Spanish in the U.S.: History, Demographics, and Sociopolitical Tensions

Virtual presentation by Dr. Jennifer Leeman, professor of Hispanic Linguistics at George Mason University.

This talk examines the sociopolitical and demographic landscape of the Spanish language in the United States. It begins with a historical overview of Spanish in North America, then presents current data on Spanish-speaking communities, emphasizing their diversity in citizenship, national origin, race, and language use. The talk also explores how language ideologies—particularly those that frame Spanish and its speakers as "un-American"—influence public attitudes, policies, and language shift. It concludes with an analysis of how ongoing contact with English is shaping the way Spanish is spoken in the U.S., highlighting some common linguistic features.

This event is sponsored by the departments of World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, History, and the Latin American, Latino, and Caribbean Center.

Zoom Link