you are, and whatever you do... language makes a difference.
Comments
Wow. I definately have to agree with how fast spanish is growing. Its sad that people still undermine the spanish language and believe that just because it is the United States, Enslish should be the only language. In many other countries, being bilingual is something that is sought after and even praised. I believe it is time that we give credit to all those other languages that are out there, specially spanish and stop being ashamed of them. Its time to be proud.
Posted by: Yanira at August 25, 2005 03:02 PM
I think this is a very insightful piece, and represents a prediction that is already come into play. Many previous immigrants lost their languages not only for the reasons mentions but also because because of sheer proximity. They came during a time when assimilation was key to fitting in. Mexico, Purto Rico, and Cuba are so close and with today's technology, we have better access to stay in touch with our family abroad. I think immigrants should do everything they can to not lose their primary language while learning english and I think this country needs to recognize the importance of speaking more languages.
Posted by: Breana at August 25, 2005 04:48 PM
It is definately a shame that hispanic polulation feel reluctant of speaking their own language in the United States. As the article explains this is due to social pressure that if someone does not speak English fluently and correctly, then it is identified as a person without education or a brain. Hispanics should be proud of being able to speak two languages instead of one, and parents should emphasize the importance of speaking a language such as Spanish. It is the responsability of parents to educate their children about their native or grandparents' language, as it is the responsability of children to feel proud and confortable with being who they really are. It is really pathetic to hear a hispanic mother talking to her 3 year old daughter in English , because as she said, "does not want her daughter to suffer or struggle in school." This ignorant mother does not know that children have the capacity to acquire different languages at the same time. Even more pathetic is the fact that this mother does not speak English fluently. Yes Spanish will continue to grow, but it is regrettable that is taking the form of a dialect in the United States.
Posted by: Xenia at August 26, 2005 06:40 PM
yo espero que un dia en los Estados Unidos el spanol pueda ser hablado por toda la gente. ya ha este tiempo muchos americanos estan tratando de aprendeer espanol. estoy orgullosa de my lenguage
Posted by: paloma at October 19, 2005 04:28 PM