Abstract

Spanish Speakers in the USA explores the relationship between language and culture both as specific to Latin@s and as a generalizable example of linguistic and cultural diversity. The concept of identity is explored, with special attention to culturally embedded ideas about 'race' and ethnicity, and how language contributes to identity construction. Also addressed are attitudes and beliefs about the Spanish language, and the people who speak it, as they are revealed in online communication, public discourse, films and television. Linguistic consequences of language contact are discussed, showing how so-called 'Spanglish' is both socially significant and linguistically mundane. The final chapter illuminates how the education of Spanish speakers in the USA school system is linked to issues surrounding Latin@ identities and ideologies about Spanish.

Fuller covers the topic of contemporary Spanish-English bilingualism in the US with refreshing clarity and thoroughness. Not only does this text present the latest issues in this field, it does so in a way that illuminates them without sacrificing their complexity. It is a must-read for students, teachers and practitioners in this field.

Fuller brings us an engaging and perceptive look into issues of bilingualism and language choice, as a focus for the social construction of identity. The book uses vivid examples to illustrate the complex and contradictory ideologies about Spanish and English in the US, and how these play out at both individual and societal levels. A must-read.

Fuller's book is a great introduction to all topics pertaining to language ideology, language policy, linguistic identity, and language practices, without getting too linguistically technical or lost in numbers.This is a must own book for the Hispanic Linguistics instructor, and perfect for a class more focused on the ideological and attitudinal aspects of Spanish in the US and language contact in general. The author's style is very clear, direct, and filled with examples and topics that students will surely enjoy.

This volume serves as an excellent textbook for the systematic study of Spanish speakers in the US. Each chapter thus begins with a set of objectives to allow the reader to focus on the main points. Furthermore, each chapter contains valuable discussion questions and activities that will stimulate readers to engage in worthwhile dialogue. Furthermore, these are carefully chosen selected readings that will enhance knowledge of the central themes of each chapter. A useful and comprehensive reference section, a glossary and a valuable index complement this informative and well-written.

Janet M. Fuller is a Professor of Anthropology and the Director of the Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies program at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. She has done research on many facets of multilingualism, including the social identities and language use of children in Spanish-English bilingual classrooms in the USA.